Understanding Bun III - The Cat Whisperer

[Ivan Seeking]

Just kidding, but in that light, maybe someone can make sense of this one. We have a very healthy 16 year old male, and two ~two year old females. All are indoor-outdoor cats, and the girls seem to either compete for the house or the male's affections, or they just don't like each other... But all in all everyone has a place in the house, and less the occasional spat, there is peace and play, and everyone does sleep and eat in the house.

For some reason, the one female, Bun III, only wants attention from me if we're in my office [some 300 feet from the house]. If I'm up in the house, she barely even acknowledges my presense, but in my office she won't leave me alone. She has these big ole dad attacks, as we call them, where I just can't give her enough attention, but only in the office. She defnitely loves to hang out in my office, and it was inteneded that she would be my new office buddy when our beloved Bun II passed on, but I don't see how she could possibly understand this.

My theory is that she sees the office as her place, and she gets excited when I come to visit. :uhh:

 

[Hurkyl]

Ivan, are you having an affair with a cat? Maybe Bun III doesn't want to be caught cheating either.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

For all I know, in her eyes we are...?

I know our persian always wanted to do me!

 

[Moonbear]

Well, she likes to hang out in the office, but needs a people there to ensure she continues to get things like food and water and have the heat or A/C adjusted appropriately, so she's working on a positive reinforcement program to ensure you keep coming back. :uhh:

Does she follow you back to the house from the office, or stay there when you aren't there too? Is she ever in the house with you the same times of day as when these "dad attacks" happen in your office? It could just be that her playtime happens to coincide with your office time. I've noticed that Ember has very regular patterns of play time and sleep time and don't bother me time.

Also, when you're in the house, maybe that's more the "territory" of one of the other cats, so she's more cautious and on the lookout for trouble while there, so less likely to play as freely?

Or...does she get wound up by a particular toy that lives in the office? Ember has definite favorites (the lures with big feathers on them is the current favorite that she can't get enough of...she'll chase that around running and jumping for hours, panting away the whole time from the amount of exercise, if I had the stamina to keep holding it for her that long (and she'll keep playing with it if I wedge the handle in a sofa cushion so it dangles for her).

Or, lastly, maybe that's just where you started playing with her most consistently while she was a kitten, so she's associated that place as the place for play...especially if she was more occupied defending herself from the other cats when in the house initially.

 

[Lisa!]

Well perhaps Tsu's asked her to keep an open eye on you while you're away from home!

 

[DaveC426913]

Also, when you're in the house, maybe that's more the "territory" of one of the other cats, so she's more cautious and on the lookout for trouble while there, so less likely to play as freely?

My money's on this one.

Cats sharing space will rapidly establish both a hierarchy and territory.

 

[sheldon]

The difference between a Dog and a Cat.
A dog thinks they feed me they take care of me they love me they must be God.
A cat thinks they feed me they take care of me they love me I must be a God.

 

[Evo]

That reminded me of a post by Russ.

From an email I got recently:

>As seen in a dog's diary:
>
> 7 am - Oh boy! A walk! My favorite!
>
> 8 am- Oh boy! Dog food! My favorite!
>
> 9 am- Oh boy! The kids! My favorite!
>
> Noon- Oh boy! The yard! My favorite!
>
> 2 pm- Oh boy! A car ride! My favorite!
>
> 3 pm- Oh boy! The kids! My favorite!
>
> 4 pm- Oh boy! Playing ball! My favorite!
>
> 6 pm- Oh boy! Welcome home Mom! My favorite!
>
> 7 pm- Oh boy! Welcome home Dad! My favorite!
>
> 8 pm- Oh boy! Dog food! My favorite!
>
> 9 pm- Oh boy! Tummy rubs on the couch! My favorite!
>
> 11 pm- Oh boy! Sleeping in my people's bed! My favorite!
>
>
>
> As seen in a cat's diary:
>
>
>Day 183 of my captivity...
>
>My captors continued to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.
>They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The
>only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild
>satisfaction I get from clawing the furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another
>house plant. Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their
>feet While they were walking almost succeeded - must try this at the top of
>the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I
>once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair - must try this
>on their bed.
>
>Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body in an attempt To
>make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear in their
>hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I
>was. - Hmmm, not working according to plan.
>
>There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in
>solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell
>the food. More important, I overheard that my confinement was due to my
>powers of inducing "allergies."- Must learn what this is and how to use it
>to my advantage.
>
>I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog
>is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously
>a half-wit. The bird, on the other hand, has got to be an informant and
>speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to
>his current placement in the metal room, his safety is assured.
>
>But I can wait - it is only a matter of time.

 

[apples]

Haha!
Sorry if this isn't related to anything, but we have a male cat. But why in the world is he peeing all over the place.
Walls, sofas, cushions, carpets, beds?

 

[Evo]

Haha!
Sorry if this isn't related to anything, but we have a male cat. But why in the world is he peeing all over the place.
Walls, sofas, cushions, carpets, beds?

If it's really foul smelling, he's not peeing, he's spraying (marking his territory). Having him neutered should stop it.

 

[apples]

That's cruel.

 

[Echo 6 Sierra]

That's cruel.

It's kinda funny that your name is apples and you think it's cruel...grapes would be better though.

 

[Evo]

That's cruel.

Neutering's not cruel.

 

[SticksandStones]

Nuetering's not cruel.

Yeah. If anything, it helps the cats. Think of all the poor kittens out there that starve to death or get run over because they don't have a home.


"Remember, have your cats spayed or neutered!"

 

[Math Is Hard]

Neutering also helps prevent them from wandering and getting into fights. Cats that wander are more at risk for getting hit by cars, and cats that fight are more at risk for dangerous (and expensive to treat) injuries and complications like abcesses. To not neuter or spay a pet is cruel and irresponsible.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Ivan, I agree with Hurkyl. I think Bun has the idea that you two are "shacked up" in the office and no one knows of your secret love. She has to play it cool in the house so the others don't catch on.

Could be that there are just lots of distractions in the house, but in the office there's only you.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Well, she likes to hang out in the office, but needs a people there to ensure she continues to get things like food and water and have the heat or A/C adjusted appropriately, so she's working on a positive reinforcement program to ensure you keep coming back. :uhh:

When we first got her I did used to keep food down here, but we were afraid that she would never go up to the house so I stopped that almost right away.

Does she follow you back to the house from the office, or stay there when you aren't there too? Is she ever in the house with you the same times of day as when these "dad attacks" happen in your office? It could just be that her playtime happens to coincide with your office time. I've noticed that Ember has very regular patterns of play time and sleep time and don't bother me time.

She does come down when I'm not here, but she follows me up to the house when I leave, and she does sleep up there. More than not she stays where I am unless she's out hunting the fields or sleeping under a bush.

Also, when you're in the house, maybe that's more the "territory" of one of the other cats, so she's more cautious and on the lookout for trouble while there, so less likely to play as freely?

This is what I tend to think. I suspect that the house is Zoobies place. Zoobie gets very aggressive with her, but we thought this was because Bun is always sneak attacking. We think that Bun wants to play but Zoobie doesn't - that Bun is just too wild. Zoobie is a little princess, and Bun is hell on wheels.

Or...does she get wound up by a particular toy that lives in the office?

Nope, no toys in the office less the dead bodies that she drags in from time to time.

Or, lastly, maybe that's just where you started playing with her most consistently while she was a kitten, so she's associated that place as the place for play...especially if she was more occupied defending herself from the other cats when in the house initially.

No play, but I did start bringing her down to hang out until she figured out how to get here, and how to get in.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Ivan, I agree with Hurkyl. I think Bun has the idea that you two are "shacked up" in the office and no one knows of your secret love. She has to play it cool in the house so the others don't catch on.

Always the romantic. :!)

Could be that there are just lots of distractions in the house, but in the office there's only you.

In this house she hides somewhere and goes to sleep. It does seem like she is always worried about Zoobie though...even if Zoobie is nowhere to be found.

 

[DaveC426913]

That's cruel.

Take full responsibility for your pet. Half-reponsibility is what is cruel.

Get it neutered.