Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
WCDT: 2641-2645 (Feb 17 - 21 2014) Weekly Comics Discussion Thread
Storel:
--- Quote from: Neko_Ali on 17 Feb 2014, 07:03 ---Indeed. Cats are more independent creatures than dogs, but this popular portrayal of them being self interested assholes is blown out of proportion and supported by people who treat them like that. Cats can be every bit as loving and supportive as dogs can be. And dogs can be as aloof and disinterested as cats are portrayed. It's all in how they are raised and treated.
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Exactly. I discovered this when my first wife was laid off for six months. Her cat had always been kind of aloof and distant, as with the usual stereotype, but after having my wife home all day for a while the cat got much more friendly and sociable -- and she was an adult cat (five or six years old IIRC) at the time.
My second wife has had six cats since I've known her, two of whom are still alive, and all six were pretty friendly and social, in part because she's always been very loving and affectionate toward all of them, but also in part because my wife became disabled shortly after we first moved in together (before we were even engaged), and she hasn't been able to work since (almost 14 years now). So, again, they had at least one adult home all the time, and our present two cats have had both of us at home all the time for their whole lives (I telecommute from home as a computer programmer these days) and are extremely affectionate and snuggly.
My theory is that the "aloof, distant" cats are that way because they're alone in the house for anywhere from 8-16 hours a day while their owners are commuting, working, and possibly socializing after work. If you were alone that much of the time, wouldn't you get pretty self-sufficient too? I think it's basically a "fine, if you're going to leave me alone that much, I'll leave you alone too when you're home" kind of thing.
Just my experience, YMMV, but it's my experience with seven different cats over multiple decades, so I suspect it's reasonably valid. Of course, any cat that was abused or feral before you got it will probably be an exception to the above.
Zwammy:
--- Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 16 Feb 2014, 23:22 ---Why is it that being around happy people makes bad moods worse but that it's mood-elevating to be around happy dogs and cats?
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Because cats and dogs are robust wide field emitters of happiness pheromones, and the effect is amplified through physical contact with the animals. Soft fur adaptations have occurred to encourage contact - it's a symbiotic relationship, humans feed and care for the animals in return.
Is it cold in here?:
In other words:
They're fuzzy!
Coffee_Kaioken:
It's actually been shown that cats - while not as overt as dogs at times - do show their affection for humans in different ways. I've heard a few counts where they became quite protective of their owners. One of my friends in college has a cat as a service animal, too.
--- Quote from: Skewbrow on 16 Feb 2014, 23:29 ---
--- Quote from: Coffee_Kaioken on 16 Feb 2014, 22:09 ---Would Marigold be okay with Dale sharing the news like that?
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Sharing? Ok, there may be an inference. Ok, a very strong inference.
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Guilty. I was tired, it was like 1 am.
Method of Madness:
--- Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 17 Feb 2014, 12:45 ---They're fuzzy!
--- End quote ---
That they are!
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