My cat is weird and she is driving me mad, she nuzzles and tries to eat my breath!

[pavlovthecat]

My female tortoiseshell cat has driven me to distraction. Seriously she is driving both DH and I absolutely bananas.

We got her at 5 weeks, as she was being mistreated by her 'owner', so too soon really. She has always nuzzled and kneaded, we have dealt with it. But it has got worse and worse and worse.

She comes up to us, like some obsessed mad creature and starts to knead with her claws and lick and suck anything she can of us, mainly our armpits, but our chest, our face, the bed, anything that smells of us. She also sits on us for a fuss which would be nive, but then keeps putting her paw gently on our lips, then kneads, we push her away, she comes back, we push her away, she comes back, and she is behaving like she is desperate to do it. It makes it impossible to fuss her, as soon as you, she is there in our faces, kneading each paw manically.

She also comes up to us when we are in bed and sniffs our mouth, like she is literally trying to take our breath, its really spooky, and she has become a frustrating cat.

Our other cat, big great lump, comes up for a fuss, sits there and really loves us fussing him. The tortoiseshell seems to be almost addicted to something that she must have, oh i cant explain it. but I am losing my cool with her, and and not enjoying her company right now.

Oh I meant to ask....any ideas why she is like this, and how I can stop/reduce it?

The odd kneading is fine, but this continuous 24/7 in my face always there like a rat. I cannot bear it.

I am no expert cos I have only ever had one kitten who is now a year old...but I recognised your description of the kneading. My cat has claimed a large (fake) sheepskin cushion and will knead on that happily for hours making the most bizarre purring noise!!

Could you try and find her something that she could transfer the attachment to?

I am sure you will get some better advice from 'real' cat owners who know more than this young pretender...well not so young!

If she would only! I don't mind her kneading on its own, once every now again, cute. But she is obsessed and like she is possessed and is in our faces with it, and just will not back off. I have tried to give her an old t-shirt of ours to sleep on, thinking it is to do with our smell, and have bought her baskets, cushions toys, not interested.

I got my tortie at 5 weeks too and she is a kneader.

I would take her for a check up just to make sure but maybe she is seeking comfort.

My cat likes sitting in boxes and I wonder if it is because I brought her home in a box.

Ours likes a fuss on here terms but I can do what I like to her when she wants feeding.

She is nearly 15 now.

her terms

I am currently sat on the floor as she is curled up on the sofa.

I am happy with her terms, if she gives us some space! Or wants some fusses that is not a desperate kneading or breathing our breath fest, its really eery! I agree she is seeking comfort, and her brother picks on her a bit too. She also loves sleeping in boxes or bags, or suitcases!

The other cat is the same age, its her brother, and he loves a fuss as much as the next cat, on his terms, but his fusses are much more typical cat, he will sprawl out on us for fusses, purring, or do his own thing. Meggy does not relax with it, its insistent and she does not chill with it.

I might talk to vet. Do you think she could be stressed?

Mine licks my armpits given half the chance.

You don't have diabetes do you? Have heard cats can smell it on owners breath?

other than that, I reckon she is just an affectionate cat. Why not treat her to one of
these

pavhow far along are you now?

See the vet - if you don't object to her having medication, there are drugs that can calm cats down. We have a bit of a problem cat (also mistreated when young) who is very jumpy and defensive, so not quite the same problem but we have just been given a new anti-anxiety drug to try and it seems to be going well. (Drug is called Zylkene) As your vet what they'd recommend.

I feel she was weaned/taken away from mum too early. But given the circs you describe, it was for the best.
I think our mog was taken early, as she loves fleece and wool of any kind and will suck and lick it (and mark it with B) and don't ever let her have tissue paper! I caught her physically stealing DD2s fleece off her bed, ready to pounce, knead and dribble all over it. She's adopted my fleece...and gave borth on it today...but no way is she having the kids ones!!!
I think it's all to do with the weaning and attachment process.

You can get a spray called Feliway that is a synthetic substitute for cat pheromines and makes 'emotionally incompetent' cats like yours feel happy and safe. It costs about 20 quid but lasts for ages.
The kneading means that the cat is treating you as its mother - kittens knead to stimulate the milk supply.
How old is she now?

I had a cat who did similar, he would nead my head and chew my hair, it drove me nuts. However he grew out of it when he was about 3 (I don't know how old your cat is) and is now a very contented 17 year old who will occasionally nead your lap if he can be arsed

knead

as I read your title, my first thought was 'i wonder if her cat's a tortie!?'

they are known to be intense, they are almost always female, and therefore have a high amount of the female genetic. I got my tortie when she was about 4 months, and she is hilarious, but vocal, self indulgent and very funny. The guy at the rescue place said they often calm down with age. I got her cos she was so loving.

they are nicknamed nortie torties!!

My cat is a tortie and part Burmese - now that's a demanding combination! She shouts at me!

That's when she's not throwing herself at my feet and rolling over and over like a maniac!

fortyplus, omg, that does sound like fun1

mine shouts at me too.

also, tell me, if you have a tortie does yours have a bottomless pit for a stomach, cos i have never known any animal, let alone cat to be so bloody greedy.

she's birght as hel, but somehow th9inks she can convinceme to feed her, ten mins after I've fed her.

yes her worming pills are up to date!

God, yes - mine is always after food, but doesn't actually eat much when I give it to her. She demands food but when I look she already has some so I tap on the edge of her bowl and she obediently eats.
She's thiun and wiry despite the appetite.

I was so much tougher on my children!

I did not know that about torties - yes, intense is a great word for it. If it just her way I will try not to get wound up by it. She of course has her good points and I do love her. She is very affectionate, she is wonderfully gentle. She has never ever scratched or bitten me (unlike her brother who likes a good fight), she loves furry toys and is great at jumping. She has not even scratched DD no matter how rough DD is with her (at almost 3). DD carries her around with her and she just deals with it no fuss, only the occasional whine if she is hurting her. She lives in DDs bedroom. (oh another annoying thing she does though, when DD goes into bed, meggy will run under her bed instantly, and as soon as she is dragged out, before I can turn back round she is under the bed again, meowing at me. The only way I can manage this is to lock her out while I put DD to bed. Although soon enough, she can sleep in her room).

She is very vocal, she meows a LOT. But she is not a big eater. I think this is because when she was about 8 months old she ate a computer plug and cable. She actually had to chew the cable off to swallow the rest of it, and she nearly died. She had a major op on her intestines and bowel and I think this has affected her appetite. However, she insists on making a huge huge fuss at tea time, and as long as she has food there she will go off and do her own thing. She hates food not being in her bowl, even though she only picks through the day. She is very slight. Unlike her brother who is a greedy pig.

I am pleased there is not something wrong with her. Will she ease off if I indulge her a bit more in her obsessive behaviour?

Mine asks for her tea any time from 3pm and waits for me on the driveway when I get back from school.

Mine looks out the window and knows it is us as we pull up outside the house. She also meows pitifully at the door when one of us leaves the house!

I like the term 'emotionally incompetent' that is her!

differentID I am 15 weeks, and she is more annoying now, but its not a pg thing I don't thing as she has been annoying for a while! But, she has been quite interested in my boobs recently, sniffing them out, which would fit with the mother/milk thing.

Cat is 5 now.

Its probably a combination then of leaving her mother too young and being a nortie tortie! i agree, she gets into cupboards and knocks things out, she walks over sides, she has scratched the banisters and wallpaper off the wall even though the large scratching post is right next to it!

oh i didn't realise you were pg! congratulations.

I would think her intensity has intensified becuase of your hormones, I'll bet she knows somethings up!!!