Uhmmmm..this is a big and dangerous question!! No, not really but we are getting into a topic that is not politically correct and we know how politically correct the world has become. Is that a good thing? To a certain extent but let's not go to far so that we are paralysed and scared to do or say anything.
On this page, Jennifer Viegas asks whether cats prefer women. An interesting question. I have only skimmed her article because I want to answer the question without reference to anything.
The answer is a qualified yes. This is what I mean. It is generally accepted that women prefer cats to dogs. This is probably because their meow triggers the woman's motherly instincts and because dogs are pack animals and women are generally not pack animals. Cats will reciprocate that motherly love and like the woman.
If women prefer domestic cats over dogs it means that there are more cats that are the companion to women than there are dogs. Therefore more cats like women than men.
However, in absolute terms there is no reason why cats should prefer women - perhaps. Maybe women speak more gently to their cat companion. Cats love a nice gentle melodious voice as it is reassuring. Women might stroke a cat more gently and groom their cat more sensitively. These are factors. Humans can mishandle cats by forgetting that they are larger and stronger. We can inadvertently hurt or frighten a cat by mishandling or even our intimidating presence.
Elisa, a cat rescue expert has a very loving motherly way with her rescue cats. The cats feel reassured and respond by being relaxed and settling in quickly. Her home feels nonthreatening and safe for the cat. This is, perhaps, why some of the cats immediately go to her lap or lie on her dog.
Here she is:
If men want to be preferred by cats they have to make sure that they act like a woman when interacting with their cat! Plenty of gentle love and care. Lots of men do. It is not really a man or woman difference. It is about how we interact with our cats. If we generate stress in our cat through our actions (e.g. mishandling, shouting, absence etc.) the cat will become defensive. If we create warmth and security in a consistent manner the opposite happens.
From Do Cats Prefer Women? to Home Page
On this page, Jennifer Viegas asks whether cats prefer women. An interesting question. I have only skimmed her article because I want to answer the question without reference to anything.
The answer is a qualified yes. This is what I mean. It is generally accepted that women prefer cats to dogs. This is probably because their meow triggers the woman's motherly instincts and because dogs are pack animals and women are generally not pack animals. Cats will reciprocate that motherly love and like the woman.
If women prefer domestic cats over dogs it means that there are more cats that are the companion to women than there are dogs. Therefore more cats like women than men.
However, in absolute terms there is no reason why cats should prefer women - perhaps. Maybe women speak more gently to their cat companion. Cats love a nice gentle melodious voice as it is reassuring. Women might stroke a cat more gently and groom their cat more sensitively. These are factors. Humans can mishandle cats by forgetting that they are larger and stronger. We can inadvertently hurt or frighten a cat by mishandling or even our intimidating presence.
Elisa, a cat rescue expert has a very loving motherly way with her rescue cats. The cats feel reassured and respond by being relaxed and settling in quickly. Her home feels nonthreatening and safe for the cat. This is, perhaps, why some of the cats immediately go to her lap or lie on her dog.
Here she is:
If men want to be preferred by cats they have to make sure that they act like a woman when interacting with their cat! Plenty of gentle love and care. Lots of men do. It is not really a man or woman difference. It is about how we interact with our cats. If we generate stress in our cat through our actions (e.g. mishandling, shouting, absence etc.) the cat will become defensive. If we create warmth and security in a consistent manner the opposite happens.
From Do Cats Prefer Women? to Home Page
My cat prefers me if he wants his litter box scooped, his food bowl filled or to be taken outside with his leash and harness. If he wants to snuggle, play or be petted he prefers my husband. Jeff rarely does any of the above chores for Monty, yet Monty seems to enjoy attention from Jeff more than from me. My husband says I let Monty win too easily when we play. I feel like Monty will get frustrated if he can't catch the toy, but Jeff doesn't make it easy for him. Jeff will play more roughly with Monty, or so it seems to me, making his stuffed toys "attack" the cat, but Monty just keeps coming back for more, his eyes intent on the toy, his little hindquarters wiggling as he prepares to pounce. I don't think you can say a cat always prefers a gentler approach-- Monty really likes to rough house. But Jeff has taught him well not to scratch or bite us too hard. If Monty ever got too rough biting or scratching hands Jeff would quit playing with him. Monty will grab my arm in his paws, but with claws in, and he'll play bite on my hands, but very gently. He purrs while he's doing it. But if Jeff comes to join the game Monty purrs louder. Jeff invented "foot petting" and Monty constantly wants Jeff to pet him with his foot. It's kind of weird, but those two have their own thing going and I don't interfere. You can tell by the loud purring and trills of pure pleasure that Monty enjoys attention from my husband. Jeff can hold Monty and pet him and Monty goes all limp with ecstasy as if he doesn't have a bone in his body. Jeff says he turns him into floppy cat. Monty never does "floppy cat" for me.
ReplyDeleteRuth (Monty's Mom)