Question
So I have a cat who's a bit of a loner. Really hates contact unless it's under his terms and he very rarely wants contact except for about 10 minutes in the morning. Unwanted contact is met with serious aggression. He's been neutered if that matters at all, and he's 5.
Now onto my question. Most nights he'll pick up his favorite toy and meow (which sounds more whiny than usual), bring it to us, then look at us, meowing expectantly. If we reach for the toy, he sits on our arms and look panicked in what I can only describe as a submissive/aggressive, almost playful, but slightly pathetic way. No biting unless it's very soft, which is very unusual for him. After we reach for it a couple of times, he'll take it away and return a couple minutes later, back to normal.
Question: What is this? What is he doing? Why?
Answer
I see two possible explanations, and the reality may have a bit of both or more:
He might just want you to play with him.
The meowing you describe might be the kind of call an adult cat uses when announcing prey he/she caught; usually reserved for her kittens. While I have not personally witnessed toms behave this way, I have observed the behavior in cats which have been neutered for more than five years. Especially when bored and “catching” a pack of handkerchiefs.
I tried finding an example for this sound on YouTube, but had no luck. You could find something that sounds like your cat, or post a recording yourself for further analysis.
Answered By - Christopher Creutzig