cats are solitary predators, and as such they do not have many behavioral similarities to humans. Cats relate to humans as a kitten to the mother cat. The kitten stage is the only time a cat is cared for at all.
I found that understanding a cat was easier if I treated the cat in its own “language”.
Picked up the offending cat by the scruff of its neck, because that is how the female carries the kitten. Cats have a built in limp/submissive mode triggered by that hold.
If the cat knows you will either injure or kill it if it offends you - then kitty is a nice kitty.
With cats, if it learns you are the Mother Cat of the Universe, it will not risk your ire.
Regardless of what a Cat Lady tells you, love, (in human terms) is not part of the feline world - dominance is.
‘Nuff said.
Explain then my adult catz grooming each other.
love, (in human terms) is not part of the feline world - dominance is.
That seems to be spot on with my 45+ years of coping with catz.
/johnny