Why Do People Think Cats Don’t Care?
I heard yet another news report this weekend about a study scientists have done to unlock the mysteries of cats. This study was from Japan — they have found that cats use their ears to map their human’s location.
The study, according to the news report, also found that cats are imaginative, creative, and care more about people than we think they do.
I haven’t read the original study, so I can’t critique it. Often, news reporters aren’t quite accurate in relaying the findings of a scientific study, so who knows what the study actually says. So why am I writing about it?
The way the news reporter said cats may care more than we think really irked me. Only non-cat people need science to tell them their cats love them.
How do I know my cats love me?
My cats fight over who gets to sit on my lap. Right now, Ebenezer is in the coveted spot. Ebenezer has been snuggled up next to me for the past five and a half hours, since shortly after midnight when I rescued him from Fat Zombie’s middle-of-the-night bullying spree.
The Muffin Man is lying on top of Ebenezer. He regards my lap as his personal property and can’t stand that the others keep stealing it from him. Fortunately, the Muffin Man and Ebbie are best friends. Unfortunately, they both have short fuses. I’m likely to have a fight break out on my lap any moment now.
They’ve all been extra clingy since I got home last night. I spent Saturday night at my parents’ house four hours away. I was gone for about thirty hours, but that was probably long enough for them to all decide I was never coming home.
My cats want me to stay home. When they see the suitcase being filled, they start rubbing up against me, vying for my attention. One of them usually tries to smuggle themselves inside the case. In the most brilliant move to try to thwart my travel plans, Hoover once peed inside my packed suitcase. Unfortunately for him, I was able to save my clothes from being soiled. I threw everything into a different bag, cleaned my suitcase, and was out the door.
Every morning, my cat Winnie insists that I pick her up and carry her around while I try to get ready for work. You know what’s hard? Trying to put on makeup while holding a cat.
My Cats Love Me Most
I’m no human’s favorite person, and I accept that. It’s part of being single and childless. Lots of humans love me, and I’m at the top of their list — but their spouses and children are ahead of me, and that’s as it should be.
But my cats? I’m their absolute favorite person on this planet.
As I type this, I have one meowing for my attention, and two on my lap. Sweet Zombie just jumped up on my desk to see if there was room for a third kitty on my lap (there isn’t). So he’s perching on the desk near me. This is my life, surrounded by cats. We live in a small cabin together, the cats and I. I have about 550 square feet of living space that I share with five cats (although Fat Zombie spends part of his day outdoors). I think the tight quarters have helped us bond more closely. When I had a bigger house, my cats would disappear into the basement for several hours every day.
When I’m gone, I leave my sister in charge of feeding the cats. She says they mostly ignore her.
I’m fairly certain most cats are introverts. They need a little alone time each day to recharge. They aren’t being aloof or standoffish. They’re resting. But, according to science, they’re using their ears to map where their humans are. They don’t need to follow humans around like dogs do. They can keep watch from farther away.
