Amelia is the strangest cat.

[riff]

You don't touch Amelia. Amelia touches you and any touching is strictly on her terms. Contrast to Umberto, with whom, if you wished, you could pick up and use for toilet paper if you were out.

I accept my kitty the way she is. She comes to me purring at least once a day to do what I call "the mash thing." The mash thing is when she comes and uses her shoulders to mash on me with her paws. And I let her. Sometimes she lets me pet her. I wish she would let me do her like I do Umberto, which is pick him up and give him full body massages which he happily enjoys, but she just isn't like that. And I like the fact that she comes to me and does the mash thing.

As for Umberto, well, I love him too and he is special like Amelia. And Umberto likes the mash thing too- except that he keeps looking for a nipple with his mouth and he nibbles me. Last night I woke up to find him trying to get milk from my armpit (lol).

I am learning a lot about love from my cats. And I love them both- different as they may be. It's just nice to be there for them.

 

[April]

I told you you love her. You just didn't believe me.

You're gone now. "Dad" forever.

 

[Todd-'o'-Vision]

Thank you Riff for sharing.

Brings back amany sweet memories

 

[Starfish]

"The mash" is a common cat behavior. Most cats like things on their terms only. Otherwise, they rebel, just to rebel.


I have a little girl like Amelia that is very much the same. She is just now starting to let me hold her, and sometimes she'll let me pet her. She likes kisses and her belly rubbed, but won't admit it fully yet. If I push it, she may never admit it, so I let her love me at her pace.

 

[riff]

I just never new about this mash thing! Is it because I have not been papa/mama to a cat before?

When people come over it is easy to see she is daddy's girl and he is daddy's boy.

 

[SilvaTungDevil]

I just never new about this mash thing!

Both my cats do that. I always call it maken biscuits.

 

[riff]

Yes! It's just like that.

Only sometimes she does it on my crotch and her claws hurt. I just move them with my hands to my tummy.

 

[shyybabe]

Both my cats do the mash, usually on my boobs. Luckily no claws to dig in though. I keep an old afghan on the couch for Jenny cause she likes to suck on it while she mashes.

 

[IrishWolfhound]

Uhmmmm...we ARE talking about Amelia the cat, right?

The "mash", or kneading, is a hang over from being a kitten. They do that to their mothers to stimulate milk flow. So your guy is indeed looking for a nipple. My male will drool while he does it.

Domestic cats continue it into adulthood because they basically become arrested in their development and consider us as their parents. Quite a high compliment really...being promoted to cathood. At least in their eyes. As a rule they tend to look down on people.

 

[amelia]

I have a little girl like Amelia that is very much the same. She is just now starting to let me hold her, and sometimes she'll let me pet her. She likes kisses and her belly rubbed, but won't admit it fully yet. If I push it, she may never admit it, so I let her love me at her pace.

you could pretty much say this about me too

 

[mischeviousmisti]

i could go on and on about my four kitty cats. i love them like children. thanks for sharing yoru love of cats