How to Get Along with Your Cat

They don't care.

They are aloof.

They are not jealous. 

They only care about themselves.

You've heard these? People believe this is the gospel concerning cats, but I beg to differ. Cats APPEAR aloof, and APPEAR not to care, and APPEAR not to be jealous. But the truth is, all of that is an act. If you establish a relationship with a cat-- and that takes time and effort-- they care a lot. Cats have a need to be cool, but the truth is, they are jealous and they are extremely sensitive.

Recently Luvie has been aloof. He been refusing to come inside from the back porch a lot. When he does come in, he lounges around in the living room instead of getting on the bed with me as he almost always does. He doesn't follow me into the bathroom and hang out while I bathe and shave. I got to pondering, what I had done?

I finally came up with an idea. Baby Kitty is very vocal and it's impossible not to respond to his meows with some high pitched baby talk. Yes, cats and dogs really do like a high pitched voice. They respond positively to it. So I concluded that maybe I am sweet talking Baby Kitty too much and then dropping my pitch with Luvie. It's not that I care more about Baby Kitty, he just starts talking to you and I can't help but respond. Maybe Luvie got his feelings hurt.

To test my hypothesis, I began to make a conscious effort to speak to Luvie in the same tone I speak to Baby Kitty. 

Bingo!

In nothing flat, Luvie started coming back inside, following me around the house, and hanging out with me in the bathroom and on the bed. I know what you are thinking. That really wasn't the reason. Oh, but you err. Let me say again, that although cats at times appear aloof, they are always cognizant of your behavior and they are extremely sensitive, way more sensitive than dogs. When I swim at DSU and drive home late at night, I always stop on Money Road to urinate so I will not come into the house, have Luvie greet me only to walk away to the bathroom leaving him standing there alone. That's the kind of thing that offends a cat enormously, walking away.

The bottom line: always talk sweet to your kitty. Always respond positively when you feline approaches you. Never leave a room a cat has followed you into with touching him and speaking to him. Never talk to one animal with a higher pitch than you do to your number one kitty squeeze. Be aware of their sensitivity and your cat will reward you with an affection that has to be experienced to be believed.