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Cats/Oci siblings, one aloof

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Expert: - 10/9/2009


Question
I have a pair of ticked ocicats (the breeder was freshening the gene pool by bringing in an Aby and the poor woman got nothing but ticked kittens.  Tough luck for a pro Oci breeder but the kittens are gorgeous little tykes.)  They are brother and sister from the same litter.  

The female, Mika, will hop on my lap, purs at the slightest attention, loves to nuzzle and cuddle and is just wonderful.  The male, Dooley, was similar the first week or 2 we had them, but now he just sits in the corner of the room or sits around on his own in an empty room most of the time.  He shys away from being petted, refuses to be held, rarely purrs and never responds to being petted the way his sister does.  (She closes her eyes and pushes into my hands etc, he just sits there and doesn't seem to like/dislike any particular skritch.)

To make things even more sad for me, the second my wife or our friend Mike reaches out to him he leans up, purrs, and seems every bit as affectionate as he used to be.  I DID snip his claw too close about a week ago and hurt him but he was plenty affectionate for days after that.  Now he just doesn't seem to want my love.  I do the feeding, I clean their litters, I spend the most time with them and I would love to have the affectionate little man that I knew last week back again.

Answer
Casey,

Cats are very good at manipulating people.  I think he is using his behavior to manipulate you.  He may still be miffed about the claw clipping!!!!!!! One thing you can try is ignoring him.  Do not approach him, just make pretend he does not exist. Sooner or later, most active cats cannot stand being ignored.  So, let him approach you.  Do not pick him up, do not pet him, unless he invites you to pet him.  If Dooley thinks it is his idea to be affectionate and not yours, he may warm up to to you all the more. It may take a week or two, but most kittens do come around.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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