How would you describe the cat's general personality? Lucas is a healthy, playful and highly independent kitten. He is shy but will become a deeply loyal friend if you give him time and patience. He loves to play, investigate his environment with his paws and mouth, and find good hiding places.
Does the cat enjoy being pet?
Lucas is still a bit hand-shy but has started warming up to some petting after about 2 weeks.
If yes, on what parts of its body does the cat like to be pet? After some time, Lucas likes having his head, cheeks and chin pet the most. He also likes back scratches. Lucas will first want to sniff you a lot and give you his paw. If you spend time playing with him first or offering some toy mice, he will eventually warm up to petting.
Are there any parts of its body that the cat does NOT like being touched? He only likes to be approached slowly and gently or he will get startled. He doesn't like being touched on his belly.
Does the cat come on your lap? No
Does the cat like to be held? He seems ok with being picked up with one hand (behind front legs), but not both hands.
Does the cat sleep in your bed? No, but he likes to reach his paw up to me and say good morning when my alarm goes off!
Does the cat seek your attention? After a couple of weeks, Lucas greets me by playing peek-a-boo from his hiding spot under the bed. This lets me know he is ready for a playtime!
Does the cat like to play?
Yes! Lucas is still a kitten and is very playful. He likes getting the zoomies at night so it's ideal for him to have some unobstructed space to run around.
What are the cat's favorite games and toys? Lucas loves hunting for toy mice and consolidating them by his food dish, cat tower, and other hangout spaces. Anything he can grab with his mouth or paws works great!
How vocal is the cat?
Lucas is a quiet, stealthy cat except for when he gets the zoomies...then he is a real bulldozer! He never meows.
What kinds of sounds does the cat make? Lucas doesn't meow but he gently purrs during playtime when he's happy.
Does the cat scratch a scratcher?
Yes!
Does the cat always use the litter box?
Yes! Lucas is remarkably thorough in burying his waste, which means a high-walled litterbox works best.
What food and frequency is the cat currently eating? Lucas eats a 3 oz can of Fancy Feast turkey wet food and 1/3 cup dry food both AM and PM.
Is the cat picky about food? Nope!
What is the cat's favorite treat?
Lucas likes dry kibble treats and Churu tubes. The latter works great for establishing an early bond and helping him with hand-shyness, although it was about a week and a half until he would approach me.
Does the cat ever swat (claws in) at you? If so, under what circumstances?
Lucas never swats at me, but he does reach out his paw to say hello and let me know he wants to play.
Has the cat ever scratched (claws out) you? No
Does the cat ever nip (teeth without breaking skin) you? Yes, but only in a playful way that's easy to redirect. He is a young kitten with hunter's instincts. Any kind of toy he can put in his mouth works!
Has the cat ever bitten you (breaking skin)? No
To the best of your knowledge, how does the cat react to new people? Social? Fearful?
Lucas will hide and take a while to warm up to new people.
Does that cat have any cute/quirky traits that aren’t covered by the previous questions?
I joke that Lucas has a Disney cat face because he just has the cutest big eyes and little kitten head!
In your opinion, what is the best thing about the cat? Why should an adopter choose THIS cat to adopt?
Lucas is a rewarding cat to spend time with, because the patience and space you offer him in the first couple weeks will pay dividends in the long-run! Once he shows you his belly, it's all over. He is a faithful companion and will teach you the art of play.
What are the cat's challenges and how have you found to best manage them?
Definitely his shyness was the greatest challenge in the beginning. Giving him space early on will help gain his trust. He does come out of his hiding spaces to eat and use the litterbox. He also became much more comfortable once I moved his food dish near my bed so he could start getting used to venturing out near me. We started bonding by spending time on the floor together, me lying down a few feet away and talking or singing to him. Then, I started offering him toy mice and he eventually would come investigate my hands. If you let him sniff you first for a bit without petting him, he will quickly start to trust you!
