He actually growled at me

[Lucas718]

Making the turkey today and I thought Gazoo might enjoy the giblets. Boy was that an understatement. He kept taking them out of the bowl and running off with them and when I reached to grab them and put them back in his bowl he gave a very stern warning growl. It actually kinda shocked me. Suddenly envisioning him going into full attack mode, I thought it best to leave him alone at that moment. He's never once growled like that before. I guess he enjoyed the giblets a little too much.


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[Jetlaya67]

Winston has done that to me in the past. The first time he had a new feathery toy and he put it I his bowl while he was eating. I reached to get the toy and he growled tame too. It did shock me, I thought ny little kitty was going to be a mean cat! He has outgrown it for the most part. He is very sweet now, although in his teenage phase he was full of himself.

[Arianwen]

Baz does it sometimes - especially when he manages to steal something. I take it off him anyway. He's the daftest and softest of all my cats.

[kayla baxter]

Backing away and leaving him alone with his prize when he growls at you will reinforce the growling. He sees that growling is an effective way to keep what he wants and will continue doing so. All animals will repeat a behavior that works. With all of mine, cats and dogs, I do trades when I'm trying to get something that they want to keep.


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[Elvie]

Exactly what Kayla says. Backing down will only support his growling and his behaviour will continue to repeat. If you want to keep it that way, then it's okay, but otherwise you sould punish him in some way. It's pretty much same as with the kids.

[marie73]

I've only seen my girls do that with a brand new toy they claimed as their own right away. I actually thought it was adorable and would never think of punishing them for growling.

[Susan]

Originally Posted by marie73

I've only seen my girls do that with a brand new toy they claimed as their own right away. I actually thought it was adorable and would never think of punishing them for growling.

+1. Now and again, Muffs gets very protective of Da Bird...grrrr... I think it's adorable!

[Traci63]

Think it's true that you can't (unfortunately) let him get by with it, otherwise he'll think he's the "alpha" cat, and that you're subservient to him. That will only encourage him to continue the behavior. As far as stealing the giblets goes, trying to picture that scenario, and all I can imagine is that he was on the counter while you were cooking...maybe not, but in my mind (just my opinion) a cat should never be allowed on the counter, not only do I not want cat hair anywhere around my food, but it's unsanitary (they have been walking in their litterboxes), and of course they think they can steal food that way. I would lay down the law the next time, that he's not allowed anywhere near the counter, and that you are the boss, not him...sorry if I seem harsh, sure he's a good kitty, just my thoughts.

[Traci63]

Reread the post, and I see that the giblets were in his food bowl. Sorry! I do know that some animals will growl at something like that, and I have read before a test to see if a pet is gentle and a good family pet is to give it a treat, then lift it up, away from the treat, (very temporarily) to see if it growls or acts out. If it doesn't, then praise it, and return it to the treats, if it growls, then it might not be a good pet around children. I don't know, they each have their own personalities, and good and bad days like each of us! Anyway, just wanted to say I read it wrong, and yeah, guess he did enjoy them!