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  #1  
Old March 30th 06, 12:32 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Default scritch reactions

I've been thinking lately about the different reactions I've seen when
one of my cats jumps up for some scritches. I've only had four cats as
an adult - I spent 20 years active duty in the Army, and as a single
soldier never thought it right to get a pet and have to rehome it if I
deployed somewhere.

Little Bit jumps up and pretty much demands scritches. Not that I mind
her attitude, and I think all cats SHOULD expect scritches, it's just
that she expects them. Sammy is the same way. On those rare ocassions
when Sammy can hold still long enough, she jumps up, demands scritches
for awhile, then jumps down when she's had enough. Neither seem
especially thankful, it's something they expect as their due from
hoomins.

Rocky was the extreme other end of the spectrum. His years as a feral
had taught him not to expect good things from hoomins. To him, laptime
scritches were wondrous things, something he learned to love but never
expected. He would never consider just jumping up onto a hoomin lap.
Rocky always had to be coaxed up. The closest he ever came to asking
was to sit and silently look up at me. Once I told him it was okay,
he'd jump up, but he had to be convinced that it was okay and was
always ready to jump right back down in case he was reading the
signals wrong. It was always like he wasn't sure if I REALLY wanted
him up there. Once I started to give him some scritches he'd relax and
enjoy the wondrous feeling. He never EXPECTED scritches, he always
seemed surprised to receive them. They were wondrous blissful things.
I learned that he was a silent purrer (you could feel the vibrations,
but seldom heard anything. And he was drooller. He'd purr and knead
and drool, purr and knead and drool. Also, he never completely
relaxed. Despite his enjoyment, the slightest shift by the hoomin was
taken as a signal that laptime was over, and he hopped right down.
What he never really learned was that I enjoyed his laptime as much as
he did. I was always very careful not to shift around, even when his
kneading got a little painful - he never did learn not to use his
claws.

Spotty is somewhere in the middle. When she wants some lap time she
starts by reaching up and touching me, and she's very vocal so isn't
the least bit shy about asking if she can get some laptime. But, if I
don't respond, she'll jump and and park herself on my lap without any
coaxing. When she's getting some scritches she shows her enjoyment.
When I look down at her it's usually to see her gazing back at me -
she seems to be saying thankyou for the scritches. If there's a pause
in the scritching she'll sometimes stand up and touch noses with the
hoomin. Unlike Rocky, she does completely relax. In fact, she'll
sometimes roll off my chest and I'll catch her with my arm. She'll lay
on her back, craddled in my arm like a baby, and the whole time she'll
be looking up at me.
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Spot
with loving memories of Rocky (RB)

[remove Junk for email]
Home Page:
http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html
Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html
  #2  
Old March 30th 06, 02:13 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Default scritch reactions

Spotty sounds so sweet. Kitty scritching is great, but having her on
your lap must be extra special.
Suz&Spicey

  #3  
Old March 30th 06, 03:33 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Default scritch reactions

I loved reading these, Steve, esp. about Rocky and Spotty. I still think of
Rocky and all you did for him.

When we first had rescued Oreo in August of 2001, she was sooo shy, didn't
want to be touched. I remember trying to get her to sit in my lap for about
5 seconds by December of that year. Now, however, she's an attention hog of
major proportions. She meows for attention all the time and would settle
for scritches 24/7 if she could get them.

Midnight loves attention but on her terms, as in, she must be the initiator
but then all the world must stop if she wants your attention and we have to
be careful she doesn't get overstimmed.

Robin is sooo sweet and goofy but he has taken awhile to adjust to scritches
and still likes to be the one to initiate petting. However, what is so cute
is that he will be the absolute first cat to curl up with me on the couch or
bed.

Tucker, still amazes me by how sweet and trusting he has become. He jumps
up in laps quite spontaneously now and hides his head in complete bliss in
your arms and just loves the petting.

Christine
"Steve Touchstone" wrote in message
...
I've been thinking lately about the different reactions I've seen when
one of my cats jumps up for some scritches. I've only had four cats as
an adult - I spent 20 years active duty in the Army, and as a single
soldier never thought it right to get a pet and have to rehome it if I
deployed somewhere.

Little Bit jumps up and pretty much demands scritches. Not that I mind
her attitude, and I think all cats SHOULD expect scritches, it's just
that she expects them. Sammy is the same way. On those rare ocassions
when Sammy can hold still long enough, she jumps up, demands scritches
for awhile, then jumps down when she's had enough. Neither seem
especially thankful, it's something they expect as their due from
hoomins.

Rocky was the extreme other end of the spectrum. His years as a feral
had taught him not to expect good things from hoomins. To him, laptime
scritches were wondrous things, something he learned to love but never
expected. He would never consider just jumping up onto a hoomin lap.
Rocky always had to be coaxed up. The closest he ever came to asking
was to sit and silently look up at me. Once I told him it was okay,
he'd jump up, but he had to be convinced that it was okay and was
always ready to jump right back down in case he was reading the
signals wrong. It was always like he wasn't sure if I REALLY wanted
him up there. Once I started to give him some scritches he'd relax and
enjoy the wondrous feeling. He never EXPECTED scritches, he always
seemed surprised to receive them. They were wondrous blissful things.
I learned that he was a silent purrer (you could feel the vibrations,
but seldom heard anything. And he was drooller. He'd purr and knead
and drool, purr and knead and drool. Also, he never completely
relaxed. Despite his enjoyment, the slightest shift by the hoomin was
taken as a signal that laptime was over, and he hopped right down.
What he never really learned was that I enjoyed his laptime as much as
he did. I was always very careful not to shift around, even when his
kneading got a little painful - he never did learn not to use his
claws.

Spotty is somewhere in the middle. When she wants some lap time she
starts by reaching up and touching me, and she's very vocal so isn't
the least bit shy about asking if she can get some laptime. But, if I
don't respond, she'll jump and and park herself on my lap without any
coaxing. When she's getting some scritches she shows her enjoyment.
When I look down at her it's usually to see her gazing back at me -
she seems to be saying thankyou for the scritches. If there's a pause
in the scritching she'll sometimes stand up and touch noses with the
hoomin. Unlike Rocky, she does completely relax. In fact, she'll
sometimes roll off my chest and I'll catch her with my arm. She'll lay
on her back, craddled in my arm like a baby, and the whole time she'll
be looking up at me.
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Spot
with loving memories of Rocky (RB)

[remove Junk for email]
Home Page:
http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html
Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html



  #4  
Old March 30th 06, 05:22 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Default scritch reactions

On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 05:32:11 -0600, Steve Touchstone
yodeled:

I've been thinking lately about the different reactions I've seen when
one of my cats jumps up for some scritches. I've only had four cats as
an adult - I spent 20 years active duty in the Army, and as a single
soldier never thought it right to get a pet and have to rehome it if I
deployed somewhere.

Little Bit jumps up and pretty much demands scritches. Not that I mind

(snip)

Steve, I think we are always intrigued by what our cats do, no matter
how experienced we are-- they always seem to find ways to surprise us.

My tiny Mimi was not a lap cat, and didn't like being held, but she
expected, NAY demanded, skritches and attention, and was anything but
subtle about it. When watching TV at night, she would leap up on me
(or the ex, or both of us), and knead away determinedly, and shove her
nose under our hands. She also liked very vigorous handling-- she
liked to really *feel* her skritches. She really loved to be wrapped
in a big towel and rubbed down roughly-- seemed very rough to us, but
she would be in heaven, bounce right out and come back for more.

Stinky is a lap cat, a velcro cat, and loves to sit near me, or on me,
purring. He needs to be touched very gently and lightly, though,
compared with what tiny Mimi liked. Stinky also likes being picked
up and held and cuddled, and getting face-to-face kisses.

Dante immediately adopted me as his Mommy, and loves to sit in my lap
when he's finished playing and knead away like crazy. In fact, the
guys fight over my lap. But Dante still has too much energy when he's
awake to sit still very long for skritches. But he's so much like
Stinky termperamentally, that I think he will be the same when he's a
bit more grown up.


Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Make Levees, Not War
  #5  
Old March 30th 06, 07:12 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Default scritch reactions


"Steve Touchstone" wrote

I've been thinking lately about the different reactions I've seen when
one of my cats jumps up for some scritches.


snip wonderful anecdote

Mine run the gamut from tentative to lap fungus.

Abelard doesn't demand often (a few times a day) but when he does, I'd best
forget about whatever else I was doing at the time.

Beatrice nags and nags, but from a distance, and you can't help but feel
sorry for her and invite her up. She only does it once or twice a day.

Billy politely asks permission and then doesn't stay too long, which is a
good thing because he's huge. I think he knows what an imposition he is, and
that if he stays very long I will start working on the matts in his fur..

Eli doesn't jump into my lap, he just hangs close to me and demands to be
petted. Once I start petting him, it's hard to get away because if I try to
stop, he quickly snags my clothing and pulls me back.

Lily is the one most often in my lap, and she never waits for an invitation
and never gets down willingly. She's content to just sit there, but if I do
interact with her in any way, she talks. And talks. And talks and talks and
talks....

Baby Eyes is very much the same as Lily in her demands, except she goes in
cycles. I might not find her in my lap for a week or more at a time, then
for a few days she becomes a lap fungus (much to Lily's dismay). Also,
anytime there is a storm in progress, Baby Eyes cannot be dislodged.

Tommy will jump up without an invitation and then walk in circles on my lap
before scrunching himself down. He purrs extremely loud if I then give him
any skritches. He's also hard to dislodge.





  #6  
Old March 31st 06, 04:19 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Default scritch reactions

On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 05:32:11 -0600, Steve Touchstone
wrote:

I've been thinking lately about the different reactions I've seen when
one of my cats jumps up for some scritches.


Your scritching sessions are delightfully detailed. An enjoyable read.

My cats also have their individual ways. Sheba is cunning. If a hand
strays near her, she snags it and runs her face along the hand and
sometimes nips if I try to pull away. Also, I pet her face real good
before I give her insulin. If I get in a hurry and don't pet her
first, she will yowl and snag my hand as I pull the needle away. So I
have to pet her twice as much before she is satisfied.

Djoser likes to reach up and prick my leg while I am sitting at my
desk or watching tv. When I reach down to pet him, I can't do it
absentmindedly while watching tv. Oh, no; it is a full time job
petting him as he weaves back and forth and really gets into the
petting with purring and drooling and snagging my hand if I get slack.

When Robin wants petting, he will maneuver to get onto the front of my
shoulder where i have to hold him or risk his claws from him hanging
on. If he is on the floor and I bend over to pet him, he instantly
reaches up and grabs my shoulders with his front claws and lifts his
hind feet. Once I straighten up under the load of 15+ pounds, he gets
into his favorite position with his body curled up and his haed under
my chin and kneading my neck. He takes these cuddle sessions very
seriously. If I get tired from his weight and try to rest his body on
my desk, he will maneuver so that my warm arms are on the cold desk
instead of him. And the cuddle session goes on and on until I have
have enough loose hair up my nose and tell him it's quitting time.

--
CATherine
  #7  
Old March 31st 06, 05:12 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Default scritch reactions

Kreisleriana wrote:


Steve, I think we are always intrigued by what our cats do, no matter
how experienced we are-- they always seem to find ways to surprise us.

My tiny Mimi was not a lap cat, and didn't like being held, but she
expected, NAY demanded, skritches and attention, and was anything but
subtle about it. When watching TV at night, she would leap up on me
(or the ex, or both of us), and knead away determinedly, and shove her
nose under our hands. She also liked very vigorous handling-- she
liked to really *feel* her skritches. She really loved to be wrapped
in a big towel and rubbed down roughly-- seemed very rough to us, but
she would be in heaven, bounce right out and come back for more.

Stinky is a lap cat, a velcro cat, and loves to sit near me, or on me,
purring. He needs to be touched very gently and lightly, though,
compared with what tiny Mimi liked. Stinky also likes being picked
up and held and cuddled, and getting face-to-face kisses.

Dante immediately adopted me as his Mommy, and loves to sit in my lap
when he's finished playing and knead away like crazy. In fact, the
guys fight over my lap. But Dante still has too much energy when he's
awake to sit still very long for skritches. But he's so much like
Stinky termperamentally, that I think he will be the same when he's a
bit more grown up.


You're so right about them surprising us however experienced with cats
we are, Theresa. Miranda is such a delicate little cat, I've always
treated her with kid gloves. It is only recently that I've discovered
that she likes a bit of rough handling! She's just so tiny and skinny,
it never crossed my mind to 'cathandle' her before. One day when I was
feeling playful, and she seemed playful too, I carefully scritched her a
little harder, then a little harder. She lapped it up, purring her
little silent purr and rolling over. Then I kneaded her all over, and
she was in seventh heaven. Now I give her the rough stuff every now and
then. ;o)

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.
marina (dot) kurten (at) iki (dot) fi
Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki
  #8  
Old March 31st 06, 03:06 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Default scritch reactions

Marina wrote:
Kreisleriana wrote:


Steve, I think we are always intrigued by what our cats do, no matter
how experienced we are-- they always seem to find ways to surprise
us.

My tiny Mimi was not a lap cat, and didn't like being held, but she
expected, NAY demanded, skritches and attention, and was anything but
subtle about it. When watching TV at night, she would leap up on me
(or the ex, or both of us), and knead away determinedly, and shove
her nose under our hands. She also liked very vigorous handling--
she liked to really *feel* her skritches. She really loved to be
wrapped in a big towel and rubbed down roughly-- seemed very rough
to us, but she would be in heaven, bounce right out and come back
for more.

Stinky is a lap cat, a velcro cat, and loves to sit near me, or on
me, purring. He needs to be touched very gently and lightly, though,
compared with what tiny Mimi liked. Stinky also likes being picked
up and held and cuddled, and getting face-to-face kisses.

Dante immediately adopted me as his Mommy, and loves to sit in my lap
when he's finished playing and knead away like crazy. In fact, the
guys fight over my lap. But Dante still has too much energy when
he's awake to sit still very long for skritches. But he's so much
like Stinky termperamentally, that I think he will be the same when
he's a bit more grown up.


You're so right about them surprising us however experienced with cats
we are, Theresa. Miranda is such a delicate little cat, I've always
treated her with kid gloves. It is only recently that I've discovered
that she likes a bit of rough handling! She's just so tiny and skinny,
it never crossed my mind to 'cathandle' her before. One day when I was
feeling playful, and she seemed playful too, I carefully scritched
her a little harder, then a little harder. She lapped it up, purring
her little silent purr and rolling over. Then I kneaded her all over,
and she was in seventh heaven. Now I give her the rough stuff every
now and then. ;o)


The thing I find so amazing is, how they manage to tell us what they want.
:-)
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera)
Cats leave pawprints on your heart.
http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk


  #9  
Old March 31st 06, 10:22 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Default scritch reactions

Steve Touchstone wrote:

I've been thinking lately about the different reactions I've seen when
one of my cats jumps up for some scritches. I've only had four cats as
an adult - I spent 20 years active duty in the Army, and as a single
soldier never thought it right to get a pet and have to rehome it if I
deployed somewhere.

snip

Soncek is not a lap cat unfortunately. Otherwise he loves scritches, but
only on his own terms.
Best wishes,
Polonca and Soncek

  #10  
Old April 2nd 06, 08:04 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
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Default scritch reactions

I agree, Wilson wouldn't get on my lap in a fitand yet he gets whatever he
wants. the only time he will lay on me is I when I get up in the night
when I get back in he stands up at the bottom of the bedand slowly heads
up to the top where he waits till I hold up the covers for him to get in,
then settles across my thighs and kneads them to death while he purrs and I
stroke him, bad timing for me but I love it anyway. Purrs Jean.




Suz wrote in message
ups.com...
Spotty sounds so sweet. Kitty scritching is great, but having her on
your lap must be extra special.
Suz&Spicey



 




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