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Cats/my cat is really unfriendly???

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Expert: - 10/17/2009


Question
"dear Norman Auspitz i have two cats a 1 year old named duski and her mother  a 2-3 year old named star.duski had six kittens a few months ago star did not take to the kittens very well she kept hissing growling and paws them roughly. i have given away 3 of the kittens but still 3 remain. before duski had the kittens ever since she was a kitten has been very unfriendly when she had the kittens she was very friendly star has ran away but has done this a number of times before and did not fail in coming home i have always tried to give duski as much attention as possible when i pick her up she growls and claws frantically to get away do you know why she is like this and how i can fix it??
yours sincerely   kate"

Answer
Kate,

Is Duski fixed?  If not, this may be some of the problem. Cats in season often have personality changes, especially after having a litter of kittens.

It is also possible that something is a bit awry due to kitten birth.  I would have her checked out by the vet to make ssure there is no medical issue.  Cats in pain will often behave like Duski is behaving when they are picked up. It may also be that she just does not want to be picked up.

In my experience spayed females trend to make much better pets then whole females.

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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