Ask most people about cats and the words they’ll likely use are aloof, independent and stand-offish. As an avowed dog person for most of my life, I too believed this “propaganda” – that is until I adopted my first cat. I quickly learned that cats are affectionate, playful and entertaining, and that they can even be obedient.
If you’ve ever owned a cat you’ll know that they tend to bond closely with those they live with. This is not restricted to humans either, cats are known to build strong friendships with other cats, and even with dogs they’ve been socialized with. Don’t believe all the stories you’ve read about cat / dog rivalry, most often they are firm friends. Sometimes, a cat will fixate on a particular person, and that special person will attract all of the cat’s attention. They’ll be followed around, rubbed against and wooed in a complex language of meows, trills and purring.
Why they fixate on this one individual is a mystery. It could be that the person shows affection or attention to them, but I’ve noticed that it is often professed “cat-haters”, that attract the affections of cats. Perhaps there is something to the new age theory that cats are able to detect a psychic aura similar to their own.
But cats often share their affections with more than one person. Our three cats for example are all absolutely gaga about our little terrier mix. The love to curl up with him and give him a good grooming, despite his half-hearted complaints.
They are also very affectionate to our golden Lab, and with us. One of our cats is particularly vocal and will engage you in conversation. He is also very obedient and, despite being deaf, will respond to hand signals when you call, and come running.
How affectionate a cat is may have a lot to do with breed. Some breeds, like Abyssinians, Persians and Siamese are renowned for their loving nature. They hate being left alone, and some are even known to suffer from separation anxiety.
If you want to build up a bond with your cat, all you have to do is fulfill your obligations as a guardian. This means taking care of all your cat’s needs and treating him fairly. Never physically punish a cat or you’ll destroy any bond you may have built up. Cats don’t forgive easily.
Cats enjoy affection as much as dogs, but they aren’t just blindly obedient. Whoever said that “ you can own a dog, but a cat owns you” wasn’t far from the truth. Cats give affection on their own terms, but they are loving, affectionate companions nonetheless.
If you’ve just adopted a cat or a kitten you will no doubt be thinking of names for your feline friend. Cat Names HQ has a huge collection of kitten names, including many excellent girl cat names.
