Why We Think Cats Are Psychopaths

The Atlantic ^ | Feb 22, 2019 | Sarah Zhang

[bgill]

Some cats have facial expressions.

We’re down to 5 cats and 4 are super affectionate. The 5th is still half feral and will only tolerate an occasional petting but he’s a nice little guy. One is my little shadow who helps with everything. One is shy but loves cuddling. Another acts as the patriarch who brought in his half siblings when he decided they needed a good home. The one with the “It’s all about ME!” attitude must have his hugs mid morning and mid afternoon. They bring me presents a dozen times a day. What’s strange is they’re very talkative and even have voice modulations as if they’re trying to speak human. Wish I could understand because they seem to have the most wonderful stories.

They rub all over the dog who ignores them.

[Boiler Plate]

Cats are psychopaths. Why is there a discussion on this?

[Leep]

Settle science.

[Leep]

Settled science.

[Intolerant in NJ]

Dogs love you for who you are, cats will put up with you for what you can do for them - it’s as easy as that.....

[MayflowerMadam]

You brood sounds like out six. All have unique personalities. The only male has a distinct Eddie Haskell personality. He’s so funny.

[Veto!]

once you have the cat, it’s not as if you can dump it if it isn’t affectionate.

Yep. All of my cats have been affectionate. EXCEPT DaisyJane who has been with me for 18 months. Adopted her from a shelter, cutest kittie in America if not the entire world. Vet laughed when I brought her in..."hahaha, you got yourself a fierce kitty. A tri-colored tabby."

That's funny? Ever since, there's been lot of bloodshed, plus being ignored full-time.

I threaten her with extinction daily, but she does cuddle at night. Until I roll over, and then she bites me.

[EdnaMode]

My cat told me he disagrees.

[Kickass Conservative]

Well, I know for a fact that my Dog is a Democrat.

[Kickass Conservative]

The Cat obviously never watched the Movie “Alien”.

[Tired of Taxes]

Cats . . . simply don’t have the facial muscles to make the variety of expressions a dog (or human) can. So when we look at a cat staring at us impassively, it looks like a psychopath who cannot feel or show emotion.

Yep. The real psychopaths are bottlenose dolphins. We humans think a dolphin looks friendly and playful, just because its mouth is shaped like a human smile. In reality, dolphins are evil.

[laplata]

That’s right. I grew up on a ranch and we shot many wild running dogs because they’d take down a calf or colt just for sport.

[faithhopecharity]

ha!
nice one

we may THINK cats are psycho
but the cats KNOW we are psycho

[Flaming Conservative]

I threaten her with extinction daily, but she does cuddle at night. Until I roll over, and then she bites me.

---

LOL! We adopted a kitten who was probably 6 or 8 weeks old, from an outdoor litter, whom the neighbor had been feeding, put couldn’t adopt. She’s a tabby, different shades of Orange and white, with stripes and spots. A beautiful little girl, but it took her a few months before she would let us pick her up to hold her. She loves to be petted, but since we couldn’t pick her up, without her bolting, she would only let us pet her while she was eating. Many times, she’d jump up on the stand she eats on, and meow as if she needs food, but her dish is full -— she just wants to be petted. Finally, she’d let me pick her up and pet her, as long as I was standing next to her food dish. She’s warming up, though. She loves to be petted when she’s laying on our bed. She bites to play, sometimes, but I scold her, and she usually stops. I read that it can take 6 months for a stray to get comfortable being held. My husband is the cat person; I prefer dogs, but I’ve gotten pretty attached to her.

[Flaming Conservative]

Ours was about 9 weeks old when we had her spayed. We knew it was time, when she’d wander around in the house, at night, crying, for all the world, like she was calling out, “Ohhh nooo!” Funniest thing you’ve ever heard! She almost never says that anymore.

[Flaming Conservative]

Did you rinse it off and give it back to them? :)

---

No. We threw it in the garbage can and Dan in the House and hid. No one was chasing her, so we had no idea who to reimburse!

[Flaming Conservative]

Ran, not Dan. Sigh.

[niteowl77]

I read that it can take 6 months for a stray to get comfortable being held.

Our current resident cat was a shelter cat that had been collared by the authorities and neutered a few weeks before we got him. While niteowl77 was looking at the potential adoptees, the little guy practically jumped in her lap and begged for a skritching. We don't know where he came from, but we suspect he was someone's former pet who had been dumped with the other two cats who were picked up with him.

He is the only cat we have ever had who came into the house knowing how to play "fetch." Quite a character, he is.

[Albion Wilde]

[moovova]

In other news...birds fly.