The Way of Cats

Do cats think we are big cats? Or do they think of themselves as small humans?

However they think, there must be considerable overlap. Cats admire our seeming ability to materialize what they need when they need it. That’s why, when we come home without the favorite flavor or run out of treats, they take it so personally. We are In Charge of Everything. So if we have gotten new bowls for them or had to get a different litter, show them the new objects, explain what they are for, and ask them to let us know what they think. Don’t worry, they will.

There’s some evidence that cats model their behavior after us. My cats enjoy getting their daily water from a big coffee house mug placed under a chair in the living room. They were so insistent on drinking out of our mugs we had to get them their own. From running the can opener to sleeping under the covers, cats like to check out what we do in case it works for them.

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It’s a terrible waste when we don’t make our cats an integral part of the household. An ignored cat ignores us, and that’s no way to live. So talk to the cat, consult them about their needs, and discuss ours. This will encourage vocal cats to talk, quiet cats to make their wishes known, and gives any cat a sense of importance and purpose.

This is how we make our cat interactive. They can communicate their needs (I wouldn’t be playing hockey with the food bowl if it was full,) initiate actions (if we really want them to stop playing with the telephone cord, we’ll get up,) and perform tricks (I got the treat cabinet open very quietly.)

Involved cats extend their polite interest to our own activities, whether they are encouraged to do so or not. Be prepared to have something for them to play with or a spot for them to observe from. Many cats aren’t lap cats, but will perch on the arm of the chair or even over the back of it, if that lets them get the closeness they crave. Accommodating their wishes to be near us lets us get their affection and keeps them out of trouble.

If we find ourselves missing the cat, act on it. Seek out where they might be sleeping or observing, and tell them we were thinking of them. It never hurts to surprise the cat in this pleasant way. Likewise, when they show up unexpectedly, be visibly pleased to see them, and pay some attention, even if all we have time for is saying their name.

This give and take of cat engagement is one of the delights of cat companionship. Keeping them interested is more than a matter of having toys. We are their biggest and best toy. We are also, with a fully engaged and mature cat, their responsibility.

They will monitor our emotions and care about our well-being. People sometimes complain the cat seems to bother them most when they are stressed or down or not in the mood. But what the cat is doing is sensing our need, and, in their own way, they are trying to help us.

They are extending the paw of love and compassion.

That’s the kind of cat we want to have. Don’t mess it up.

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There’s more ways to get our cat to be affectionate in The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my CAT AFFECTION posts.