Kitty Cats and Puppy Dogs Furry Little Pseudo-Humans

London Daily Telegraph ^ | august 19, 2007 | DancesWithCats

[DancesWithCats]

The domestic cat is a contradiction. No other animal has developed such an intimate relationship with humanity, while at the same time demanding and getting such independent movement and action.

The cat manages to remain a tame animal because of the sequence of its upbringing. By living both with other cats (its mother and littermates) and with humans (the family that has adopted it) during its infancy and kittenhood, it becomes attached to and considers that it belongs to both species. It is like a child that grows up in a foreign country and as a consequence becomes bilingual. The young cat becomes bimental. It may be a cat physically but mentally it is both feline and human.

Once it is fully adult, however, most of its responses are feline ones, and it has only one major reaction to its human owners. It treats them as pseudoparents. The reason is that they took over from the real mother at a sensitive stage of the kittens development and went on giving it milk, solid food, and comfort as it grew up.

This is rather different from the kind of bond that develops between human and dog. The dog sees its human owners as pseudoparents, as does the cat. On that score the process of attachment is similar. But the dog has an additional link. Canine society is group' organized; feline society is not. Dogs live in packs with tightly controlled status relationships among the individuals. There are top dogs, middle dogs, and bottom dogs; and under natural circumstances they move around together, keeping tabs on one another the whole time.

[DancesWithCats]

Our little furry friends think of us as mommy and daddy. BUT, y'know, other critters achieve the same bond given the same circumstances ... being raised closely with us from their babyhoods. Ferrets, African grey parrots, even polar bears and manatees have bonded tightly with humans! Interesting ... don't ya' think?

[DancesWithCats]

Kitty Ping!

[irishtenor]

The difference between cats and dogs...
With a dog, you feed it, water it, talk to it, pet it, and it thinks you are a god.
With a cat, you feed it, water it, talk to it, pet it, and it thinks it is a god.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

These “people” are sick.

[Darkwolf377]

it has only one major reaction to its human owners. It treats them as pseudoparents.

This reads more like something written to appease those bizarre humans who treat their pets as surrogate children, and not demonstrable scientific fact.

[Incorrigible]

 

[CzarNicky]

my cats threat me like the help.

[Slings and Arrows]

[jwh_Denver]

When my cats do that to me they just have to wait longer!

[Jack Deth]

Help for present and prospective Cat~People:


The First Rule Of Feline Law
(In Haiku)

Whatever it is
that Kitty sees. Belongs to
either he or she!


Simplification Of The First Rule Of Feline Law
(In Haiku)


Humans buy nice things
for themselves and family.
Then Kitty takes them!


Jack Deth~ 08/20/07.

[A knight without armor]

Awwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!

[rahbert]

I thought it was a thoughtful article.

I notice similar behavior in my mares, though in their
case not as highly developed. I would say that dogs
are more inclined to look upon people as fellow pack
members though, not parents.

Cats do tend to exhibit childlike behavior, such as
kneading. Dogs (as far as I know from experience) do
not do this.

[Biggirl]

I have always considered my cats part of my family, even talking to them. They are people with fur. =^..^=

[Biggirl]

=^..^=

Always a friend of cats!

[Ditter]

My dogs don’t knead me but they do nibble my fleas. I don’t actually have fleas, you understand, but it is the most loving thing a dog can do for it’s owner, even more than licking your hand.

[Malacoda]

Exactly. Dogs have companions; cats have staff.

[Daffynition]

"There are top dogs, middle dogs, and bottom dogs"

Have a seat, we need to talk…...

[Fawn]

Not an animal person huh?

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

I like animals and will never hurt one unless it is needed.
I just hate the murder of unborn babies and people replacing them with their property.
That is sick, they are not human!

[Fawn]

HuH. People replacing them with property? Talk about sick....I think you’re losing it there....lol...