I am 11 months old today! In a month, I’ll officially no longer be a kitten, and that means I will have to work harder at human manipulation. When you are a kitten, humans will do anything for you, and you practically don’t even have to ask — if you so much as think it, they take action! It’s easy for a kitty to think it is going to be like that forever, but once you’re a little older you have to keep practicing all the cute techniques, otherwise your human might start being a little neglectful about things like treats and playtime. And as we all know, grown up cats need this just as much as kittens do. So I’ve compiled a quick list of dos and don’ts to help you keep your humans charmed well into your senior years.
DO
Gently tap your human on the leg when you want her attention.
DON’T
Use your claws when you are tapping. If you poke holes in their clothing or their skin, humans will not appreciate it.
DO
Ask for what you want with a tiny, polite meow.
DON’T
Yell stridently when you want something. Humans hate being nagged.
DO
Roll over on your back and squirm around while looking the human right in the eye. My human had a cat once that did that every time he misbehaved — he got away with his misbehavior every time!
DON’T
Let your human touch you when you are doing this, especially if you are the biting type. It’s better to get up and run away — latching onto your humans with teeth and claws will immediately undo all the good feelings you just created.
DO
The pleading eye thing when you want a treat or a taste of the meat from your human’s dinner.
DON’T
Jump on the table and try to help yourself. Binga does this a lot and it never works.
DO
Use the head tilt at every opportunity.
DON’T
…actually, there is no way this can be done wrong.
Do you have any more dos — or don’ts — to add?
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Yes, all those things work every time!
Purrs xx
Athena
You are spot on efurrything on the list 😀
XOXO
Great advice Summer! PS. I think you’ve mastered the head tilt!
Our pups have the head-tilt down to a science, as well ~ it’s just too adorable!
The increased volume of my request for a snack has worked very well for me and now for TKS. So the polite meow is nice, but sometimes, especially when one human is hard of hearing, the louder request is appropriate as long as one gets what one wanted in the end; na’mean? You are learning well Summer
Purfect list 😉
Great lessons Summer. kneading works too. Our Mom can’t resist when we start making biscuits and won’t move if we are happy and doing this 🙂
Marty
You’ve learned sooooo much! Great advice!
Very good tips, only cats do what they want ! Pookie gives morning concerts until we have a nervous breakdown. They are all flying cats and sit on top of all tables around ! Arthur is a thief and steels everything he can get, even cookies and cakes ! I am a victim !
Head tilt + on-the-back squirm with eye lock = Permanent kitten status
You totally got it going on, Summer.
Summer you got it covered so well! Great tips…Neytiri taps our Human on the leg too!
DONT
Jump on yer Bein when it is asleep!
DO
Sneak up an cuddle quietly.
The head tilt gets me every time.
You are a very smart little girl, Summer! I would only add that it’s good to humor humans to respond when they call your name.
All great tips Summer. Many kitties never learn all these Do and Dont’s, so it’s amazing that you’ve learned them before turning 1 year old.
The head tilt always works! Binga sure is used for the bad examples a lot. We just can’t figure out why though!
I do that first one all the time and would you believe I don’t use claws. I do the rolling over thing halfway and put my chin up. TW knows not to touch me but always comes to see what I want. You’ve learned well.
Claws are a definite don’t. I had one cat that always used it’s claws to pull in a hand so he could get petted. Ouch!
Oh my goodness, you’re growing up so quickly! Pierrot does the yelling and nagging thing and you’re right that it doesn’t go over well with the humans. Sometimes, though, the lady gives in just to quiet him.
You’re a wise young ‘un!
A little murp then putting your head down as if you were going to do a headstand works quite well too 😉
We liked these tips.
Purrs Georgia and Julie,
Treasure and JJ
Summer you are so wise beyond your 11 months with these valuables tips on how to manipulate humans. We have been employing such techniques and we concur these work really well, especially with the soft cute meow. Emma does that to perfection.
I do tap my mum’s leg, but I also yell at her as loud as I can if she isn’t quick enough to see I want her full attention.
Those are pretty much spot on..
I’s never used my claws on da peeps once – it has made me a favorite at da vet’s.
Boy, Minchie sure does need a refresher course! We won’t be able to attend Alana and Tree House Humane’s function next week because it’s pretty far (25 miles) and Mom doesn’t drive the expressways. We know, she’s a whimp! She would never survive out where you live!
My brother, Anderson, has that back squirm down pat. PLUS, he likes havin’ his tummy rubbed so it’s okay if the peeps touch him while he’s squirmin’. I think he went pro.
Purrs,
Nissy
Great list Summer! I’ll have to hide them from my clowder! I don’t want them manipulating me anymore than they already do!! Happy almost 1-year old!!
*raises paw* I have one! DO give them face tubs, but DO NOT sneeze in their face!
Eleven months old……..you just get prettier and SMARTER every single day !!
Hugs, Sammy
Great advice Summer ! We would add the Silent Meow with Help-Me-Eyes to make humans melt. Purrs
You know the charming methods fur sure!!
When your human wakes up (with your help tapping gently on her face of course) and she sits up…cross back and forth across her lap over and over and over, headbonking the chesticle area each way. Then, press the length of your body hard against the human’s side and stand there purring. Don’t forget the side rubs when she rises up and you still have her back right there to rub against as she stands before moving.
My how time flies Summer! So glad you have settled in and we really like all your posts. This one especially! Buttons likes the the not-quite-meow for treats while Buddy and myself give Dad arm hugs and he is wrapped for the day. Buddy says Do Not go on the back of the chair or couch and meow loudly into the ear. He has tried it and… No treats!
Purrs
Timmy
Mauricio has most of the Dos done pat, but unfortunately he is good at the “yelling” Don’t, which drives Mom bonkers. We all have our strengths and weakness. Fiona needs to learn to retract her claws and use a gentle pat. All together, we make one terribly good kitty or one terribly bad kitty depending on the day. Summer you still look like a kitten to us. Mom considers us kittens until we are two. See if you can convince your mom that you have 13 more months! XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
Good strategizing Summer! LP loves it when we make those merps and chirps and singing sounds. She claims when Levon is naughty, all he has to do is “talk his way out of it” with this sweet sounds for her to love him all over again 🙂
the critters in the cottage xo
Happy 11 months, Summer! Your dos & don’ts tips are all great!
Especially the rolling-over and squirm-around thing – that works like a magic. Every naughty behavior is forgiven 🙂
The silent meow, Summer. I find it works every time!!!
Purrs,
Genji
Basically good advice Summer. I DO like my belly rubbed when I squirm on my back and I do it all of the time! Also, I am not supposed to go on the table, but I do………..when I do it, sometimes I DO get something tasty….recently Mom started yelling at me for being on the table when she and Dad are eating….she needs to stop sending mixed signals! love, Cody
Great advice, as always, Summer! We have a few things we need to work on… like our “yelling”…
Mom agrees with your list, Summer. Well said!
You sure have learned a lot in your short 11 months, Summer!
It seems I’ve been doing everything wrong for seven years, except the head tilt thing! I might have to revise my terms and conditions!!
would you please remind diego-san of the stridently yelling one?
All excellent tips. Our Mom especially loves that we talk to her a lot. Chirps and trills and tiny meows.
Well, I have been doing it mostly right pretty Summer!
Great advise Summer. My furdad loves when I gently butte head him. I am the only one out of 5 cats that do this. He says I’m his little girl. It works all the time. Chloe
Nicki is a master at the cute rolling around when he’s been naughty. Well, let’s face it, he’s had a lot of practice over the years! He’s NOT learned that “yelling” at her only irritates her, though. 😀
And Derry’s not learned to keep his claws in all the time.
Our human would like to add a “don’t,” and that’s please don’t paw at your human all night long for pats and cuddles, thereby keeping her awake or continually waking her up. Sure, on the surface it seems like an okay thing to do, but most humans don’t get to sleep through the day like we do, and when they’re sleep-deprived, at least some (ours) are super-cranky and then don’t have the energy or motivation to dote on us the way we expect.
Summer we use most of those when we are trying to get round our Mum for tasty treats – it’s a walk over!!
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
Here’s another first! I’m never first to comment. Summer, you’ve learned well grasshopper 🙂