Cats aren’t jerks. They’re just misunderstood. https://t.co/kpEn1zTYSo — Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 12, 2024 Right now, I’d only go as far as ‘Not all cats are jerks’, because the Spousal Unit’s cat Rocky is being… a pain in the neck, which is his default status. Per the Washington Post, “Cats aren’t jerks. They’re just misunderstood.” …
Fun Saturday Read: <em>Cats Aren’t Jerks… </em>Post + Comments (110)
Of course, no one — cat or human — wants to be around others all the time. Leslie Sinn, a veterinary behaviorist in Ashburn, Va., says domestic cats, just like their wild ancestors, navigate conflict by dispersal; they remove themselves from an uncomfortable situation as protection. “That’s often where we run into issues in our home, because there’s limited movement that can take place in order to be able to avoid conflict,” she says…
Still, some cats will never be best friends. Differences in age, energy level and lived experience can all fuel clashes. And some cats’ personalities simply don’t gel, Serpell says. Researchers in Denmark are preparing a study now, he says, to figure out why some cats get along easier than others, and to learn more about the roots of their individual personalities. While you can reduce the drama by creating a world where they’re not forced to share every necessity, some furry housemates just aren’t terribly compatible.
“You will get what looks like … almost cruel, kind of bullying that goes on,” Serpell says. “There are cats who will just seemingly get pleasure out of persistently annoying another cat.”…
“A lot of the so-called mischievous behavior of cats is simply an attempt to get the owners’ attention,” Serpell says. “They’ve learned by trial and error if they sit on your desk and throw your pens on the floor, eventually you’ll give them attention or get up.” Taking an extra 30 minutes every day to interact with your cat could lead to a happier dynamic.
Hollenbeck emphasizes that “misbehaviors” in cats rescued from unknown circumstances could also stem from past trauma. An animal who was hungry all the time in an earlier life may be defensive or agitated around meals, just like a cat who was mistreated by previous owners might be anxious around people. “As a survival instinct,” Hollenbeck says, “they are really good at generalizing that fear.”…
At the Human-Animal Interaction Lab, Udell and her colleagues lead classes for both children and adults to strengthen their bonds with cats by participating in activities together, including learning tricks or chasing a toy. While it depends on the individual animal, many cats coming through the lab have demonstrated an interest and ability to walk on a leash, play fetch and perform tricks when they’re given the attention and time, she says.
“People who have participated in these programs, they’ll send us back pictures of taking their cats on hikes and taking them on kayaks, and all sorts of adventures,” Udell says.
Separate from Udell’s findings, another study from researchers at the University of Sussex last year also found that cats can play fetch — although it was unclear if the behavior was more rooted in a bond with the object than the owner. Classic.
Cats prefer the jerk branding and this coming out is going to make them very upset.
— Bob Sampson (@bobsalpha1) March 12, 2024