Cats. Strange entities indeed. They can give you a look that seems like the wisdom of the ages, but then again, you can keep them mesmerized for hours with a shiny ball of tinfoil. Come to think of it, I know people like that.
Agreed. She favors me and my mom over anyone else, too. Don't know why. Maybe because we're the only ones that don't annoy her like my dad or two younger siblings.
I have two cats, one belongs to me, and the other to my sister. I love them both dearly, but sometimes I just stay so mad at them because (IMO) they are A LOT more stubborn than dogs...and dogs are very stubborn! That's saying something. My big problem with cats is the fact that they think they have the right to give the "cold shoulder", ignore you, jump and claw on whatever they please, etc. I've caught my cats doing so several times daily and every time I point the finger and dominately say "NO", they just look at me like I'm ignorant (well, especially my cat, who is a male). I've heard of the very common argument about people thinking cats are smarter than dogs, but to be honest, I believe dogs are A LOT smarter than some cats. When you command a dog to "halt" or you specifically tell them "NO" they obey immediately, when cats will just sit there and continue to irritate you. Cats think they can have everything they want. I'll be sitting on the couch and eating and both of them will sit at my feet (or right beside me - usually in my face) wanting me to give them food, knowing that they have their own food in their bowls. Dogs, however, when you tell them "GET!" or "NO" they tend to drop their head and lay down during the remainder of the time while you eat, when cats do not. I have personally been through each of these issues myself and they can get very aggravating. Sometimes, though, I wish I had a dog instead. To be honest, though, I wouldn't trade my cat for anything in the world. Even though they can be a harsh pain in the rear area, they are very loving animals, just as dogs are. The thing I love most about my cat, is that he knows when I'm upset. When I was in the floor crying on night, he came up to me and began sniffing me and rubbing against me (like he was making sure I was okay, or to let me know he was there), when I reached out to pet him, he laid down in front of me and stayed there until I got up off the floor. He stayed with me until I was okay again, and I wouldn't throw that away for anything. Animals are just like humans -- you can't live with them, and you can't live without them.
I mean no disrespect. But this is all based on their upbringing and their raising. My cats never begged for food. They knew they couldn't have it. And they never tried to gain it.
"In ancient times, cats were worshiped as gods. They have not forgotten this." --Terry Pratchett Getting a cat would be $100 a month extra rent, so we don't have one. I'm getting one as soon as I live somewhere more lenient toward pets.
Cats are awesome. We have two cats and it's really interesting to see their personalities (which, admittedly, we in the family may have ascribed to them) interacting. The older one is like a big brother, totally cool and in control, while the younger one is like a little sister, always hanging around the older one and bothering him =D
My cats end up killing things like birds, mice, frogs etc. and not really eating them. I always give them a stern look when I find something dead in the garden (like I found a dead mouse the other day) because I think it's wrong that they kill something but then don't eat it. It was quite funny one time though because one of my cats brought a mouse (alive) into the house and then let go so we had a mouse in the house. Quite amusing trying to catch it. Haha, one of my old cats liked lemon cake. But yes, cats are awesome. Vastly superior to dogs.
Ever since I left home my cat has started taking her kills to my room, specifically to my bed. I like to think that she is sacrificing at the altar of Sarah because she misses me so much. I like my doggies better though. The cat is pretentious.
I have a suspicion that cats think they possess psionic abilities. At least they're trying their hardest to alter physics with intense stares. Or maybe they just know something we don't.
I have 5 cats and 4 dogs. I don't think either is better than the other as a whole but each is better in their own way. I wouldn't trade any of them for anything. They do, indeed, have very distinct personalities and my friends are often surprised that I can hear one of my cats meow in another room and know exactly which one it is by the sound of the voice. They also have very distinct preferences. My cat, Zeb, LOVES ice cream but won't touch yogurt and you can't fool him with frozen yogurt. My Cat, Cheddar, loves yogurt but won't touch ice cream. Zephyr doesn't like either of those but thinks peanut butter is heaven on earth. Lobo also loves ice cream. So much that he once jumped into the bowl by mistake as he leaped on the counter to get it. That was a funny sight. He's more cautious now but he still tries to steal ice cream any chance he gets. Isabella, my only girl cat, doesn't bother with people food at all. She just turns up her nose at anything I offer. They also have distinct preferences on how, when, and if you can touch, hold or pet them. It's amazing how different they can be. Just because they are aloof, doesn't mean they don't love their people. They do and if you love them back and take the time to learn their personalities, you'll see them showing you that love in a hundred different ways. Cats are fascinating creatures to share your life with.
I actually won a staring match with one of my cats once. The damn cat was so aloof and disinterested afterwards though, all his body language was like "you're silly for taking this so seriously." That kind of took the edge off my triumph a bit.
My cat has done that three times! I'm glad she's too old and fragile (14 with arthritis) to catch anything anymore. Actually, my dog kills more critters than my cat ever has. When he's out in the garden he'll just jump up and catch flying birds and swallow them whole. Anyway, my cat is the sweetest and noisiest little thing you can imagine. She's a gray and white long-haired... something... dunno what breed she is. Some stray cat gave birth to her under our porch, and we kept her and gave the rest of the kittens away.
I have three cats, a dog and a parrot. One of my cats (Lexi) is a bit snobby but she's so smart, she routinely lets herself in and out of rooms (she knows how to work the door handle), and MAN is she vocal! She's a siamese. We also have another siamese mix kitten (lynx point, we think), who's a bundle of energy and fetches wadded up balls of paper (Sullivan). And then we have our British red shorthair tabby (Jameson) - he's a little tubby, poor thing, but he's just a mellow sweetheart. When you pick him up he'll wrap his paws around your neck just like a toddler, and when you try to put him down he tightens his paws so you can't
The funniest things cats do is try to fake their way out of something when they mess up. My cat was laying on a counter one day. She stretched and managed to roll herself right off the edge, dropping about three feet to the ground. There was a brief, startled moment where you could see the cat was alarmed by the fall. But that passed almost instantly and the cat actually curled up right where she landed and started cleaning herself, demonstrating that she damn well meant to fall off the counter and land there the whole time. She kept up the charade for three or four minutes then sauntered off into the other room.
I saw the most adorable Ragdoll cat the other day! Pure white fur and ice blue eyes. It was deaf but god I melted when I saw it!
Actually, did you know the reasons why cats bring live or dead animals in the house? You realize a natural instinct for most female are to teach their young to hunt? Their natural instinct is to hunt. Some scientist think cats are trying to teach us how to hunt. It isn't exactly a present, they want you to learn how to hunt. hahahaa.
I read about that a few months ago. It makes total sense that cats would do that. They, not realizing we get food elsewhere, think we're horrible failures when it comes to feeding ourselves and take it upon themselves to teach us just how it's done. My cat, however, is...um...mentally touched I've come to suspect. She doesn't bother to react to anything, even a squirrel she literally came face to face with when said bugger entered the house. You'd think most cats would say, "You have just signed your death warrant. RAAAWRRR!" and attack, but my cat just sat there looking while the squirrel, literally, did not move. Squirrel got out okay, though. I released it and silently thanked God that I didn't have to add my name on the list of cat owners who have had to be graced with dead animals plopped onto their feet by kitty.
I already started to learn. hahahahaaa. That's funny. My cat has always been an inside kitty. I can't afford a fluffy gray cat, with a bushy raccoon tail to get her hair all matted and gross. But she sits at the windows and tries to catch the birds flying by. I told her once they were outside. Her only response, Meow.
My cat LOVES going outside, and I have no idea why. She always meows at the door and when we take her out, she just rolls around on the ground or on the steps.
My cats have always been outdoor cats. Sadly, one of my current cats got run over and also got trapped in a snare so he's only got three legs and no tail. Funny how cats can just sit in the middle of road and stuff.
One time a stray cat got into our house, and when we tried to catch it to put it outside, it bit me in the wrist pretty hard. So yeah, I'm not a big fan of cats.
That's not his fault. How would you have felt to be in a strange place alone? People trying to get you out. He/ she was probably scared. I think the issue people tend to do is catch the animal. Or go "here kitty, kitty" or "come here it will be okay". Truth is, I worked a little on a cat rescue in the neighborhood. You're suppose to go at their level. I laid on the ground for about an hour, me and this cat were eying each other. He finally comes over and sniffs me. He's close enough and I slowly get up to a twitchy cat. I let him sniff me. I pet him. And I wait for him.
That's probably how one should always treat a frightened, timid cat/dog. They don't know who you are and probably think you mean to hurt them.
Yes. Always go their level. Never chase them. And remain still. Talk to them sometimes. Not all the time. But remain still. Calm. And make eye contact. Sometimes it takes forever. But the reward is worth it. Getting the animals a home they need and making the stress of the animal less.
