The Way of Cats

Why do cats like to lie on what we are reading?

Because cats like to be the focus of our attention.

more cat pictures

They are also trying to be helpful. Here we are, staring intently at something that is not moving, not crackling, not staring back with beady little eyes; something that is not doing anything! We must be bored out of our tiny-eared skulls.

Cat will help.

There, isn’t that better? Stare at meeeeeee. I will stare back at you. I will pull that yarn-decorated bookmark out of the book and kill it. I will show you my belly. This is much more fun, isn’t it?

Cats know they spend a lot of time staring at things, but those things have interest to them. The cat doesn’t hang themselves over the front of the TV set, do they? (Well, sometimes, to get a better view.) They can understand why we stare at the television. It moves. It has sounds coming out of it. Not anything interesting to them, unless we are watching nature documentaries on birds and bugs, but it’s something they can understand.

Staring at printed pages and occasionally turning them is something the cat cannot comprehend. However, the cat does know we like it, and thus, it is worthy of their study. This is why they like to lie on books, pull the bookmarks out, and even mimic our behavior at times by placing their paws on open books we might have around. They want to understand why we are so fascinated with these objects.

By acting towards these objects as we do, they might figure it out.

Cats will probably never achieve literacy, but this behavior is evidence of both empathy and intellect. They are able to imitate us. They do. Even though there isn’t any instinct or impulse native to the cat that lets them make any sense of our reading behaviors.

They do it because they love us, and want to share interests.

Like any friend who goes along with something just to keep us company, it is a true expression of companionship.

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It may seem strange to think of cats as being responsible. After all, the only job we’ve ever given them is to catch small animals who create great problems for us. Many of us no longer need that position filled.

Though it is good to note that cats do the job quite well without resorting to pesticides or other dangerous alternatives. I would be more upset by the presence of rat poison in a kitchen that I would be by the presence of a cat.

Cats are still the best solution to such vermin problems. What else can the cat do?

more cat pictures

Cats like to take care of us. While they can’t bring us soup from the microwave, our cats love to show their silent sympathy by sleeping near us when we are sick. This is a sacrifice for them; we are tossing all over the bed, making sudden nasty sounds, and maybe even cranky. But they want to show they care.

After a weekend I lengthened with a vacation day, RJ and Mr. Bond were unhappy about me going back to work. Mr. Bond lurked and drooped in the hallway, doing his famous “Picture of Rejection.” While RJ lay on his back in front of the door, blocking it.

So I explained and made a fuss over them for making a fuss over me. They were thrilled that I understood their message, and felt the same way. How do they know if we don’t tell them? It goes both ways.

If we have a Supervisor like Mr. Bond, we have strange noises brought to our attention and the sudden appearance, paws on hips, when we are staying up too late. (He doesn’t really put his paws on his hips. But that’s what his attitude is saying.)

When a cat makes a communication of concern, we must acknowledge it. The ability to tell us things and the concern the cat has for us are wrapped up in these moments when the cat wants to be a part of an interactive family, with obligations and responsibilities.

This is the goal we have with any family member.

Many times I’ve heard, “The cat always seems to bother me when I’m down.”

Of course they are! They care about us.

So the next time a cat takes some responsibility, encourage them.

How else will they know we appreciate it?

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How can we make our cat a lap cat? While not every cat has the same cuddling potential, there are things we can do which will make the cat comfortable with us and open to affection.

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We should be firm in our resolve to never use physical discipline methods with our cats. They don’t work. All they do is make the cat think we are dangerous and unreliable. This is not the best foundation for a close relationship. Cats are never going to obey us because they are afraid of us. That will only make them avoid us.

Once the cat trusts that our approach is about good things, we can get more physical with the cat. Pet them and talk sweet to them while they are sitting, lying, or standing, without disturbing their present position. Use our head and voice to make overtures. These are actions which extend respect for the adult cat’s feelings.

Once we have made enough of a fuss over the cat, the cat will be compelled to make overtures of their own. This is something I can’t emphasize enough, so here it is again.

If we fuss over the cat, the cat will fuss over us.

This simple Law of Reciprocity is essential for good cat relations. Remember, there is nothing in the cat’s nature which requires them to be affectionate with us, unless we create an “affection deficit” which they must address. That is our power; that is our only power.

A cat cannot ignore sweet overtures. Just as we find it difficult to not return a smile from a fellow human, a cat finds it difficult to not respond to continued demonstrations of our love and interest. Find the courage to express our devotion to the cat, and be confident that it will be returned. In fact, our own confidence will communicate to the cat that our intentions are of the best.

Soon, the cat will appear when we are in our own hanging out mode. If the cat appears while we are watching television, on the computer, or reading, take notice. Make a big deal about the cat’s presence. Reach out to pet them; and if they are too far away, let our hand fall short. Aw. That’s too bad. We’d love to pet them. If only they were a little closer.

As we continue to extend our hand of friendship, the cat can’t help but close the gap. As they get closer and closer to get their petting, we will find we can pat our chair, leg, even lap, and they will move near us to get their petting. As we patiently up the stakes, the cat will be comfortable enough to relax near us, and then, on us. Many cats love the signal of putting a blanket over our lap; this changes the landscape from a puzzling, unreliable surface to something more accessible for them to curl up on.

Mohammed, it is told, was so reluctant to disturb his sleeping cat that he cut away the sleeve of his robe rather than dislodge her. While we don’t have to literally follow his example, it is the respect and love Mohammed shows to his cat that will allow us to enjoy this most intimate of gestures.

While not every cat can be a lap cat, every cat has the potential to show us the deepest love they are capable of expressing. How deep is it?

Unless we show our own, we will never know.

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Sometimes, on user supported sites such as Amazon, someone will review a cat toy with the complaint, “But my cat got bored with it.” Cats get bored with any toy. Toy Rotation is the secret to happy cats who are glad to be more able to amuse themselves.

more cat pictures

Cats get bored easily. They are intelligent creatures. So they need new toys, they need new ways to play with the old toys, and they need some level of freedom to play with their toys the way they need to.

Think of our cat’s favorite toy modes. Do they like to bat things around and chase them? Then we must have a few different toys always out in this category. Toy mice, crinkly balls, springy shapes, and the balls with bells in them. “Hockey cats” are looking for lots of action, and room to really get going.

“Ninja cats” enjoy the hunt. They like to stalk, chase, and ambush their prey. They love wand toys like the Cat Dancer, da Bird, fishing pole arrangements with a toy on the end, or even a length of string or yarn with a ball of paper tied to it.

Wand toys require a person. They shouldn’t be left out. The cat will not be able to resist attacking when its back is turned, but they might get tangled in it or ruin the toy. They are wonderful for play sessions when we want the cat to expend a lot of energy, such as before bed.

“Study cats” want to see little changes happen, with or without their input. Sealed water toys or a toy left floating in the half filled bathroom sink are good for these cats. Cat videos are especially popular with this group. Crackly toys are also good for the cat who likes to manipulate things, or beads on wires in a big scale, like abacus beads.

Of course, any cat can enjoy any or all of these modes.

Try out the different kinds of toys, and keep the rest in a basket the cat has access to. Some cats, especially Alphas, will swap their own toys in and out of their toy box. Other cats will be interested in a new toy the second or third time it comes around, because they will have had time to ponder it.

Some toys just never make it. It sometimes not clear to us why this toy, which seems to similar to other favorites, never got chosen. Some types of toys will not appeal to a particular cat, but other cats in the household get a chance to vote on a favorite.

There’s other reasons toys can lose their appeal. Catnip toys, in which the greatest attraction was the catnip, grow stale fast. They can be recharged with a good grade of catnip. We can put a few in a Ziplock bag and bread them like chicken pieces. This will activate the scented oils that is the appeal of catnip.

Some toys will get broken and we should get rid of them. However, if the cat seeks that toy, we should get more like it, so our cat will have their favorite game back.

Cats should play. We should play with them, too. This will keep their minds and bodies active, and teach them the different ways the toys can act. This “modeling” will makes the cat interested in the toy, and they will want to discover their own ways of playing with it.

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There’s more ways to understand our cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my posts on WHY CATS DO THAT.