Do kitties KNOW folks that dislike them?

[sirrahbed]

I had a friend visit this weekend. She dislikes kitties and is afraid of them My three seemed to know this and it was like they plotted every possible way to torment her. My guys are normally rather reserved around company - except for Dylan who HAS to thoroughly inspect and approve EVERYONE who enters the front door. Then he will normally leave them alone. Few people has even SEEN Eliot!!
But all three kitties found every possible opportunity to:
*jump in her lap
*give her a full sweep
*headbumpies
*...and just generally supervising everything she did!!!
poor girl! She is also allergic and had to keep taking her medication. Even when we watched TV, they all THREE wanted her LAP to sit in.
Too funny! It really was hysterical to see - shouldn't laugh but it was like the three of them were in an endless conspiracy

[DJFyrewolf36]

A cats attention is in direct proportion to how much a person is A alergic or B annoyed by them. The more annoyed or alergic to them you are, the more they hang around.

I think its part of Cattitude

Maybe we should come up with the Cattitude handbook?

[kimlovescats]

Deb... I have always heard / read that cats will always go to the ones they know don't like them. I also have a neighbor who is scared of and / or dislikes them. I had the hardest time keeping mine off of her... I was getting very embarrassed...but giggling inside as well!!!

[Logan]

It doesn't take a visitor to put this to the test for us!!! LOL!!!!

All Scott needs to do is sit in his recliner or on the couch and Mim or Butter are right there to sit on his chest!!! Scott has Asthma and he doesn't need a cat in his face, but always, they will choose him over me or someone else!!!!

[Denyce]

Actually the reason for this is eye contact. Cats really don't like to make eye contact with strangers. People who are afraid or don't like cats tend not to look at them. Those of us who do like cats not only look them in the eyes but then follow them about the house going....."here kitty kitty kitty" trying to touch them and invade their space before they have gotten a chance to size us up and accept us into their lives. People who don't like them or are afraid or allergic tend to try and steer clear of cats...thereby allowing the cat to make their own judgements without feeling pressured or challanged.

Now some cats just don't care and are friendly with anyone. But that is the basic reason behind this what seems to us strange behavoir.

Denyce

[DJFyrewolf36]

So to get a cat to like you, pretend you dont like them?

[sirrahbed]

Originally posted by kimlovescats
I was getting very embarrassed...but giggling inside as well!!!

That is EXACTLY how I felt! nearly wet my pants!!
Denyce- maybe next time - I need to tell her to look them in the eye and TRY to get them to come to her. Would "reverse psychology" fool them?

DJ - we were posting at the same time - great minds think alike I guess

[prechrswife]

Chloe is very good at finding the visitors who are not cat people. Her goal in life is to change their minds about cats, I think.

[catcrazylady]

Originally posted by DJFyrewolf36
So to get a cat to like you, pretend you dont like them?

ROFLOL!!! Kitty psychology!! I'll have to try that the next time I want to pet someones cat and they won't let me!!

Sammy and Leroy are just like yours Debbie. My soon to be ex-stepfather didnt' like any of mine but most of my cats go into hiding anyway except Sammy and Leroy made a point of becoming a pain in his butt and he knew he couldn't smack them in front of me. He was always a very hairy mess that had kitty drool all over his shoes from all the territorial markings! I loved it!!!

[Barbara]

I have heard the theory that cats prefer these people because they are quiet. They never chase them with loud soprano "kitty, kitty, kitty" voices.

Which doesn't explain why Filou jumped on the table all the time-just when a friend of Siegmar was here who accepted cats, but please not too close and not on the table

[stacwase]

I think that they not only know folks that dislike them, ,they also know when the people who do like them are least able to spend time with them.

Like - when both of your hands are busy and you're unable to push them away, that's when they like to rub themselves on your face and force little hairs up your nose.

I think it's their goal in life to ruin all wet fingernails.

[CatMama78]

Very interesting!!

[jazzcat]

That's funny. Yep, I think they know who doesn't like them and they have a little fun with them.

[DJFyrewolf36]

Heres another Cat trick

Being underfoot and in the way when you're carrying stuff. They'll ignore you until you pick up that reeeeallly heavy box...

Then Poof! A cat appears!

[Catsnclay]

Reminds me of something that happened this past Thanksgiving..

My father's new girlfriend came over to our house for the first time (we never met her either) and she was very, ah, reserve......ok, so can I be catty for a moment?! For a 75 year old woman she had on a mini skirt, 4" high heels, enough makeup for 10 women and big bleached blonde hair.

Any way, she didn't like anything to be out of order, so what does Yoshi do??!! The minute she sat down he runs up to her jumps in her lap and proceeds to kiss her nose! ( ) She totally freaked out and grabbed her purse and put on more lipstick. The other 2 also had to get in on the act by rubbing up against her and making sure she was covered in cat hair before she left.

Tim & I laughed after they left, and we still tell everyone about it. ok, were bad..........