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Original poster

How much attention does your cat need a day?

54 replies

Underamour · 19/10/2021 08:13

We are always told that cats are aloof but mine has to have an hour or more of cuddles a day to function. How much attention does you cat need and how affectionate are they?

OP posts:
JoanOgden · 19/10/2021 08:16

Mine has an absolutely insatiable desire for cuddles and would like to spend most of the day (and night) lying on me or next to me, purring affectionately and occasionally licking my hand/arm/face. Aloof she is not.

catwhispererpsps · 19/10/2021 08:17

My cats are like magnets as soon as I walk through the door. Very needy lol.

Cattitudes · 19/10/2021 08:20

I have found that their need for affection is directly related to how busy I am and inversely related to whether I want them at that time point. Important work meeting, drinking hot drink, having a nap- they will always be there, swishing their tail, forcing their head into my hands, meowing and scratching the door, doing their piano practice. Cat sitter over to meet the cats, flea treatment, vet appointment, they become untraceable.

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Saisong · 19/10/2021 08:20

Mine are only needy when there is food involved. Otherwise they are very aloof. One will come for cuddles with me (nobody else!) on her own terms. The other never voluntarily comes, but they both like to be approached and stroked/tickled. They are both (siblings) very nervous around other people - when the neighbour feeds them when we are away the cats won't come into the house!

lunar1 · 19/10/2021 08:22

As much as she can get, I work from home and she has a cushion on my desk to sleep on 🤦🏻‍♀️

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 19/10/2021 08:26

No time at all-she’s a hateful thing who won’t be touched or stroked and has no interest in anyone in the house unless she wants feeding-then she is very demanding. Other than that she is barely here. Was hoping for so many cuddles😫

AnnaMagnani · 19/10/2021 08:26

An hour? As little as an hour?

Silky cat has most of the morning, then sleeps all day, wakes up 4pm to insist she has company for her trip outside to sit on the patio.
Then it is the onslaught of shouting for dinner for 3 hours.
She might then want cuddles in the evening as well.

Other cat varies from 5 minutes to hours depending on whether he has a better offer - weather good enough for mousing.

Fundays12 · 19/10/2021 08:29

One only likes a cuddle when it suits her. She does like to be stroked and always comes straight for a Stoke after being out all night. The other one loves affection and puts his paws around your neck to try cuddle you. He would sit all day getting stroked and cuddled.

Original poster
Underamour · 19/10/2021 08:33

@JoanOgden I think we have the same cat! Mine is sitting on me having a wash.
@Cattitudes I feel your pain! It’s a sign or love and maybe a little jealousy.
@AnnaMagnani mine will take as much affection as he can. Your cat is clearly running your houseGrin

OP posts:
Trinacham · 19/10/2021 08:38

Ours have to be with us every minute we are home. They are fine being left when we go to work and they know the routine of when we go and when to expect us back (one of them waits at the window to watch us pull into the drive.. then they both rush to the door to say hi). We can't shut them out of the room we are in, they would scratch the door down! They don't always need to be on our laps but they must always be close.

GettingLardy · 19/10/2021 08:55

One is very fussy and cuddly and jumps on a lap (mine or DH's) as soon as we sit down and does that loud, full on purring. Our other puss occasionally decides to have a cuddle and will allow a certain amount of strokage/chin tickling before buggering off.

MissCreeAnt · 19/10/2021 08:56

Depends on your set-up and age surely. A younger one will need more than an older one, a singleton will need more than a pair, a house cat will need heaps more than an outdoorsy one, a highly strung one will need more than a chilled out one.

Ours are not very demanding at all, they are too busy engaging in turf wars and chasing squirrels.

WowIlikereallyhateyou · 19/10/2021 08:56

Mine will not leave me alone at the moment, as i am in bed ill. They have been beside me/sat on me/ cuddled up to me for some days now. They are great comforters and know when something is wrong.

Original poster
Underamour · 19/10/2021 09:15

@Trinacham they sound adorable! I have a shouter too, generally he can get one claw around the door, then his chin, his face and his whole body but if he can’t he just yells until someone opens it Grin.

I do think that outdoor cats must have more freedom which would affect how much attention they need- sadly we live on a main road so it’s not an option. Who is winning the war @MissCreeAnt? Squirrels or cats?

OP posts:
violetbunny · 19/10/2021 09:17

Loads. This whole idea of cats being aloof is foreign to me (and my cats!).

They spend most of the day outside, but come in every few hours wanting attention and to be walked to their food bowl. They often badger me during the day to play with them.

At night, BoyCat howls at me until I let him sit on me. Then demands head rubs until he goes to sleep. He also quite enjoys a bit of screen time before he nods off (cat app on my iPad).

They both sleep on me / touching me at night, then wake me up at 5am demanding food.

badlydrawnbear · 19/10/2021 09:27

2 of them are very demanding, desperate for attention, would like to be stroked all the time, always had to sit on DH while he was working or watching tv, literally fought each other for his attention. The other one is much less needy and just likes to be stroked now and then.

Nsky · 19/10/2021 09:38

Mine wants attention when I wake, and later evening , other than that when it suits.
Out most of summer

minipie · 19/10/2021 09:42

Mine likes company but not necessarily strokes. She will usually come and find me and curl up nearby but doesn’t stay on laps for long (except midwinter when she’s come in cold and wet Hmm).

OhWhyNot · 19/10/2021 09:59

If I am home mine follows me around will often follow me into the bathroom (or cry outside the door). He is very needy. Will headbut me to get my attention.

He would sit on my feet or by my side when ds was a baby but now (ds 13) he will try to nudge ds out of the way to remind him who was here first (fluffy baby is 17)

Occasionally when I’m in he will go off to his new place he likes to nap when I’m not here but soon comes back to check on me and have a cuddle. Cuddles up at night waking me when it suits him for a stroke

He will try to make some visitors uncomfortable by staring at them. Think he isn’t only needy but possessive too. It’s all very one way but I’m happy I love him 🥰

Rookie93 · 19/10/2021 10:01

Mine is currently sleeping curled up next to me in bed, although previously sleeping on me through the night. She's in her 20's and I got as a rescue 8yrs ago, and she doesn't go out at all now. Just eats, sleeps and haunts the upstairs yowelling until I spend time with her. I'm not too well at the moment and resting a lot myself and she's made it clear this is the purrfect arrangement for her. So not very aloof at all Grin

AltitudeCheck · 19/10/2021 10:08

Of our two rescues the male was quick to settle and was much more of a cuddly cat than his sister who was a very nervous, dash past us, hide behind furniture kind of cat for the first couple of years.

Lock down and the wfh that followed changed all that. It's amazing how much she has relaxed and come out of her shell. She now sleeps on the bed /under the covers with us, jumps on laps for cuddles, shouts at us if we aren't giving her attention and has become a total diva! Grin She used to revert back to scary cat if we had visitors but even seems to be making some progress there too! Although the cleaner waving the hoover around is still too much for her delicate sensibilities and she watches from the end of the garden in disgust until the danger has passed!

Cuntness · 19/10/2021 10:12

My cat is weird. She likes to be out more than she likes to be in, but when she is in, she needs to be glued to my face or sucking on my arm. And then when she's had her fill of affection she buggers off again.

gamerchick · 19/10/2021 10:14

She likes a stroke but doesnt like a stroke and will come head bump and then stand just out of arms reach asking for one. Grin

Mabelface · 19/10/2021 10:24

Depends on the weather. If it's nice, he's out and about then asks for fuss when he comes in by rubbing his face on mine. He'll turn settle on the back of the sofa by me. If it's wet, he demands attention and wants to play lots.

Simonjt · 19/10/2021 10:30

As much as she can get, I get a good bite to the arm if I dare brush my hair without brushing hers.