Anonymous Caller Cats My girlfriend has a cat. It's a very handsome cat actually, black with white paws, stomach and a little splotch on the nose. It's about 8 months old. But I hate it. It's a biter, whenever I'm trying to relax with her the cat comes in and makes himself a nuisance. (Even at... er, really BAD times if you get my drift.) He gets into everything and everytime I go to her apartment the cat runs out the door into the hall and we have to chase him down. Now she loves the cat, she's always had pets and more specifically a cat since she was young. I want to toss the cat in the mircowave (Alf!) because I've gotten lots of deep scratches and even some scars. He's already been "fixed." Is this something he will grow out of? Or am I going to have to put up with the cat as long as I'm with her? How can I suggest tactfully to her that she really needs to keep him out of my way? Is it just my fault for preferring dogs or no pets at all? Could I be doing something to agravate the little monster? Akagi Ritsuko If the cat has already been neutered, maybe not, since that process often will "mellow" the personality of a tomcat. You will know for sure in a few months as he matures into full adulthood. Has it occured to you that perhaps the cat (and perhaps you as well) is showing signs of jealousy? If it seems to regularly intrude on you when you are trying to be intimate with your girlfriend, perhaps it is because it considers you to be the intruder. Akagi Ritsuko In that case you face a difficult prospect. It may never "warm up" to you, but you can at least extend the olive branch. Know that it may feel threatened by you taking away its "human" and see if you can help it feel less threatened. You say that the cat attacks you, but that she loves it, which would imply that the cat is much more friendly with her. Maybe the two of you could take a little "play time" with the cat, together before you have any with each other. If the cat takes a swipe at you, she can repremeand it, so that it knows that its attacking you will displease its human. (Plus, she can not only see how the cat goes after you, but may be able to spot what you could be doing to aggravate it.) Akagi Ritsuko Whether you will have to "put up" with his behavior is partly dependent on all three of you. You by your actions towards the cat may be provoking it. The cat may grow to accept your presence. Your girlfriend may decide she wants to separate the two of you in order to enjoy her quality time with each of you alone, rather than deal with your appearant animosity towards each other. Or...someone could be "dumped" from the relationship altogether. (I would not place a wager that you and the cat will dump your girlfriend, though.)