How Our Cats View Us
Jun. 21st, 2012 12:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
deaneOur cats seem to view us in two different ways. As a cuddly source of warmth when we're lying down, and as a monstrous source of terror when we're standing up. It's understandable that they would be leery of having these large, awkward masses looming above them, but we've always been careful with our feet and the only cats we've ever stumbled into are the ones least concerned about it. So their fear seems out of proportion to their experience.
Timid is the worst. She's all purrs and head-butting if we're lying down, but flees the instant we get up and won't come near us while standing. Sitting seems to confuse her: she'll draw near and ask to be petted, then flee halfway through.
Bang and Cal are less extreme but they, too, like to keep their distance when we're on our feet and prefer that we at least crouch when trying to pet them.
Shadow and Bacchus are at the other end of the scale. They don't really seem to care what our orientation is, so long as they get attention. Indeed, they have a bad habit of wandering directly ahead of us while we're walking. They've both been accidentally kicked a couple of times, but it doesn't seem to have phased them.
Persis is, to my mind, the most sensible of the lot in this regard. She likes to cuddle with use whether we're standing, sitting or prone, but she gets out of the way when we're moving.
Timid is the worst. She's all purrs and head-butting if we're lying down, but flees the instant we get up and won't come near us while standing. Sitting seems to confuse her: she'll draw near and ask to be petted, then flee halfway through.
Bang and Cal are less extreme but they, too, like to keep their distance when we're on our feet and prefer that we at least crouch when trying to pet them.
Shadow and Bacchus are at the other end of the scale. They don't really seem to care what our orientation is, so long as they get attention. Indeed, they have a bad habit of wandering directly ahead of us while we're walking. They've both been accidentally kicked a couple of times, but it doesn't seem to have phased them.
Persis is, to my mind, the most sensible of the lot in this regard. She likes to cuddle with use whether we're standing, sitting or prone, but she gets out of the way when we're moving.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-06-21 07:31 pm (UTC)Now look at how a human stands from a cats point of view.
We're saying "Back.The.F**k.Off! Or I'm gonna cut you!"
Any wonder they flee...
Solution, stand up, slowly and carefully bend own and offer treats and/or ear rubs...cats eventually equate standing humans with nice things.