[Yardstick]

She used to stalk our feet like they are little mice and go to town, not playful, but like she was trying to rip meat off the bone.

My grandparents had a cat that did the same thing. It would have been kind of cute if he hadn't been so intense about it. I'd guess that most cat psychologists have seen this behavior a thousand times and know its causes.

[Nepeta]

Kittens who are played with roughly tend to continue that behavior when they are bigger and stronger. Never teach a kitten anything you don't want a cat to do to you.

Different cats like different kinds of touching. I have a brush intended for human hair with boar bristles, and it is the one my cats appreciate the most. They recognize the brush when I bring it out. They would rather be brushed than stroked.

When a cat has had enough of anything, never attempt to restrain them. If it's cat time to go bounding off to a different part of the house, so be it. Serious restraining should be reserved for serious medical treatment, and hence rare.

I have only been bitten by my cats when I was doing something to them they really did not like (washing poop off of a long-hair cat, combing a hair mat out of a long haired cat). Since they probably thought I had lost my mind, I don't hold it against them.

Cats don't need expensive toys. Ping pong balls--especially in a dry bathtub--are great cat toys.

Cats aren't human, but they are sensitive enough to pick up on your mood and attitude. They are also capable of training us.