Cat Chat 2

[gamorasass]

So I've been trying to introduce my cat to my roommates cat. Last night they met for the first time. My boy hissed, but it was more of a frightened hiss than anything else. Any advice on getting them used to each other? They don't need to be best friends they just need to co-exist.

[Thalassic]

So I've been trying to introduce my cat to my roommates cat. Last night they met for the first time. My boy hissed, but it was more of a frightened hiss than anything else. Any advice on getting them used to each other? They don't need to be best friends they just need to co-exist.

Gradually is the way to go!
Separate one of them into a room and for a while only let them sniff eachother through the door. After a while you can start allowing them into the same room for a couple minutes at a time, with supervision. And always end the interaction before it goes bad and give them both treats to make it feel like a good experience. You can also try feeding them in the same room (though not very close, as some cats can get protective over their food) as they will probably be more interested in the food than eachother.

It can be a long process, but the main idea is just to get them used to eachother and not see eachother as something thats invading their space.

[ru.]

Is Spike socially inept??

My neutered 2 year old Ragdoll/Siamese mix (Spike) is an odd cat.

Spike's very intelligent, observant, and rambunctious. (I have taught him multiple tricks with ease). He grew up with two dogs. He likes to observe what they do and will mimick their behavior that's rewarded.
He wrestles/rough-houses with the smaller dog and shows almost no fear.

He is indoor only. I am an adult but I live with my parents and they have two primarily outdoor cats so he has had very limited interaction with them and with other cats at all.

----

The weird thing happens when one of the outdoor cats decide they want inside and he has the chance to interact with them. (Note: Spike does this with both of the cats but especially with the intact male cat (Cheese) because that cat has a very solid/outgoing/easy going/playful/interactive temperament and is extremely tolerant)

Spike will run over to Cheese while making odd little meows and will immediately lower himself to try and start slowly biting Cheese's throat area (he does the EXACT thing to initiate play/wrestling with the small dog). He will roll over onto his back, exposing his belly. NO HISSING OR GROWLING (he never does either of those things anyway).

If Spike does this to the spayed female (Neo) she will hiss and smack him but he doesn't seem to care?? Cheese will sometimes get mad but usually he just sits there and tolerates it or will SOMETIMES "play" back but idk if he's actually playing or not??

Either way this is so confusing for me because I have grown up with cats but have never seen an adult cat behave that way toward another adult cat, especially a "stranger" who didn't seem playful. It's weird.

What do you guys think? Is he just socially inept? Or is he being aggressive? Or is it something else?

Thanks!

[Sixx O'Clock]

Is Spike socially inept??

My neutered 2 year old Ragdoll/Siamese mix (Spike) is an odd cat.

Spike's very intelligent, observant, and rambunctious. (I have taught him multiple tricks with ease). He grew up with two dogs. He likes to observe what they do and will mimick their behavior that's rewarded.
He wrestles/rough-houses with the smaller dog and shows almost no fear.

He is indoor only. I am an adult but I live with my parents and they have two primarily outdoor cats so he has had very limited interaction with them and with other cats at all.

----

The weird thing happens when one of the outdoor cats decide they want inside and he has the chance to interact with them. (Note: Spike does this with both of the cats but especially with the intact male cat (Cheese) because that cat has a very solid/outgoing/easy going/playful/interactive temperament and is extremely tolerant)

Spike will run over to Cheese while making odd little meows and will immediately lower himself to try and start slowly biting Cheese's throat area (he does the EXACT thing to initiate play/wrestling with the small dog). He will roll over onto his back, exposing his belly. NO HISSING OR GROWLING (he never does either of those things anyway).

If Spike does this to the spayed female (Neo) she will hiss and smack him but he doesn't seem to care?? Cheese will sometimes get mad but usually he just sits there and tolerates it or will SOMETIMES "play" back but idk if he's actually playing or not??

Either way this is so confusing for me because I have grown up with cats but have never seen an adult cat behave that way toward another adult cat, especially a "stranger" who didn't seem playful. It's weird.

What do you guys think? Is he just socially inept? Or is he being aggressive? Or is it something else?

Thanks!

It sounds to me like he learned more from the dogs than you might think. That interaction is the same kind of thing some dogs will do to each other when they want to play, especially the exposed belly thing. So really, he's just trying to play with the other cats, he's just doing it the only way he knows how.

[ru.]

Has anyone had any experience shaving a color point cat? Spike is long-haired flame point and I have been wondering if his hair would grow back the same color if he were to get a lion cut?

The reason I'm considering is because I have an allergy and people have said that shaving him could help a little bit

His body is mostly white with a little bit of light orange/ginger. He's rather lean/not overweight at all.

I have heard that some color point cats' fur grows back darker? :/

It sounds to me like he learned more from the dogs than you might think. That interaction is the same kind of thing some dogs will do to each other when they want to play, especially the exposed belly thing. So really, he's just trying to play with the other cats, he's just doing it the only way he knows how.

That is sort of cute and I think that you may be right! Thank you for your insight!

[Sixx O'Clock]

Has anyone had any experience shaving a color point cat? Spike is long-haired flame point and I have been wondering if his hair would grow back the same color if he were to get a lion cut?

The reason I'm considering is because I have an allergy and people have said that shaving him could help a little bit

His body is mostly white with a little bit of light orange/ginger. He's rather lean/not overweight at all.

I have heard that some color point cats' fur grows back darker?

It sounds to me like he learned more from the dogs than you might think. That interaction is the same kind of thing some dogs will do to each other when they want to play, especially the exposed belly thing. So really, he's just trying to play with the other cats, he's just doing it the only way he knows how.

That is sort of cute and I think that you may be right! Thank you for your insight!

No problem! My youngest cat plays the same way and it is pretty endearing. c':

On the topic of shaving your cat, I did find this little page, the latter portion of it includes a snippet that says that color points' fur can grow back darker after a lion cut because of the change in temperature, more or less. Color points are color points because all of their "points" (ears, tail, paws, etc.) are cooler than the rest of their bodies, which means they grow darker fur in those areas. Thus, shaving a color point will cause their fur to grow back darker because their bodies are generally cooler while the fur grows back. It's not a permanent change, however, so don't worry about that.

[Rainbow Dash]

On the topic of shaving your cat, I did find this little page, the latter portion of it includes a snippet that says that color points' fur can grow back darker after a lion cut because of the change in temperature, more or less. Color points are color points because all of their "points" (ears, tail, paws, etc.) are cooler than the rest of their bodies, which means they grow darker fur in those areas. Thus, shaving a color point will cause their fur to grow back darker because their bodies are generally cooler while the fur grows back. It's not a permanent change, however, so don't worry about that.

That's interesting! I haven't heard that before. Tambora has the face, tail, and ears but he also has little white feet with a smidgen of point.

My Oma sent me another photo of Tambora. It seems that Riley (her cat) and Borabora have made up. I made a deal with her that I would come over every month to swap out calming collars and drop off food. And it's a nice excuse to drop by and have lunch with my Oma.

[Topsy Turvey]

On a completely unrelated note,

Me and my cat Fluff whos now about a year and a half old haven't always had the best of relationships, for the first year I would smother her with attention and she never got a break so our relationship was a bit strained to say the least. In the last say half a year I've eased off a lot and don't give her pats unless she asks for it and very rarely pick her up, she's really opened up to me and the bond we have is amazing especially compared to what it used to be. When we're in the living room or outside ect. she'll never ask to sit on my lap, she more so will just want pats rather than anything else I think my dad thinks she's a lot less affectionate than she actually is. However sometimes she'll ask me to come down to me room specifically so she can relax with me and cuddle which I absolutely love as this is a new thing for both of us that's never happened before especially with her asking for it. Whenever I'm in my room she generally wants attention/cuddles or just company and within the past month or two she's started to really like chin scratches and will sit on my chest and cuddle in closer to me just so she can ask for them which is so different to what I'm used to with her. The two main times she purrs and that's if she's actively getting chin scratches or if she's getting a belly rub, which is what I'm curious about. The belly rubs. This is only a very recent thing she's been asking for, it's only a little older than the chin scratches but she gets so into it and I'm just wondering if for her it's like a... Sexual thing? Particularly because she gets soooo into it and sometimes she'll even lift her back leg up like a dog does when she's asking for or recieving belly rubs and I feel like it's just..l weird? I don't know, I'd really like some guidance with this one c:'

[jisung]

@topsy turvery
askdjh no worries, petting is not at all a sexual thing. grooming between cats is a social interaction and a way to communicate trust etc.
if your cat is comfortable with showing you her belly that likely means she trusts you as the belly is something cats don't like to expose as it's vulnerable to attacks etc. it's not weird at all, it's just something that's relaxing and associated with good things for them, just like getting a hug from a friend
give your kitty all the scritches ,w,

[Topsy Turvey]

@topsy turvery
askdjh no worries, petting is not at all a sexual thing. grooming between cats is a social interaction and a way to communicate trust etc.
if your cat is comfortable with showing you her belly that likely means she trusts you as the belly is something cats don't like to expose as it's vulnerable to attacks etc. it's not weird at all, it's just something that's relaxing and associated with good things for them, just like getting a hug from a friend
give your kitty all the scritches ,w,

Oof thank you so much, that's really good to know and sorry for having such a long paragraph to read c':
And I will give kitty all the scritches and the belly rubs she wants c;