I am watching my BF’s animals and one of them is an old (I think like 12 years old) female Siamese cat. This cat is a bit . . . . strange. My bf did not get her until about two years ago, and before then he thinks she might have been in a house where she was abused by dogs.
She is for the most part very standoffish. However, I have been trying to show affection towards her over the last year or so, and have lately taken to picking her up and cuddling her. 9 times out of ten, as soon as I set her down on my lap she runs away, but sometimes she stays and kneads my lap. In addition, she will often start piteously meowing in the middle of the night. BF said that it was because she was lonely, so I would pick her up and take her to bed with me. A few weeks ago she started jumping up on the bed with me at night and just sleeping at the foot of the bed. No prob. Sometimes she jumps up in the morning too, again, not too much of a problem.
Thursday morning she jumped up and starting meowing really loudly, and in my face, and kneading every part of me. She was even head-butting me a little, and combining it with rubbing her head against my hand. I think she also tried to bite me a couple of times (she’s bit before, but usually only when you annoy her by touching her in a way she doesn’t like). I left her alone for the weekend as I went out of town (with BF’s permission) and I came back tonight and after I fell asleep she started the same thing again, and it woke me up.
This behavior is not acceptable. I try putting her on the floor and she just jumps back up . She doesn’t listen when I say “no.” What can I do? I don’t want to crate her, especially if she’s lonely. I am happy to provide comfort/company but NOT in the middle of the night or early morning. I don’t want to close the bedroom door because 1. She will just start meowing really loudly 2. I don’t want her to be lonely (she is welcome to sleep on the bed, just not walk all over me and wake me up) and 3. the dog needs to go in and out of the bedroom.
Oh, and in case it comes up, she has plenty of food and water available at all times so I don’t think that’s it.
I find cats totally baffling and was hoping that the cat lovers on here could help me out a bit. Thanks so much!