My Coon acts more like a guard dog than a cat

by Hope
(KY USA)

I have had my baby for 14 yrs and she is the smartest cat that I have owned. Early on I noticed that when anyone knocked on the door she growled like a dog. Then she became increasingly more protective and would sense when something wasn't quite right outside and growl like a possessed animal.

She also really never took to being happy about repairman or infrequent visitors that came to visit. We recently had a problem with raccoons on my 2nd floor patio at which time she carried on to the point that I had to lock her in another room.

Interesting enough though she is not a mouse catcher, she literally has watched a mouse scurry around in front of her face within 3 inches. You would swear it was Tom & Jerry. I took pics 2 different times because I knew no one would believe me.

Now bugs, thank goodness, are another thing. Whatever it is, if it gets in, she will catch it, kill it and most of the time eat it. This is also unique in her actions during our days together.

However, she does display kitty like qualities too. "Memoo" is one of her names but she responds to several pet names but none of them being kitty. She truly has no idea she is a cat but that probably has to do with her never being around other cats and my love to her.

After realizing Memoo was connecting words with actions I started saying sentences to see how she would react. The first connection was she favored a chair in the living room to exercise her claws on. Speaking sternly while touching the chair it was only 2 days later that she no longer scratched the chair.

Some might think I scared her silly off the chair but that is not the case. She still sits on the seat, will run through the room then runs up to the top to sit.

Another example is to say the words, "are you hungry" or "you wanna bite?" and she comes flying from wherever she is. Also, "look what I got" and her curious nature gets the best of her and there is my baby.

Lately she has learned what a ball is and a soft stuffed long piece of fleece I call a snake. On her trips to the bathroom for her drink of water, after, if I say, "get your snake or ball", Memoo takes off and attacks whichever one I have instructed her to attack. Amazingly they are both are on the floor near each other.

Lastly she has just learned the reference of Mama and it being me. When sitting and I say, "Wanna sit with Mama?"; she pops right up beside me stretching out with her head propped up on my leg! She has always loved her head on something and prefers to lay on something like a plastic grocery bag, t-shirt something other than the floor or carpet.

I guess we all have our little ways. I love my baby so much and she has provided me years of joy.

Hope

My Coon acts more like a guard dog than a cat to Maine Coon Cats