It certainly does sound like she is punishing you! I've noticed that my babies have had the tendency to do this. Only they just simply ignore me for several hours to a day once I return...but then are back to their normal selves.
Marius, on some occasions, instead of ignoring me when I returned...would basically be glued to me! He would not leave me alone! He would literally be "underfoot", which is bad because I've accidentally stepped on a foot or a tail a time or two...