Mysterious cats

They are such baffling and maddening creatures, cats, who walk on soft padded feet, magisterially ignoring me. I do not have a cat, but there are two who command the premises at my mother’s house, Sophie and Ginger, and they are as cute and as unlovable as any two felines you could imagine. You could not envision two cats as indifferent, as oblivious to people. I don’t know why this is. I know cats can be very people-oriented and good companions. I’ve heard that some people and their cats are inseparable. Some cats, that is.

How often have I approached to give them love and attention, only to be merely tolerated. How I have petted them and shown affection, looked into their neutral, seemingly dumb and incomprehending faces, and tried to figure out what they could be thinking. No response.

They sleep in the most luxurious imaginable positions for maximum rest and comfort. They stretch and groom themselves. Sophie darts about the garden at night looking for bugs and lizards. She is comical and fascinating to watch as she goes about inhabiting her own little world with hardly a glance sideways if any of us are near. She has a rough, muted little purr that she will, I think instinctively, set in motion when I rub her chin and stroke her head. But like I said, she is indifferent. I could be 7,000 miles away across the ocean and it would mean nothing to her.

Cats are selfish, my mother and the owner of those two creatures, is always saying. They think only about themselves. Like some humans? They are not like dogs who will gratefully seek your attention and love and bestow all the affection they have.

But cats are easy to maintain. They are independent. They don’t require a lot of attention.

Those two cats are not at all like my brother and sister-in-law’s cat, Oscar, who will jump up on anyone’s lap and soak up whatever love and affection is offered. Not Sophie and Ginger.

Yet I can’t help feeling that somehow they would be missed if they weren’t around. There is a certain cozy sense of domesticity and reassurance that all’s right with the world when you see a cat blissfully asleep, head resting on paws.

But why I am so deeply attached to those ungrateful cats is anyone’s guess. The other day I saw them in the yard as I was stopping by for a visit after work, and what do they do? They run. They hide. They don’t want to see me. They can do without people, as long as you feed them.

At the same time they seem vulnerable and dependant. They need us, but you would never know it.

I often watched cats staring at me as I passed by on the sidewalk during long walks in New Orleans when I lived there . I saw them following me with their mysterious, sphinx-like gazes as I walked by. Inscrutable. Supremely indifferent. Cats are definitely like some people, only they don’t give away their secrets.

i think they want you to bow to them.my cat sometimes looks at me as if to say “dont you know we were once worshipped as gods, whats your problem?”

Hm… These cats remind me of someone I know.. I like cats, I like their independence, their grace, their beauty. Maybe as I’m a lion myself… 🙂

ack your lovely entry made me write about my cat..go figure !! 🙂

>^..^< mew

Rimbaud

July 25, 2000

They always strike me as being sneaks. I don’t trust them.I prefer my poodle. 🙂

You’ve nailed the cat thing well. I’m not a cat person, though. If I want to be ignored and surrounded by selfishness, I have people for that.

You’ve not been ignord until you’ve been ignored by a cat!

Bramble

We have four and they are of all different personalities. Most of ours just live for affection but we do have one aloof cat, except on his terms. He chooses when to lap sit, and until he choses forget it!

Although my kitty is a sucker for attention, I have found that I get some sort of strange pleasure from gaining the trust of cats that are more stand-offish. Mine, however, I wouldn’t give up for the world.

Oswego, my cats are like Oscar…they just eat up the love. BC, the baby, is only seven weeks old but we found her one night on our doorstep abandoned at three weeks. She is cute, healthy, and loving. Thanks for thi

Our cat was the anti-cat…very vocal, attention seeking, people-loving. Also very territorial and a great hunter, right down to the last.

You described our two cats perfectly. They ignore me, the one who feeds and cleans, and adore the kids!

I’ve only had one cat that I truly loved. His name was Prince Albert!

cats can be strange creatures…i don’t know who likes the attention most, my cat or the dogs…smiles and hugs…

Willy & Wilma

Our cats and dogs have all been a part of the family.

Amanda Cayhill

Silly man. If you want Sophie to be your friend you must be willing to share a simple can of tuna! P.S., So glad you lingered. I do hope you enjoyed! *Trying to only giving away the smiling “good” secrets*…….

Now the music to CATS is going through my head. T S Elliott really had them pegged, too. His poems amaze me. My Ginger cat is very loving, but I do enjoy low maintenance.

i have 2 cats both very different fm the other..deedee is anti-social..loves me only & tolerates hubby..nikki is overly affectionate & will love anyone willing to love her:)

+chuckling at some parts… smiling at all+ What a wonderful entry. +smile+ Oh yes, and thank ye for them kind words, sir. +smiling my smile+

Edelweis

March 30, 2002

You describe cat’s characters so very well! Long ago I had a cat, Gaby, and she liked only me! I brought her here from the USA. A friend gave her as a kitten to me, and I didn’t want to leave her in Baltimore. I always found it so cosy, coming home and find her sleeping so peacefully. Our dog, (Johan brought him home one day) was very sweet,… a true friend.

I cannot imagine life without my kitty… he allows me to live here and take care of him!!!….. ~seafarer~