[Travelinglady]

I'm wondering if anyone has noted that their older pets tend to become more loving. Specifically, I'm thinking about cats. I had a tom (named Donald after a boy I liked in third grade) who didn't care much for being picked up, petted, etc. until he got some age on him. Then he would even come and jump in my lap.

I currently have Mimi in my lap. She's a puss who is about 15 years old. She now just comes in, specifically it seems for me to sit on the sofa, so she can get in my lap and get some petting. Meanwhile, Misty, my cat who is about 7, might hop up for a second and then run off to do something else.....

[blueoctober]

PAYNE1 I don't have an answer for you, but I just wanted to say I LOVE the name "Donald" for a cat!

[Travelinglady]

Donald was my therapy cat growing up. I do like naming pets with people names. Maybe that's silly, but I do consider them to be family members!

[sundog]

I love the name Donald for a cat also!! And I think giving animals people names is very cute! I totally agree with you that our animals are family members!

I'm not sure about animals getting more affectionate as they get older as a general rule, but I could imagine that some of them do. And, as you say, I expect it might happen more with cats. Our dogs are still relatively young and they are incredibly affectionate. We have young cats too, and they are a lot more aloof. So perhaps our cats will become more affectionate as they age?

Hugs to you and your kitties!

My cat is about 3 years old, there was a big difference in affection over the last year. Though, she only seems to be so affectionate towards me. Everyone else she is the same psycho skittish kitty... but she loves me a lot so I get to see the affectionate side of her

[blueoctober]

Originally Posted by PAYNE1

but I do consider them to be family members!

I completely agree!

[michele#3]

My cat is 3 1/2 years old now and she is more affectionate than she was even a few months ago. Sometimes she'll follow me around my apartment and rub against my legs or hop in my lap to be petted. She even has started grooming the dog!

[Emotionally Dead]

We have dogs, but I haven't ever noticed it with them. One is 16 now and she doesn't seem more loving, she just tends to keep to herself actually. Of course she was always more aggressive with people, didn't trust them much because of some kids that used to live here who always tried to throw things at her and stuff. With the cats I used to own I did notice one to be a little more affectionate as he got older, but my dumb Step Dad got a Dog and stopped giving him attention all-together, so when I moved back in for a short period of time he always wanted attention from me since no one else would give him any. Other than that it's not something I ever really noticed.

[lizardlady]

Interesting question.... I'd say some of my animals wanted to be cuddled more as they got older, but not all.

[jbug]

Funny I should run across this post right now as I was just thinking about this today as my mom and dad's cat Mollye has been very clingy today. She has been sitting on my lap all morning. She tried "surfing the net" it was very funny she hopped up on the computer pad and it turned on the computer and she looked at the screen like she knew what she was doing. But she is sitting on my lap again. My cat Tyger slept with me again last night. Mollye normally doesn't have anything to do with me so I am wondering if something is in the air.

Jan

[Travelinglady]

We never know what the motives of cats are, do we? I guess that's why I particularly like the comic strip "Garfield." I suspect if cats could really "think," they would "think" like him.

I was just remembering that my younger cat is more affectionate with my 17-year-old son. HE'S the one whose lap computer she tries to help him use, for example, and it's HIS room that she always wants to sleep in.

I'll have to see if she warms up to me over time, which would support my theory!

[foot]

Yes what you are saying I'm finding true with my little dog.

[HereIamBp]

My two old cats are very affectionate. Always have been. I noticed they talk a lot more than before. They sound like Siamese cats now.

[Travelinglady]

I really love cats....My two are so different. Mimi wants to get up in my lap right now, but she can't because I'm on the computer! Oh, well, I'll try to make it up to her later. She's my 17-year-old "baby."

[Perna]

Originally Posted by PAYNE1

I'm wondering if anyone has noted that their older pets tend to become more loving. Specifically, I'm thinking about cats. I had a tom (named Donald after a boy I liked in third grade) who didn't care much for being picked up, petted, etc. until he got some age on him. Then he would even come and jump in my lap.

Yes, I had one of those but it turned out he was getting ill and just wanted my comfort rather than to comfort me

Now my cats who seemed to be clingy and attentive when they were young are nine years old and only come around when they want something, are heck/impossible to get into their cat carriers to go to the vet (I had the vet come to the house but only one of the two "showed up") and my little girl cat has a nasty bottom (she's long-haired) and I tried bathing her the other day with my husband helping but he didn't "help" so it didn't help. Now I'll have to eventually do it again, by myself, "right" :-)

[Travelinglady]

I still can't believe it, but the last time my husband took our two cats to the vet to get their shots, he came back home and said that our younger one didn't end up getting any shots. Apparently, she refused to come out of her carrier and was so vicious that she even scared the veterinary assistant. My husband said he could really see now that cats are in the same family as the bigger cats such as lions and tigers. She sounded just like a tiger. Our older cat tends to be a bit more fussy at home, but she did fine at the vet's!