Building A Bond With A Pet Cat
For most of my life, I've considered myself a dog person and I only adopted my first cat as an adult. I fully expected to find an animal that was stand-offish, aloof, and self-centred. Boy was I wrong! I now know that cats have bags of personality. They are affectionate, playful, and can even be as obedient as any dog.
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. Cats often reserve their affection for one special person. They'll track that persons every move, following them from room to room, rubbing up against them and talking to them in a cacophony of purrs, trills and meows.
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 are not always that monogamous with their affections, often they share them around. Our terrier mix is much beloved by all three of our cats. They follow him around, curl up to sleep with him, and enjoy giving him a good grooming.
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.
Some cat breeds, including the Abyssinian, Persian and Siamese are know to be extremely affectionate. These cats develop strong bonds with their owners and, if left alone for extended periods, are prone to separation anxiety.
So how do you build up a bond with your cat? The key is to treat your cat fairly. Cats are very intelligent animals and they don’t forget bad treatment easily. Never physically punish your cat or you’ll destroy any bond you’ve built up – possibly forever.
For creatures that are thought of as highly independent, cats do like receiving love and attention. They are generally not as eager to please as dogs though, and will return your affection on their own terms. That said, they still make loving companions.
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 cat names, including many excellent girl cat names.
