# Rescue animals more needy and clingy?



## Rinchan

My cat Shadow often follows us around crying to be picked up or pet. The time that he wants to himself is very limited. He often greets us at the door and if we are at the computer, he will be in your lap. If I'm in the bathroom or the bedroom and the door is shut, he will cry and cry to get in and reach under the door with his paws. It's cute, but if there are intimated activities going on in the bed room we don't exactly want a cat crawling all over us! (and it's happened! He was crying so loud outside the bedroom and we felt bad leaving him out there.)

I've never had a cat so affectionate. Is this because he was a rescue? Before my fiance and I took him in, he was adopted once, but did not work out with that family so they brought him back to the shelter.

Is there any way that I could help him not need attention so much? I don't want him completely aloof, just to be ok for a sort period of time when I'm in the bathroom or in the bedroom.

Could this be separation anxiety?


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## ~Siameseifuplz~

It could have to do with being abandoned, but it's more likely just his temperament. I have a cat like that, he's not a rescue, we got him from a breeder when he was a kitten. He just has a very people centered, needy personality. I personally like it myself lol. I suppose the best way to go about getting him to stop begging to get in to a room is to just not give in. Eventually he'll realize he can't open doors by screaming and smashing into them. You might also try to play with him more often so that he sleeps more, and if you feed kibble, perhaps try feeding him out of food dispensing toys so that his time is occupied better and you can do your own things.


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## MinkaMuffin

Well, I mean, how would you feel if you had a family and happiness, and then you were returned to a metal cage, alone... >__<
Some animals deal with it fine, but others do severely worry that they will be abandoned again.
I think time will help, along with what Siameseifuplz said, don't give in, let him bash at the door and eventually he will give up; its no different from crate training puppies, they cry and cry... :[

(With my cat, we usually don't even have to remove him because whats going on deters him from the bed (or even scares him under it xD), you could always try leaving the door open and see if he leaves you alone.)


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## Carmel

Most people adopt cats from the SPCA, or similar originations, and the cats all have different personalities. I think it's just his personality. A lot of cats want to be where you are, all the time. They'll follow you like a shadow.

Blacky (took a year of feeding her outdoors before she'd even let me pet her) used to follow us on walks during the day, but after a few years she stopped doing that. I think she figured out we're coming back. Now she only follows us on walks when it's getting dark outside, when she feels safer walking around off our property. 

So... some of these traits might change in him as he gets used to routine... or maybe not. I don't really have any suggestions for modifying his personality.


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## saitenyo

Probably depends more on the individual cat's genetics and past circumstances. Both my cats are rescues and they are _very _clingy, but they're also siamese mixes, and siamese are a very social, attention-hungry breed a lot of the time.


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## Time Bandit

I agree with the rest...it's most likely personality. Two of my cats are rescues, and one was literally rescued from a cardboard box that her owner put her in. Rochelle and Alice don't have those behavior issues.

My Samantha however, acts very similar to your Shadow. She picked me out at the shelter, and she bonded to me instantly. If I am gone at work, leave for an errand, step out for a cigarette, or even shut her out of a room, she wanders the house with a loud "MROW. MROW." over and over again until she can find me. The other cats, my boyfriend, and all her toys (except Catfish of course!) could be non-existent at that point for all she cares. All she wants is her Mommy. She hates closed doors.


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## saitenyo

Haha yup, that's what Apollo does too! Athena likes to snuggle at night, and sit in people's laps, but Apollo is constantly desperate for attention and gets very distressed if he can't be in the same room as us.


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## Rinchan

Thanks guys! I will try the suggestions. I love that he is affectionate. But I was worried that he had some anxiety. (That psychology class from college has me psychoanalyzing everyone!) And while we do love him, there are some activities where we need our privacy XD



> (With my cat, we usually don't even have to remove him because whats going on deters him from the bed (or even scares him under it xD), you could always try leaving the door open and see if he leaves you alone.)


Awe I wish Shadow was like that. No he wants in on the action! To not give too much TMI, we've been dive bombed, he's head bunted us, tail has gotten in our faces, he managed to squeeze between us during kissing, and he's kneaded feet. Good thing we have a sense of humor! XD For awhile we were calling him Kinky Cat!

(We also called him "The Pimp" because when I had my friends over, he always wanted to follow the girls into the bathroom (and most would let him) but not the guys! He would also only sit in the girl's laps and would be purring and told how cute he was. We made up a fun story that night after a few drinks about how he was a dirty old man in his past life XD

We will try to ignore his cries to get into the room.


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## MowMow

Rinchan said:


> For awhile we were calling him Kinky Cat!


 Mow refuses to leave but he sleeps through everything that goes on(or at least he pretends too).


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## Straysmommy

LOL

Prince must have been a dirty old man in his past life too, because he ONLY approaches young, pretty women. He's extremely nice to them, whereas he totally ignores men and won't let any man touch him. I always say I'm lucky that I'm a woman (not so young or pretty, though) so Prince followed me home.

Mow, where does he sleep in those occasions?


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## Straysmommy

And I don't know what it is with cats and women in toilets, really. From what I've read on the threads here, it's not only Prince that will dart into the toilet the moment he hears me going. I often try to start a conversation about how, because we're different genders, he shouldn't come in the toilet when I'm with my pants down. But when I start talking, he just jumps onto my lap on the throne and whines for petting...


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## Mitts & Tess

Mittens my tuxedo I got when he was 6 weeks old. From the day I got him till now, 9 yrs later he always has to be touching me when we sleep. He goes from room to room with me. I adopted a bobtail torti, Mz Tess, to be his companion when I went back to work. She could of cared less about other cats but was very social with people. But when I came home she only cared about me. Both my cats were/ are very bonded with me.

Some of my fosters have been very needy. I think its personality, genetics, breed type that determines their personalities & neediness.


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