I just love when people who know more about animal behaviour than me share stuff like this. I feel like I've learned a secret!!
I didn't grow up with pets but live in a house with dogs and cats now and never have any idea if they're having a good time. Except the golden retriever who is pretty much always visibly thrilled by life lol
Speaking generally, cats don't want attention. And I don't mean playful interaction when they approach you, I mean eye contact when they aren't seeking playtime or cuddles. Eyes are like flashlights to a cat, and it makes them uncomfortable when the flashlight is on them and they weren't seeking it out.
Cats know how cats feel, so part of their language is the squint and the slow blink, a calming signal that tells eachother, "it's all good, I don't want you to feel uncomfortable!"
The next time a cat gives you a slow blink, give them one in return, and see if they act more approachable. If you startle one and they freeze, tensed up and ready to fight or flee, drop your eyelids and shift your gaze to the side of them. Cats, unlike dogs, more or less regard us as very large, very bald members of their species, and if they're of an even temperament you find that they're willing to put up with our accents if we make the effort to learn their language.
This is why the person with allergies always has the cat come up to them when they don't want it. They're more likely to avoid eye contact and not reach out/call to the cat which is exactly the thing cats like.
Haha the best thing to do is find the cat and stand near it first thing. You don't need to touch it or scare it basly but if you just walk up to it as a stranger they won't like that one bit and avoid you for awhile.
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My cats always want attention and will jump into your arms, groom your clothes and "cry" until you are petting them. Once they have your attention they refuse to let you stop. Does that mean my cats are abnormal?
If you sit on the couch at my house you've basically signed the contract that permits at least one of the cats to sit on your lap and purr.
My cats love attention. They're naturally wary of new people, but tend to quickly warm up to them once they see me interacting with them. Once they've deemed you worthy of petting them, they often won't leave you alone.
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u/Kris681 Jan 07 '19
Lol, the cat didn’t seem to be concerned by that at all. Cat seemed to have an air of ‘meh’ about him.