Yes, Cats are independent.



Posted: Thursday, November 11, 2004

by Donna Stebbins
Hibbs and Heeks Pet Center Blog

  Yes, Cats are independent!

Most cats are independent. Yet like with anything else they are not all alike. It is a basic trait with most felines though and it is something you should be aware of before you get a cat. They do not always come when you call them like a dog does. They will hide if they think that you are trying to force them into something. Holly, our cat, is extremely affectionate when the mood strikes her but she can be standoffish when that mood strikes as well. I understand this about cats as I have had cats as pets for over thirty years. There are times when you must be forceful like when they have to go to the vets and you have to get them into the carrier, or they are in a situation where they will be hurt or they will hurt someone. Otherwise allowing a cat it’s independence will in most cases give you a feline friend for life.

One thing I have found during the years is not to constrain my cats. Even when petting them. You can hug and hold them close but always let go whenever they indicate that is what they want. If you do that they will come back for more affection. If you try to hold them when they want to get away you will find they will not trust you and will be less likely to come to you as often for attention.

If you watch your cats eyes carefully you will be able to see some of their emotions. If they are enjoying your attention you can tell, they purr, rub up against you, their tail is often up straight, sometimes their eyes close slightly when they are happy. If they are aggrevated or scared you can tell that too. Their eyes are opened wide, their ears are back, and the tail is waving back and forth fast. If they are really scared of course you will also hear a hiss.

One more thing I would like to comment on is bathing a cat. I would never do that unless the cat got into something and it was absolutely neccessary. Cats are not like dogs in that most of them take care of bathing themselves. As a rule cats are very clean and they do not like to be dirty. Have you ever paid attention to the way a cat is acting when being bathed? Even if it sits still for the procedure it is upset by the process. In my opinion cats do not need to be bathed. That is actually one of the reasons why cats are an easy pet to care for. Essentially what they require is food, water, a litter box and your attention. They usually entertain themselves and many of them do not mind napping a lot during the day.

I hope some of these tips are helpful to you if you are thinking of getting a cat for a pet. Cats are wonderful pets if you understand them and do not have expectations from them that are not in their nature. 

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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)
» left by Ginni
 108 days 9 hours ago.
Hi... a good article. Ive got 3 kittens which i reared from birth itself aged 6 months now...im in hostle n will be leaving in a week. Im anxious that will m kittens survive on their own after in gone? They sleep with me, eat with me...we r best pals!!!

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