# Advice regarding House Cat / British Shorthair’s behaviours



## Kazzy1986 (Feb 17, 2019)

Hi,

Bit of background - my female British Shorthair is 10 months old. She has access to lots of toys, climbing/scratching posts, regular meals, litter changed, play sessions every day and LOTS of love. She’s an indoor cat but has windows to look out of. My husband works from home 2 days a week and we’re around most weekends so she spends about 3 days per week alone (around 8am-5pm). 

I’m looking for advice/reassurance on a couple of issues:

- some days she is very sleepy/chilled out and doesn’t want interaction or to play (but likes to be near us). However, other days she is full of energy and I can’t seem to play enough with her! She will sit in the hallway and cry when we are sat in the living room - she really goes for it when we ignore her and it really pulls on my heartstrings! When we go out to the hallway I’m not always sure what sure wants (possibly more play) but don’t want to reinforce the crying as we used to run to her when she cried as a young kitten and I think she’s learned that crying gets a response! My question is - do you think what we are providing is enough to make her content as a house cat? I think I probably over-worry about her but do want to make sure she’s happy. We were reassured by a few breeders that British Shorthairs manage well as indoor cats and 1-pet households. We have been off work the past few weeks so have been around much more recently and she slept in a different room one day for the first time ever and seemed annoyed when we tried to interact with her - I was hoping this was to do with her wanting her own space rather than being unhappy. 

- we are going in holiday for a week in the summer. I plan on leaving her at home with family popping in a couple of times a day to see her. Do you think this will be enough. She sleeps in our room every night so feel so bad that she’ll be alone at nights as well as most of the day time!!

- lastly, she can’t jump onto window sills and looks at us to pick her up! I’ve put her cat plunger under the window sill to help her as well as treats to encourage her but she just refuses! The vet clearly thought it was odd but no health concerns. Has anyone else with this breed experienced that with their cat? 

Sorry for the multiple questions but any advice or info about your own cat would be much appreciated!

Thanks


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## Saffy Cat (Sep 20, 2018)

I don’t know much about BSH but they are cute!

The crying thing is very common I think as I’ve seen it asked often when I googled it, if you have checked previously and she’s not in distress and the cry doesn’t sound like she’s distressed then she is probably ok. My cat does this too. We are in the lounge and she goes on to the stairs to cry. I actually click my fingers when she does and she either stops or comes back into the room.

I don’t really know about your other questions but when you go on holiday maybe it would be easier if your family member could stay over if they are having to pop in a couple of times anyway?

Can she jump onto other things of reasonable height? Like the bed, kitchen counter, etc. Is it just the window sill? I’m wondering if a) she associates something with the window and wants you to be protective of her or b) she is training you to do stuff that makes her life interesting.

For example my friend has been trained to open the cat flap for her cat if she is nearby. It sits by the flap (on both sides) and looks at her until she does. 

So, hopefully others with more experience in cat behaviour will come along with their thoughts


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## Kazzy1986 (Feb 17, 2019)

Thanks for your reply

I definitely think the crying is an attention thing - she sounds like a baby! I just worry about her being bored but it’s reassuring to know other cats do this too. 

She can jump on the bed and does every night. She used to jump on the kitchen worktops but only for a day or so and stopped. She likes being on the window sill but needs picked up. I have seem her try jumping and failing before so it’s maybe a skills she’s still developing but it just seems odd. She seems to like to pull herself up places, even my couch which seems harder work than just jumping! 

Thanks again for your response. X


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## Saffy Cat (Sep 20, 2018)

So the vets passed her health wise but thinks it’s odd? 

Does she jump on other occasions, if you play with her say to chase a feather toy?

Maybe you could put moveable steps up to the windowsill?


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## Kazzy1986 (Feb 17, 2019)

yeah the vet said it was a bit unusual but she’s been checked over and no concerns. When excited or playing, she’ll jump through the air so it does seem to be choice I suppose. Yeah, I did move her lounger beneath the window but thing I’ll just have to move something higher to help her up. Maybe she’s just a bit lazy, I’m not sure, but certainly different to my other cat!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi @Kazzy1986 - I do remember my two previous BSH cats never jumped on the work tops, which was quite unusual. They had quite short legs (common in some lines of BSH) but even so they had no problems shinning up the trees in my back garden when they were kittens.

A cat's back legs are powerful and muscular and they need this muscular power to spring upwards and onto things. The fact your kitten pulls herself up onto your couch by her front legs does not suggest laziness but more likely some weakness in her back legs, which affects her ability to spring. It may not be a weakness that will handicap her as such, and her muscle strength may improve as she gets older. A high protein meat diet will help build strong muscles.

It is good that you play with her a lot and get her jumping about, as that will help build her back legs' muscular strength.

If you have stairs in your home I suggest you could play with her on the stairs throwing ping pong balls for her to run up the stairs and catch. Stairs are good for strengthening kittens' muscles, just as they're good exercise for strengthening human muscles. 

When she cries in the hall it is probably for reassurance. I'd do as you are doing, and go to her and see if she can show you in her own way what she needs. I don't think kittens become more demanding if they're given attention when they ask for it. But they can become withdrawn if they are ignored when they need reassurance. Once she is an adult I am sure she will probably become more self reliant 

Like Saffy Cat I would opt to have someone live in with her while you are away. It can be very lonely for a cat who is used to lots of company to suddenly be left alone day after day with only someone popping in twice a day to feed them. Cats who are very close and emotionally dependent on their owners may develop separation anxiety.


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## Kazzy1986 (Feb 17, 2019)

Thank you both for the advice - much appreciated


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