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My female cat is suddenly a love bug.

27K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  ChelleBelle  
#1 ·
I have a female cat, Jax, who is about a year old.

We've had her since she was 5 weeks, and she has never ever been cuddly.
She's never even really liked to be touched. Not since the day we brought her home.

She's always just liked to sit around and watch us, or play with the dogs.

Before you ask me if she is in heat... No, she definitely is not.
While she isn't spayed yet (that will be happening in the next few weeks), this new behavior is not typical of her behavior while in heat.

It's like a switch flipped in her head over night.

She actually hopped up on the couch with me the other night and snuggled in under the blanket with me and stayed there for at least an hour. She's started to actually ask for attention. She's been cuddling with me regularly on the couch now since that night.

She's even started to groom me. And while that is flattering, man does her tongue hurt. :)

And, she's always loved my dogs, especially my German Shepherd... But she's become even more affectionate with him as well. She rubbed up against him and in between his legs for 15 minutes straight the other day, and I actually caught them cuddling together on the couch yesterday.


Why, all of the sudden, would her personality change so drastically?

Not that I'm hating this new love bug phase of her's, but it's just out of the blue. So, strange and out of character for her.
 

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#5 ·
It's not unusual for a kitten to become more cuddly as he/she gets older, or for a kitten that was cuddly when young to become less cuddly as time goes on. The unusual part is that it's normally more of a gradual process, as opposed to flipping a switch. Still, don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Just enjoy Jax's new-found affection!
 
#6 ·
We've just had the exact same thing happen with our almost 2 year old female! We adopted Meeka from the pound when she was 12 weeks old. She was de-sexed at about 6 months and although she's always been friendly and didn't mind pats, she never actually LIKED snuggling. Well just the last couple of weeks, she's been pushing Sammy out of the way to get the best spot on our laps. She's become a real snuggle-er. We have no idea what caused the change but we're not complaining :) Well, Sammy's probably not too happy about it cos he now has to share his snuggle time. Hehe
 
#7 ·
If I were a betting person, I would bet your cat is in heat. At her age and the type of lovey dovey behavior she's exhibiting are all signs of heat. Not all female cats exhibit the typical bum raised up, treading-with-hind-feet position. What she is exhibiting may be what's called a "silent heat". Do get her spayed as soon as possible, and don't let her outside!
 
#8 ·
No, she's definitely not in heat. She's gone through that twice, and this is definitely not that. When she's in heat, she's obnoxiously loud, and not even this affectionate. This is totally different behavior.

I think the best explanation is that she's just growing up, and starting to like attention. :)
 
#9 ·
It could be that her behavior during heat is changing...many cats in heat act just like the way she's acting right now. Especially rubbing up against the dogs so much. Definitely keep her indoors and no open windows or exposed screens that tomcats can claw their way through.

Let's hope she's just coming out of her "non-cuddly" phase and going into a "cuddly" phase! :D
 
#10 · (Edited)
My cat, Bella, started doing the same behavior last week. She's a little over a year old now, give or take a few months. I'm not sure of her exact birthday month. She is such a tiny kitten and cat.

When I first got her she was very cuddly, then wanted nothing to do with us as she aged. We literally became her chew toys for months. That behavior is almost completely stopped now and she suddenly this past week started to lay in my lap on the couch. I think it's a combo of wanting attention and it's cold. My other cat, Brandy, has taken to huddling beside me in bed or sitting on my lap too. She goes through stages though of being affectionate and then being aloof. And before anyone ask both of my girls are spayed.

All I can say is just enjoy it, I know I am. :)