Is it "teenage" independance?

[catnapper]

Pouncer used to be a huge cuddler. He'd sit at my feet and cry until I picked him up and he'd fall asleep in my arms. But lately, he will only settle in my arms under duress - he'll lay there while his little tail swishes non-stop while alert of everything going on in the room. Then he jumps out of my arms and goes flying into some naw-tee act.

He still sleeps tucked between Grant and me. He still cuddles as much with Allen. But why has his personality changed so much when it comes to being a lap kitty? He was such a lover-boy and loved to curl up in my lap...is he just getting too grown-up to be with meowmie? Next thing, he'll be yelling at me when I give him a kiss in front of someone else.

Anybody else's kitties change as they reached their teenage "years"?

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I can't remember Tubby's teenage years, but all I know is as he gets older (into his "50's and 60's" and beyond) he'll become a lover boy lap cat again. Sometimes I can't get Tubby out of my lap for nothing! So like they say about skin teenagers, don't worry, it's just a phase and he'll come around again.

[Twink]

Rizz is just a bit older than Pouncer. He's about 13 months now. When we first got him (5 mos.), he was a little snugglebug, and was very content to be held and cuddled. Then (at about Pouncer's age, I believe) he went through a phase where he just didn't want to be held. Never did figure it out. For a little bit, he even seemed scared to be restrained. He would panic and thrash with his claws (very strange, as Rizz is usually a gentle boy). I was disheartened, and left to myself, I probably would have just decided that the cat simply didn't want to be cuddled, and I would have stopped holding him and settled instead for just petting him. Fortunately, my husband had the foresight to cuddle Rizzo whether Rizzo wanted to be cuddled or not. And eventually, Rizz remembered that being held was actually kind of nice. Now, he's probably still not as cuddly as he was when he was a baby, but he has no problem being held, and will jump on our laps when he wants attention. Sat on Seth's lap for 15 minutes last night, and showed no signs of wanting to move! So, I say just keep giving Pouncer his hugs, even if he doesn't appreciate them, and he'll come back around eventually.

[rkidsrcats]

To hear this is soooo theraputic! I thought we had done something wrong with our children! TigerTiger and Pippin have both gone through this phase too. Pips is in it big time - he used to cuddle and sleep on the pillow with us and then one day, he just stayed out on the futon all night. It was downhill from there. It's like they all of a sudden have waaayyy too much on their little adolescent cat minds to stop and be hugged and loved. TigerTiger has always been a shoulder rider and NEVER liked being held belly up in our arms, but he would cuddle. Now he's kind of getting back into the idea that snuggling is OK, but he has to initiate it. Until they get older and come to appreciate it again, we have Willie, who LOVES to snuggle up and will bug us until we go to bed at night so he can get in and get comfy.
Yeah, it's got to be a teen-age thing, and in our case, a bit of a "boy thing".

[sirrahbed]

Emily and Eliot went through what I guess was this adolescent phase from about 6-8 months on...suddenly they were "grown up". Just recently, Emily is once again a lap kitty, and Eliot comes for a daily snuggle. BUT, if somebody else enters the room - he is off like a lightswitch!! E&E turned a year old in January.

[catnapper]

So there is hope for my independant boy... ooops, I mean Young Man?

Last night I was determined to hold him and picked him up from one of his hidey-holes (hey, if you get him when he's asleep, he might not run as quickly ) He stretched out real long in my arms and flexed his paws and stayed put for a good half hour.... that is until my arms were getting tired and I tried to shirt him to a more comfy posistion (he didn't find it comfy) and he ran off. Oh well... at least my lap cat sat in my lap again.

And then later, Grant was sitting in bed while I was helping the kids with homework, Pouncer jumps up on the bed and talk to Grant... and begs him for loving! This is so not fair!

[catmandu]

Actually Teenage Rebellion might well be it , as my Cats were aloof , at that age as well. But now that the cats and I are at the Geezer Stage of Life , they will once again , be your Little Fur Pals , and wont be able to get enough i\of YOU! Pouncer 1 was like that , too!

[trayi52]

LOL, Grover does that to sometimes. I don't know whether she is still a teenager or not I will have had her for 1 year April 4th. Anyway, I will just lay down and close my eyes, pretty soon I feel her licking my eyelids then she will snuggle up just as close as she can get, then give me a good face and neck washing.

So is Grover still a teenager? Or is she finally growing up into a young woman? LOL!

Willie

[sirrahbed]

Originally posted by catmandu
But now that the cats and I are at the Geezer Stage of Life ...

GEEZER stage????
sorry...that one cracked me up for some reason

[catcrazylady]

Leroy went through this same thing. I think in time they come back to you. They just have to prove their independance for awhile! Leroy is the only one I can use as an example and doesn't that just bite?! Out of all my cats I have only one lap baby!! Sammy has always been a daddy's boy and all the others were feral so they prefer lovins on the ground or just being held briefly.
That just gave me a reality check! The nawtee kitty that drives me crazy is my only lap baby!! *SIGH* that must be why I adore the maniac!!

[Twink]

Originally posted by catcrazylady

That just gave me a reality check! The nawtee kitty that drives me crazy is my only lap baby!! *SIGH* that must be why I adore the maniac!!

LOL--When I was reading the first part of your post, I was thinking the same thing...that it figured that your one lap kitty felt the need to make up for it by being naw-tee! Can't you just hear what goes through his mind? "Time to get in trouble...time to kiss up to Mom....time to get in trouble...."

[Sirrahsim]

sheesh, kids today...

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by sirrahbed
GEEZER stage????
sorry...that one cracked me up for some reason

Me too!

Guess I've got two geezers on my hands.

[Uniqueviking]

Boomer also went through this fase. He was a total cuddle bug til around 3 mths. of age and then NUH UH, no more. Didn't want to be cuddled or picked up again til around 9-10 mths. of age. Now he sleeps in the bed with me every night again, and complains loudly if he doesn't get enough attention or cuddles.

[Kirsten]

Luna was also like that. As a kitten, she used to be a lap cat and slept on my chest, when she was about one year old, she suddenly seemed to have detached from me and was VERY independent. Meanwhile, she has her lap cat moments again, at least once a day!

So I think it could be very well a teenage phase Pouncer is going through.

Kirsten