Sophia Qi: How to earn the love of cats?

On November 7th, Golder Ranch Fire rescued a cat that was stuck in a tree, and crews say the cat wasn’t very cooperative and kept scratching at their gloves. But the good news is that the cat was rescued and the crew that rescued it was not injured. The truth is that cats are such charismatic creatures that they are not always as friendly and trusting as dogs. Building a friendship with them is often a much longer process.

Because I love cats but have never been able to keep them for various reasons, I have been to Pima Animal Care Center in Tucson many times, where there are significantly fewer cats than there are dogs. I’ve been there many times and I’ve noticed that cats younger than a year old are adopted quickly, while cats older than 10 years old are never adopted. It’s not hard to understand why this happens — it’s assumed that kittens are more likely to be nurtured and familiarized, while older cats are more likely to be less intimate with people. But the truth is that there are tricks we can use to gain the love of our cats.

First of all, you can use cats to show your kindness. The way humans show kindness often doesn’t really get through to cats. I’m sure many people try to call out to their cats by learning to purr, and I used to think that this way would make my cat realize my kindness. But the truth is that cats don’t show their good intentions by meowing to each other.

If you really want to show closeness in the language of cats, perhaps use their ways. For example, cats show intimacy by rubbing each other’s fur, so we can mimic this behavior to show our affection for them. Conversely, in the world of cats, staring into each other’s eyes for long periods of time is provocative behavior. So when trying to make nice with a strange cat, try to avoid gazing into their eyes so that they feel you mean no harm.

Secondly, every cat has different preferences, so we need to actively observe their preferences and try to fulfill them. My friend has been puzzled before about his cat not liking the cat climbing frame. In fact, this is quite normal because cats themselves have the distinction of living in different geographical environments before they were domesticated.

Some cats prefer to climb, some prefer to get into tight corners and some prefer to run around the house. We can observe our cats’ preferences and create a more favorable environment for them. Not only that, but this observation can also be shown in the contact with them. For example, one of my friend’s cats loves to be stroked on the back, but another friend’s cat scratched the back of my hand when I stroked her back.

Finally, and most simply and importantly, give your cat plenty of love. Although cats are relatively introverted animals, they are in fact no less capable of feeling love than other animals. Surveys have shown that the emotions a cat feels when it meets its loving owner are more similar to the emotions a kitten feels when it meets its mother. Although the joy that a dog feels when it meets its owner is much less, the attachment is quite genuine. So, if you give them enough love, you can get the same love from them.

In short, building a deeper intimate relationship with your cat requires patience, understanding and interaction. Every cat is unique, so you need to understand your cat’s needs and preferences. By providing love, food, interaction and attention, you can make your own cat love you more. We hope that everyone can build trust with each other and become the closest of friends and family with their furry buddies.