We have been talking about petting your cat.  They determine the how, when, and why of it according to their needs and feelings at the time.  Every cat is different, so what works for my two, may not work for yours.  But, our pet does talk to us and lets us know just exactly how she/he feels or what they want.  I found another picture which me smile.  I know that a lot of people will relate to this and get a chuckle out of it.

All I have to do is get comfortable in my recliner and get thoroughly engrossed with a book and Sammy  jumps up in my lap and starts to clean his fangs on the edge of the book.  If he's not doing that, he's laying on my chest.  I'm doing what the woman is doing and trying to read.  Makes me wonder if he likes the smell of the glue on the binder.  Who knows with him!!

Our next topic is an age-old question.  Do cats feel love?  Some people feel that your cat shows affection because you feed them and take care of them, so it's their "instinct" to buddy up to you.  Anyone who has ever had a cat will disagree with that!  Cats do what pleases them and show affection on their own terms.  If  they don't come when called, they are known as unaffectionate and unlovable.  But, compare this relationship of owner/cat to mother/child.  Most generally, unless a child is in danger, a mother is not going to drop everything and run to the child the minute they call.  Most likely, she will call out "Just a minute".  This DOES NOT MEAN that she doesn't love the child.  So not coming when called is not a sign or test of affection.

We'll explore this more next week.  In the meantime, if you find the information helpful or useful, please share with someone else.  As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.