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11:44am

A Rumble grumble

Featuring:

Rumble

I just added a couple of photos of my latest foster baby: Rumble. She is a sweet natured little thing that was starting to turn mean because some idiot had taught her that aggressive attack/play fighting was a cute game.
She came to me because there wasn't enough room at the shelter and she needed a place to stay until a space opened up. She had just been fixed and was the sweetest little thing you could hope for. After a few days she began to relax and feel better. She wanted to play. She jumped up on the table rolled on her back and waved her paws at me. I reached over and got a surprise, a nasty surprise. She snarled grabbed at my wrist, started to kick at my arm and gnaw my hand. I hollered in surprise (and a little pain) and grabbed her by the neck to hold her. She tossed a angry hissy fit for a while. I held her until she began to calm down and left her alone. A few hours later she was insulted but calm.
A couple of days later she forgave me and wanted to cuddle. The affection included a bratty little love nip. When I yelped and told her "NO" she hunched down in an aggressive defence crouch. She acted like she was about to be attacked. I held her by the scruff of the neck and calmed her down. When she realized that she was not going to get hit she calmed down and went off to pout.
Some idiot had taken a kitten and taught it to growl, attack and fight. When she got older and the play got out of hand they must have started yelling and hitting her.
I have spent the last couple of weeks teaching her that "No" doesn't mean "duck and cover" it just means stop doing that.
Something seemed to click inside of her the other day. She had grabbed at me when I was trying to adjust the blinds. I held her on the table and talked to her. One second her ears were back, a growl was in her throat and she tried to bite. The next second she just stopped. Her whole body relaxed. Her ears came forward and the growl vanished. I don't know if she had learned something or just wanted to shut me up. Her sweeter nature had taken over.
Rumble is learning to talk when she wants attention instead of nipping. She stills grabs my hand but now she kisses it and begs for one in return. The word no makes her stop and look for a command instead of a blow. She is laying by my feet, purring as I write this. She will leave me soon. I am afraid that the older nasty play/fight behavior might be triggered by rough play so, I don't think that she can go to a family with younger children or an inexperienced/first cat household. But I do think that she can... no WILL make someone a great companion.