I’ve never encountered this before with any of the kitties I’ve owned. She’ll flop on my lap and purr away. When I go to pet her, though, she growls and flattens her ears, yet she still purrs between pets and even rubs her head against my hand. I’m almost positive it’s not a medical discomfort; she’s been to the vet several times and has a clean bill of health. She’s also been spayed. She’s happy, active and playful and eats well (she is a bit overweight) I adopted her about 6 months ago, and from her reported history she seemed to have had a good life. She also kneads and paws affectionately while she’s growling. Kind of reminds me of a person who frowns when they laugh (I’ve seen this twice in my life)
Just curious as to if anyone else has had this experience with a cat. She has a very sweet disposition, and at no time does the growling seem like a threat. Just very odd.
Cats is weird. I think the best way to get along with cats is to look to how they want you to get along with them.
One of mine cannot stand being picked up. She will scream (yes, scream), and struggle, with claws and teeth, if I attempt to pick her up. But she will happily purr, and nuzzle my hand, if I bend down to give her ear skritches and long, down-the-back-and-tail strokes. She loves her cat treats, and will wrap herself around my legs, purring all the while, hoping for more. But she will not sit on my lap, allow herself to be picked up, nor be cuddled at all.
That works for her; and so, it has to work for me as well. That’s just the way cats are.
Irresistible quote from Lewis Carroll: from “Alice in Wonderland”, where Alice is talking with the Cheshire Cat; who is putting forward the proposition that everyone in Wonderland is crazy – including Alice, who otherwise wouldn’t be there.
" ’ To begin with,’ said the Cat, ’ a dog’s not mad. You grant that? ’
’ I suppose so,’ said Alice.
’ Well, then,’ the Cat went on, ’ you see a dog growls when it’s angry, and wags its tail when it’s pleased. Now I growl when I’m pleased, and wag my tail when I’m angry. Therefore I’m mad. ’
What part of her body are you petting when she growls? Is there any biting or swatting with the growing?
One of my cats loves to be petted all over except his stomach. The other one loves to have her face mashed and rubbed, but if you barely touch her tail, she will growl. I’ve had cats whom you could rub everywhere BUT their face. And a cat who would lie spread-eagled so you could rub her stomach.
My sister-in-law had a cat that growled and spit if you tried to hold it or pet it. She was the only person that could have physical contact with the cat.
It lived to an old age, and was sick, so my father-in-law took it for the last trip to the vet. They ended up sending the cat to the state vet school to be dissected, and found an abnormal hypothalamus. Speculation was the deformity caused the cat to sense normal contact as painful stimuli.
No biting or swatting (although she does play bite when being exercised) It doesn’t matter where I pet her; she just growls and lowers her ears. She still purrs through the experience, though. Purr, growl, purr, growl. It might not even be a growl, but it certainly sounds like one.
General scenario: I’m lying on the couch, watching Netflix. She comes and flops over my legs. She’s purring like a fire engine. I start petting her (softly or firmly, doesn’t seem to matter) When I pet her, she growls and then resumes purring. She even snuggles up to me during the process. Like spoons said, I’m just inclined to think cats is weird.
I think your cat is into S&M. Are there tiny handcuffs, whips, and shiny boots in her hidey-places? Is she getting emails from tomcats with submissive-sounding names?
Not as far as I know. Her report at the shelter said she was given up for allergy reasons, and she doesn’t react negatively to human contact. She’s just a growly girl. Really growly, but with no swatting or biting (other than play time)