Cat Psychology

Sat, 6 Feb 2010 22:38:52 -0600 from Mark Earnest
:
Sure cats are hurt whenever they purr and you don't love them back.
Anyone that doesn't know cats can love don't know what love is
to begin with.

Sentimental twaddle.

Cats are out for themselves. Through the luck of the evolutionary
draw, their natural behavior (snuggling, purring) mimics affection in
the eyes of us, their humans, but it's not love.

It's really an excellent example of symbiosis. They have managed to
fill a niche in our houses without being expected to do tricks, like
dogs.

Don't get me wrong -- I love cats in general and mine in particular.
But I have no illusion that he has similar feelings for me.

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com
Shikata ga nai...

07 Feb 2010 06:44:54 GMT from John Doe :
Yes, of course cats purr when they are contented. All you
have to do is notice that when they are riled, they stop purring.

Thanks for playing, but no.

See, for example,
http://www.animalvoice.com/catpur.htm
where you can read

"they do purr when they are content. However they also purr when
frightened, severly injured, giving birth and even while dying.
Because of this, the contentment hypothesis clearly cannot be the
only reason cats purr."


--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com
Shikata ga nai...

"Stan Brown" wrote in message
t...
07 Feb 2010 06:44:54 GMT from John Doe :
Yes, of course cats purr when they are contented. All you
have to do is notice that when they are riled, they stop purring.

Thanks for playing, but no.

See, for example,
http://www.animalvoice.com/catpur.htm
where you can read

"they do purr when they are content. However they also purr when
frightened, severly injured, giving birth and even while dying.
Because of this, the contentment hypothesis clearly cannot be the
only reason cats purr."


Yes, I thought I remembered that about purring during death.

On Sun, 7 Feb 2010 13:23:47 -0500, "cybercat"
wrote:


"Stan Brown" wrote in message
et...
07 Feb 2010 06:44:54 GMT from John Doe :
Yes, of course cats purr when they are contented. All you
have to do is notice that when they are riled, they stop purring.

Thanks for playing, but no.

See, for example,
http://www.animalvoice.com/catpur.htm
where you can read

"they do purr when they are content. However they also purr when
frightened, severly injured, giving birth and even while dying.
Because of this, the contentment hypothesis clearly cannot be the
only reason cats purr."


Yes, I thought I remembered that about purring during death.

I had a 12-YO orange tabby named Murphy. One day I noticed he never
left his favorite spot on the windowsill. I took him to the vet and
was told he was in complete organ failure and would die within hours,
so I had him euthanized. I can't tell you the heartbreak of him
purring in my arms when the shot was administered.

"Stan Brown" wrote in message
t...
Sat, 6 Feb 2010 22:38:52 -0600 from Mark Earnest
:
Sure cats are hurt whenever they purr and you don't love them back.
Anyone that doesn't know cats can love don't know what love is
to begin with.

Sentimental twaddle.

Wouldn't a proper forum on cats be all about sentiments?



Cats are out for themselves. Through the luck of the evolutionary
draw, their natural behavior (snuggling, purring) mimics affection in
the eyes of us, their humans, but it's not love.

It's really an excellent example of symbiosis. They have managed to
fill a niche in our houses without being expected to do tricks, like
dogs.

Don't get me wrong -- I love cats in general and mine in particular.
But I have no illusion that he has similar feelings for me.

Then I guess you never had your tomcat bring you a bird or lizard
it killed especially for you.

On 7/02/2010 10:12, Mark Earnest wrote:
Who knows what a purr is really all about?

If my cat is purring and I leave her alone, I feel
a bit guilty.

If your cat is purring, and you fail to pet her,
does it hurt her feelings?




Purring is the cat version of "Whistle a Happy Tune"


Whenever I feel afraid
I hold my head erect
And whistle a happy tune
So no one will suspect
I'm afraid.

While shivering in my shoes
I strike a careless pose
And whistle a happy tune
And no one ever knows
I'm afraid.

The result of this deception
Is very strange to tell
For when I fool the people
I fear I fool myself as well!

I whistle a happy tune
And ev'ry single time
The happiness in the tune
Convinces me that I'm not afraid.

Make believe you're brave
And the trick will take you far.
You may be as brave
As you make believe you are

You may be as brave
As you make believe you are

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 14:33:54 -0600 from Mark Earnest
:

"Stan Brown" wrote in message
t...
Sat, 6 Feb 2010 22:38:52 -0600 from Mark Earnest
:
Sure cats are hurt whenever they purr and you don't love them back.
Anyone that doesn't know cats can love don't know what love is
to begin with.

Sentimental twaddle.

Wouldn't a proper forum on cats be all about sentiments?

Not "all" about, but sentiment is certainly a large part. It's not
the sentiment I object to, but the twaddle.

Don't get me wrong -- I love cats in general and mine in
particular. But I have no illusion that he has similar feelings
for me.

Then I guess you never had your tomcat bring you a bird or lizard
it killed especially for you.

A mouse, actually, but what has that to do with love?

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com
Shikata ga nai...

"Stan Brown" wrote in message
t...
Sun, 7 Feb 2010 14:33:54 -0600 from Mark Earnest
:

"Stan Brown" wrote in message
t...
Sat, 6 Feb 2010 22:38:52 -0600 from Mark Earnest
:
Sure cats are hurt whenever they purr and you don't love them back.
Anyone that doesn't know cats can love don't know what love is
to begin with.

Sentimental twaddle.

Wouldn't a proper forum on cats be all about sentiments?

Not "all" about, but sentiment is certainly a large part. It's not
the sentiment I object to, but the twaddle.

What is twaddle about love?
That is the motivating force of the world.
If you are embarassed by the word love, you should have nothing
to do with cats then.



Don't get me wrong -- I love cats in general and mine in
particular. But I have no illusion that he has similar feelings
for me.

Then I guess you never had your tomcat bring you a bird or lizard
it killed especially for you.

A mouse, actually, but what has that to do with love?

The cat gave that to you you. He went out of his way to get that for you.

"Stan Brown" wrote in message
t...
Sun, 7 Feb 2010 14:33:54 -0600 from Mark Earnest
:

"Stan Brown" wrote in message
t...
Sat, 6 Feb 2010 22:38:52 -0600 from Mark Earnest
:
Sure cats are hurt whenever they purr and you don't love them back.
Anyone that doesn't know cats can love don't know what love is
to begin with.

Sentimental twaddle.

Wouldn't a proper forum on cats be all about sentiments?

Not "all" about, but sentiment is certainly a large part. It's not
the sentiment I object to, but the twaddle.

Don't get me wrong -- I love cats in general and mine in
particular. But I have no illusion that he has similar feelings
for me.

Then I guess you never had your tomcat bring you a bird or lizard
it killed especially for you.

A mouse, actually, but what has that to do with love?


I am not sure you should have cats, Stan. A short while ago I had a migraine
and the accompanying terribly retching. You would think my old cat would run
for the hills. Instead, she hovered, stayed close to me, tried to sleep
right up against me until she read my signals and saw that I really needed
to be left alone. It was unusual behavior for her. Every time I opened the
bathroom door she was there looking worried, and she followed me back to
bed, jumped up, and meowed questioningly. This is not anthropomorphism. It
was not feeding time. She was worried about me. They most certainly do love.
And presenting prey is indeed done in part to show their esteem.

A few years ago I spent a week in the hospital with sepsis. The cats
were fed by a neighbor. Amber was so stressed that she licked all the
fur off of a big spot on one side. The vet gave her a prednisone shot
and the fur grew back. I'm pretty sure that Amber loves me and missed
me. My absence didn't seem to bother Tiger at all.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')