Cats are Not Mysterious, and They are Not Standoffish

[SoDesuKa]

My cats knock themselves out to be friendly to some of my guests. They come right up friendly as can be, looking to be petted. Other friends don't get any kind of reception at all from the cats. So the variable is not the cats, it's the people. If you're the sort of person that cats snub, well then, it's a reflection on you, not them. But if you're the kind of person that cats are attracted to, you probably wonder why cats have an unfriendly, "mysterious" reputation.



My friend Mike comes over and the cats come out of hiding to meet him. When Joan comes over, they don't even stir. It's funny because Joan has cats of her own, and Mike doesn't. I asked Mike if he rubs catnip on his hands before he comes over and he shrugs, "It's always been that way."

I don't know what you can do to make yourself popular with cats. But it won't help your case if you dismiss them as mysterious and standoffish. That's you, not them.

[Roon]

1. My Barney rubs up to EVERYONE that comes over

cat lover or not,if you are there, he wants some sugar from you.

[Archae]

8. Lucky and Charlotte are the same way.

Bot my cats love just about anyone.

[Roon]

21. Awww!

So sweet!

[BuelahWitch]

2. They do tend to recognize the "cat people"

:hi: I totally agree with you about cats not being standoffish as a whole. The last two cats I've had are/were even a bit needy/clingy. I'm sure that there are some cats who may be standoffish, but most of the ones who've owned me have been just as loving as dogs are supposed to be.

[Love Bug]

3. Some cats are just shy of strangers but that's an individual trait

My sister had a cat that would poop on the boyfriend's clothes if he left them on the floor when he stayed overnight. She never did that to anyone else and she also was really good about using the litter box. Come to find out the boyfriend was cheating on my sis. Smart cat!

[Captain Hilts]

10. I know some that answer the door with a martini to give you. It often depends on how they're raised

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

15. My cat can't make a decent martini to save her life...

and God knows I tried to raise her right.

[tango-tee]

17. My cat chewed a hole smack into the chest area of a prospective lover's sweater

and then deposited the guy's glasses in the litter box.

The cat didn't like the fellow. The cat was right.

[TZ]

4. Cats are the best at reading body language

Have you ever wondered how two cats seem to communicate with each other without making a sound or even perceptibly move? They are excellent at reading human body language as well and can tell if someone is happy,sad, angry or afraid or even guilty I would imagine.
However, there is one thing they misinterpret alot. In cat body language if one cat glances quickly at another and then looks away thats a invitation. A lot of cat hating people do this and it makes the cat believe they want attention. Where as some people who want to see the cat stare..and thats an intimidating thing to a cat so they run away..This is why cats seem to pick up on who dislikes/are allergic them and go towards them...

[davsand]

20. Yep, a direct stare from a cat is a sign of aggression.

At least in Cat to Cat communication, anyway. A lot of cats will avoid the cat lovers because they will spend time looking at the cat. Cat allergic people look at the cat less (and often AVOID looking at the cat completely) and the cat thinks they are less aggressive or even a non-threat.

Trust from a cat is shown with that short, eyes half closed, look followed quickly by looking away and closing the eyes completely. Try it out on your own cat sometime and see how they react to you.


Laura

[TZ]

22. Yep. I do the blink blink thing at them.

However, I find them staring at me from time to time..(and my cats are non aggressive) usually when they want something...

[davsand]

23. Let me guess, they either want Food or else Out when they stare?

Cats Do rule the household and they are not afraid to show it. It is an attitude of entitlement, somehow. We have a running joke that cats all think, "This all sucks, and it is MINE."

"You suck, but you are mine." "This bed sucks, but it is mine." "This house sucks, but it is MINE." "This food sucks but it is mine." "These treats suck..."


You get my drift, I'm sure.

They enrich our lives as they enslave us.


Laura

[Rosie1223]

5. Cats will try to convert non-cat people

My mom had a friend who was mildly afraid of cats. Whenever Mom would have friends over for coffee, our cat, Charlie, would seek out this woman, rub up against her legs, and try to get in her lap. He just wanted her to come over to his side.

Either that or he was a sadistic bastard that enjoyed torturing my mom's friend.

[Deep13]

6. Cats rub on people to claim them as territory...

...and to control that horrible human stank. Cat to pathetic humans: I am your god!

[tango-tee]

19. What a beautiful picture.

The grace, the beauty! Love it. Thanks for sharing this wonderful image.

[GoCubsGo]

7. One of mine runs and hides--at first

Once she comes out of hiding, she is your best friend, even if she never met you. She gets to be a nuisance at times. At the vet's she's hilarious. She whines and complains, all the while head-butting and rubbing the vet. The other is a bit more standoffish, but he doesn't usually hide when I have visitors.

[Captain Hilts]

9. Very true. nt

[Iggo]

11. Uh-huh and Yuh-huh. (n/t)

[revolution breeze]

12. 3 cats, 3 personalities

Rocky is our dominant Egyptian Mau, he measures up everyone who enters the house and is very aloof. Our vet calls him Hell Cat after his last visit when Rocky sliced his arm open. Bob, an American short hair, is kinda shy but loves kids and will tolerate anything. Falkor, a flame point Siamese is still a kitten, very hyper but always ready for a tummy scratch. The same vet said this si the most cooperative cat he has ever seen. Standoffish, no, they all sleep in my bed.

[Arugula Latte]

13. I agree. I love kitties and the kitties love me right back. They are loving animals.

Dogs, on the other hand -- different story. Several times I've seen a dog loose in our neighborhood. I think, Oh, crap, I should help it (I'm not a dog person, but I do consider myself an animal person, so I feel obligated to help dogs even though I'm not a big fan of them). I call to the dog and it either ignores me, turns and trots away, or barks menacingly at me. This happened to me this weekend and the dog started towards me while barking scarily (it had a collar and looked very well cared for). I about peed my pants and kept walking away. You're on your own, dog. Hope you don't get hit by a car.

[grasswire]

14. and what is that fine kitty's name in the OP?

Good looking cat! Love dose tabbies!

[Arkansas Granny]

16. I've had a few cats who pick on people who don't like cats. It's like they

can sense that their attention isn't wanted, but they pester them unmercifully knowing that the person can't or won't do anything to them for fear of invoking my wrath. You can almost hear them saying "neener neener" and smirking about it.

However, a cat can so totally ignore a person that they feel is not worthy of recognition that they probably seem mysterious and standoffish to some.

[joeybee12]

18. Cats can be friendly or standoffish, but ALL, IMHO, are mysterious...

...because at times you look at them and you have no diea what they're thinking or plotting.

[bookworm65t]

24. My 2 kittehs exchange personalities with each other

whenever I have company.

Mr. Nice and Miss Naughty (not their names) become Mr. Naughty and Miss Nice whenever my family and friends stop over. I wish I knew why they did that. They don't do this any other time.

:shrug: