What do you do to bond with your cat?

Well, I'm a first time cat owner. He was a stray and I've had him for a little over 3 months now. He gets along great with my two dogs and my 2 year old nephew and uses the litter box. I've been reading up about cats and now that I know they like to be high up (and that they love cardboard boxes, which I find hilarious) he seems a lot happier with the arrangements that I've made for him. My boyfriend even installed a couple carpet covered shelves for him to climb on and he's a huge fan of those.



The only thing I would like is to bond more with him. He's just recently found out that if he sits in my lap I'll pet and scratch him, but if I try to cuddle/hug him he jumps out of my arms and climbs up his shelves. He is my first cat and I've only grown up with dogs, and I've made all my bonds by training, playing, outdoor things,etc. I don't expect him to be a dog, but I do want to find a way to bond with him.



So, basically I'm wondering what types of things do you do to bond with your cat(s). Also, what type of toys do your cats like?



Oh, and if the cat forums are anything like the dog forums, I did not steal someones pet. My friend found him and we posted flyers for a month. She couldn't afford vet care so I offered to take him and they checked him for a microchip, which he had none. He was underweight, but now he's a healthy weight, has all his shots, tests, etc and is getting neutered/ microchipped in 2 weeks.What do you do to bond with your cat?
Cats love love love lasers. They can chase around a laser for hours. They never seem to tire of that. You can buy one for like 4 dollars and it will be their favorite toy. My cat also loves socks. She is a little sock thief. They love plain old string to chase around. Oh and they love little paper balls. Those are my cat's favorite toys and they cost close to nothing. Except my socks which have all been stolen and need to be replaced. Get a catnip spray or catnip in a bag and spray/sprinkle it onto her toys and watch her go crazy. Cats are very funny animals who never cease to do entertaining things if provided with an array of objects, which, as you can see, is not very difficult to do as they find the most useless things to be fascinating.



And that's very nice that your bf put in those shelves. You can save money now and not have to buy an overpriced wobbly cat tree/tower. Hopefully you have a windowsill where your cat can sit and look out the window. They love seeing what's going on outside. Each time a car passes by on our usually isolated block, my cat acts as though its the most incredible thing she's ever seen. Having access to a window is especially important for an indoor only cat, who can only have a glimpse into the natural world through a window.



You need to get your cat a few scratching posts too. Having both the vertical and horizontal ones is a good idea. Establish from the start where an appropriate place to scratch is (all cats need to scratch to remove dead skin from their claws) so your furniture doesn't end up clawed. Also trim their nails once every two weeks or so. Establishing these habits from the start is important.



Another thing is, you CAN train a cat like a dog. The only difference is that cats are often less treat oriented and often, they won't listen to you unless they see you have something good to offer. My cat knows the sit command and she will sit if I am offering her food but any other time I tell her to sit she wont.



Lastly cats are amazing when it comes to cuddles. My favorite way to "bond" is to simply put my cat on my chest when she is sleepy/calm (as in, not hyper/playful) and gently stroke her head so that she starts purring, which is the cutest thing cats do. When they're happy their entire body vibrates lol, which feels/sounds so soothing and adorable.
The petting and scratching is a great way to bond. Lots of cats don't actually like to be hugged or cuddled. My cat hates it when you pick her up like a baby (on her back), but is find if she's upright. It all depends on the individual. It doesn't mean he's not bonded with you.



As for toys, mine really loves anything with string. She also likes tubular objects (pencils, foam darts, the timer from my Pictionary game, etc.) and will sometimes play with balls. She also has a few small, stuffed toys, but only plays with those when someone throws them for her to chase - then chases HER to get them back and throws them again. Some cats like weird things for play, too. My kitty (and one owned my an aunt years ago) loves small boxes - like for tissues or saltines. She sticks her head right in and rolls around like a nut.What do you do to bond with your cat?
First off - you did a fantastic thing by taking him in. There should be more people like you in the world.

Second - I also have a cat that was abused and neglected. He was very skittish at first and was surprised that I would love on him. To fix the bonding part a bit, just go to him. Instead of waiting for him to come to you, initiate the first move. Randomly walk up to him and pet him, or pick him up and cuddle him a bit. He may squirm a little, but he really does appreciate the attention! Especially if he was a stray and everything.



As for the playing, my boyfriend and I bought our two cats a laser pointer. It's quite entertaining and provides exercise for them. Just make sure not to let it shine in their eyes, or you can blind them/damage the eye. We have also started building a "kitty city." All components can be bought at a WalMart and they love it. I would look into it if I were you! :-)



Another thing... Get him some Temptation treats. Our cats LOVE them and expect them every night at 5pm :-P they don't have many calories, they're cheap, and they come in many different flavors!



I hope I was helpful! Good luck and have fun with your new baby ;-)
You need to pick up your cat more often. you need to approach the cat, not the cat aproach you. so Just randomly go and stroke/scratch it. Then pick him up and put him in ur arms, and cuddle the cat, or maybe spend more time with the cat, i.e sleep next to it, play with it , feed it treats, hope this helpsWhat do you do to bond with your cat?
This is what I do to win my cats trust and bond with them. I respect them when they want to sleep and do not wake them up, or pick them up while the are asleep. I treat them both very gently and never play rough with them. I am constant with their feeding times, so they know they can always rely on me for getting food when they are hungry. I play with them when they show interest in playing, but I don't force them to play when they are not interested. I let them come to me for affection rather than picking them up and forcing myself upon them with too much affection. I study their body language a lot, and I know that when they swish the tail from side to side they are getting annoyed and they don't like what is going on, so then I stop patting them. They will come to me when they need me, and I will be there for them.



I think the key for you is to just keep showing him that you love him, but never overdoing it. Some cats will take a long time to come around, especially if they have been ill treated. I once looked after a neglected cat who come to us. It took almost three months before I could pick him up and hold him.

He was never a lapcat, but he did like moderate affection. When he was ok with people and he had settled down, we felt it was ok for him to now go to a new home, and these days he is very happy.



Favorite toys is: one of my cat loves a simple black shoe lace and she never gets tired of playing with that. The other cat's favorite toy is a bundle of feathers tied on a string at the end of a stick. He pretends it is a bird and chases it endlessly.
I'd say if it is a cat (and not a kitten) And it was found in a bad condition, It has probably had a tortuous experience in his past.



You are extremely lucky to have him sit in your lap and let you touch him, considering you recently got him, he barely knows you, and he has been a stray.



So, let him take his time to get to know you, don't jump to conclusions and automatically think that he hates you just because he wont let you hug him. He also would've been used to being his own cat, wondering the streets at night, and hiding from humans... Let's just look at it that way, until he fully trusts you, and is able to rely on you.



As for toys... I'd suggest feathery items, mostly on sticks, maybe spray some catnip on them, since cats adore that. And catnip would be a nice experience for him!



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