WHAT MAKES SOMEONE A CAT LOVER?

I have a new cat. I had previously thought of myself as a dog person, but that was before I became engaged to Ray and Monte, the first of several black cats to invade my home. After Monte died, we got Frannie, our feline companion for the next seventeen years. Watching her health decline over the past year was difficult, making us think of our future demise. Frannie’s death left our home a hollow chamber of what it previously was. An earlier decision not to take in another animal didn’t last long.

Our home is alive again with a ten-month-old I nicknamed Bella-monkey because of her long tail. She scurries up and down stairs at breakneck speeds, stopping occasionally to survey the world from a windowsill. Bella follows Ray’s footsteps and accompanies him to the shop under our house. She plays in the woodpile and explores the wild surroundings, exploring every nook and cranny.

Social psychologist Samuel Gosling of the University of Texas studies the personality traits of those who self-identify as “dog” or “cat” people. His findings show dog owners to be more extroverted, agreeable, and conscientious than cat lovers, who he says are more open to experiences and score higher on neuroticism for their tendency toward anxiety and self-doubt. If you enjoy exercising with your animal, he advises that a dog is the better choice, but if you tend to be introverted and like spending time at home, you’ll find cats less demanding. Rather than tromping through parks and fetching balls, cats are comfortable contemplating the world closer to home.

Cat owners have a high capacity for philosophical thought and introspection, says Ceyda Torun in his documentary about the street cats of Istanbul. They choose to have a relationship with an animal that prefers independence.

John Gray, author of Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life, says, “If you want to see out of the human world, into another world, where a different animal lives without these defining human needs, you will love cats.” Considered to be at the top of the animal kingdom, they were domesticated about 10,000 years ago and worshiped in Egypt.  Social creatures like dogs and humans tend to hunt in packs, while cats are more solitary hunters. And though they may grow fond of the humans who care for them, they don’t need them. So, if you want a more loving, trustworthy animal, consider adopting a dog. For a more human relationship, develop it with a cat.

What cat people admire most is the animal’s beauty, prowess, and aloofness. They find their big eyes, high foreheads, and tiny noses attractive. The way cats stretch after a nap, arch their torso like a ballerina, and switch their tail intrigues them. I admired my cat’s graceful athleticism when she leaped over my rock wall ledge to catch a mouse mid-air before landing on her feet twelve feet below.

Your cat, not you, will always be the boss. It will do what it wants and can’t be trained to fetch a toy. Consider it an honor when it sits on your lap or leaves a dead mouse at your feet. The purrs of a lapdog will become music to your ear.

There’s always been an animal in my house since childhood, but visiting my granddaughter and her husband’s home last weekend was a surprise. It was an enclosed playground for two shy, well-fed, well-groomed furry creatures with the promise of a younger, more playful addition coming to join them. I counted at least five cat towers, four scratching posts, a large tunnel playhouse, several beds, tiny cat houses, and numerous toys. It isn’t surprising that after JD Vance’s childless cat-lady comment, many Kamila Harris yard signs feature a cat image.

James Buzzel of Your Dog and Your Cat magazines states, “The sense of community is stronger in the cat world than the dog world.  “The dog people are busy playing with their dog. They like that the dog magazine is practical and about how-tos and travel information. “Your Cat” readers love reading about cats. If you have a dog, you love your dog. If you have a cat, you love all cats. You’re fascinated by everyone’s story about their cats.” But in truth, he says, the distinction between dog and cat lovers is artificial. He advises not to limit yourself by saying you are one rather than the other. Enjoy both.

References:

Kale, S. (2023)Purring, parasites and pure love: what exactly makes someone a cat person? The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/oct/03/purring-parasites-and-pure-love-what-exactly-makes-someone-a-cat-person#:~:text

Gray, J.(2020)  Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life. Available on Amazon.

Please share your relationship with your pets on my blog site at www. eichingerfineart.com/blog

Curious Cat Emerging is in a private collection. To see other paintings, go to https://www.eichingerfineart.com or contact me at marilynne@eichingerfineart.com