Cats As Companion Animals
The domesticated cat of today has become the pet of choice for a great many people worldwide. In the United States alone, over 30 million domestic pet cats now eclipse the dog population by many millions, with the gap increasing every day. Why has the household cat gained in popularity? What is it about this puzzling animal that so many of us find appearling?
The answer to this definitely has to be the enigmatic personality of the cat. Extremely intelligent, it possess a remarkable amalgamation of personality traits not found in other houshold pets. Captivating and quiet, poised and self-sufficient, fastidious and athletic, the cat is seldom needy. It loves company but is also content to go it alone for hours at a stretch, making it an ideal pet for single people especially, let alone a family.
This autonomous streak, a result of felines in nature living a largely solitary life, gives the household cat a slightly cavalier attitude for life; for them, the sun does not rise and fall with people, although they will take us when they can get us, thank you very much.
The capacity with which cats survive, with or without humans could perhaps be one of the primary reasons why we like them so much. Pets (or people) that are emotionallly needy tend to become increasingly irritating after a while; cats are delightful egocentric creatures. This, combined with their dignity, grace, beauty, and ease of care, make them always desirable.
We also like cats for their ability to say, ” we are your roommate, not your servant,” and for their ability to recognize the value in taking a nap. And who can fail to appreciate the cat’s clean, fastidious nature and built-in toilet training? The best of luck to you in getting a Schnauzer puppy to use a litter box!
Cats enjoy all the attention we humans lavish upon them, though they will, given the chance, never confess it. They are perfectly happy to stay with us because we love them and look after them, but if we vanished from the planet tomorrow, it#s more than likely that the cat would feel sorrowful for a (short) time, meow some, and then continue with the business of finding a furry little meal – all the while lampooning the millions of rudderless, doleful dogs aimlessly wandering about, trying to gigure out what to do next.
In my experience, closer ties have been developed with a cat when an owner enables the cat to decide for itself when and where it wants affection from its owner. As my grandmother used to say: “You’ll never own a cat but one may choose to live with you”.