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Your cat doesn’t love you: science



 
 
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  #11  
Old September 9th 15, 10:08 PM posted to alt.atheism,rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Christopher A. Lee[_2_]
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Posts: 4
Default Your cat doesn't love you: science

On Wed, 09 Sep 2015 15:37:48 -0500, Christopher A. Lee
wrote:

On Wed, 9 Sep 2015 21:20:57 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote:


"Christopher A. Lee" wrote in message
. ..
On Wed, 9 Sep 2015 14:56:23 -0400, "JJ" wrote:

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

"J" wrote in message
...

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science


Rudyard Kipling was right. Cats really do walk by themselves, and do
not need their owners to feel secure and safe, a study has shown.
Although absent owners might worry that their pet is pining, in fact,
cats show no sign of separation anxiety.


Let's just say that Boyfriend prefers me to stay at home with him and is
delighted when I come home, whether I've been out for a couple of hours
on
a shopping trip or away for the day like last week. Whether this means
he
*loves* me, I don't know. I do know he is very attached to me and
no-one
else.
No matter how many weeks he's been fed by other people e.g. when I've
been
in hospital, once I am home he becomes afraid of them again.
He sees Claire at least twice a week, she was here 3 times a day looking
after me last year but he wants to go out the minute she visits.
Luckily
she is not offended, she's Tigger's meowmie.
I don't know if animals experience love for humans in the human sense of
it. I do know that Boyfie only wants *me* to be with him. Is that love?
Maybe he is just used to me and feels safe with me.
I love *him* anyway..

Tweed


I read the article. They may not "love" us as we humans love one another,
but last week my wife was away for a week, visiting our daughter. He acted
normally. Ate normally, slept his usual 16 hours a day and demanded that I
scratch his head as he always does. But when she came back he immediately
started following her around the house for 2 days, No fear, just trying to
be close to her.

And in the evening, when I read in bed, he always comes around to poke at
the book, and then lies down in the crook of my arm and we "read together"
for a while. Is that love? I think that's the way cats do love.

Jay

They love us the way cats love - eg all my female cats have held my
hand down with a watw and licked it the way they do with their
kittens.


Storming Mormon alert.


Eh?


That typo should have been "paw".
  #12  
Old September 9th 15, 10:55 PM posted to alt.atheism,rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
The New Other Guy
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 88
Default Your cat doesn't love you: science

On Wed, 9 Sep 2015 21:20:57 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote:
They love us the way cats love - eg all my female cats have held my
hand down with a watw and licked it the way they do with their
kittens.


Storming Mormon alert.


Too many people think animal love should be like human love,
but THAT is just stupid, as the animals aren't sex-obsesssed.




  #13  
Old September 9th 15, 11:23 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
jmcquown[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8,008
Default Your cat doesn't love you: science

On 9/9/2015 4:24 PM, JJ wrote:
"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
On 9/9/2015 2:56 PM, JJ wrote:
"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

"J" wrote in message
...

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science



I read the article. They may not "love" us as we humans love one another,
but last week my wife was away for a week, visiting our daughter. He
acted
normally. Ate normally, slept his usual 16 hours a day and demanded that
I
scratch his head as he always does. But when she came back he immediately
started following her around the house for 2 days, No fear, just trying
to
be close to her.

And in the evening, when I read in bed, he always comes around to poke at
the book, and then lies down in the crook of my arm and we "read
together"
for a while. Is that love? I think that's the way cats do love.

Jay

(crossposting snipped)

I take exception to this statement from the article: "Before cat lovers
start despairing about their aloof pets," (snippage)

I've only been owned by two cats. Neither of which could be described as
"aloof". I've always heard that word associated with cats but it doesn't
make sense to me. Nothing could be further from my experience.

Cats that jump up in my lap aren't "aloof". Cats that talk to me and want
to play aren't aloof. Cats that sleep curled up next to me certainly
aren't aloof.

What the heck is with this reputation of cats being aloof and standoffish?

I'm pretty sure Persia loved me. I'm pretty sure Buffy loves me.

Like you, Jay, Persia did and now Buffy does jump into bed with me and
settle down with a book before bed. We "read together". Love? Well
guess what, she doesn't have to be there but she chooses to. Yep, I think
that's the cat version of loving human.

Buffy is a bed-hog!

Jill


Aren't all cats? Edgar loves to sleep on my bed (his sister, Agatha, prefers
a corner on the carpeted stairs) and rolls up into a ball just at the place
where my back is supposed to be. When I ask him to move (sometimes with a
little nudge) he WILL move to the foot of the bed, but he gives me a kind of
dirty look. Then I scratch his head and all is well again.

Buffy thinks my computer chair belongs to her, when I'm not sitting in
it. When I sit in it she jumps up in my lap to get scritches. Because
she doesn't love me.

And please don't tell me cats don't understand. They sometimes like to
PRETEND that they don't hear you, but their hearing is just fine (they hear
their Fancy Feast can being opened from 3 rooms away!)


Of course they understand.

When I talk to them,
I could swear they understand, especially specific words or sounds. If I
call Edgar to come upstairs with me at bedtime,. and he rushes over, isn't
that a kind of love as well?

Jay


I have pet steps next to my bed. I bought them when Persia was having a
bit of a difficult time jumping up.

Buffy uses those steps to peer at me. I tap my hand on the bed and she
jumps up and rolls around. She gets scritches, rolls over, gets her
belly rubbed. She wraps her paws around my hand (gently) and goes to
sleep. Yep, she absolutely doesn't love me.

Jill
  #14  
Old September 10th 15, 12:38 AM posted to alt.atheism,rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Christopher A. Lee[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4
Default Your cat doesn't love you: science

On Wed, 09 Sep 2015 14:55:51 -0700, The New Other Guy
wrote:

On Wed, 9 Sep 2015 21:20:57 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote:
They love us the way cats love - eg all my female cats have held my
hand down with a watw and licked it the way they do with their
kittens.


Storming Mormon alert.


Too many people think animal love should be like human love,
but THAT is just stupid, as the animals aren't sex-obsesssed.


Dogs hump legs.
  #15  
Old September 10th 15, 12:49 AM posted to alt.atheism,rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Jeanne Douglas
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 21
Default Your cat doesn't love you: science

In article ,
Christopher A. Lee wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2015 14:55:51 -0700, The New Other Guy
wrote:

On Wed, 9 Sep 2015 21:20:57 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote:
They love us the way cats love - eg all my female cats have held my
hand down with a watw and licked it the way they do with their
kittens.

Storming Mormon alert.


Too many people think animal love should be like human love,
but THAT is just stupid, as the animals aren't sex-obsesssed.


Dogs hump legs.



That's ALSO a sign of dominance; it's not only for sex.

--

JD

I've officially given up trying to find the bottom
of the barrel that is Republican depravity.--Jidyom
Rosario, Addicting Info
  #16  
Old September 11th 15, 05:59 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Christina Websell
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8,983
Default Your cat doesn't love you: science


"Judith Latham" wrote in message
...
In article , Christina Websell
wrote:

"J" wrote in message
...

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science


Rudyard Kipling was right. Cats really do walk by themselves, and do
not need their owners to feel secure and safe, a study has shown.
Although absent owners might worry that their pet is pining, in fact,
cats show no sign of separation anxiety.



Let's just say that Boyfriend prefers me to stay at home with him and is
delighted when I come home, whether I've been out for a couple of hours
on a shopping trip or away for the day like last week. Whether this
means he *loves* me, I don't know. I do know he is very attached to me
and no-one else. No matter how many weeks he's been fed by other people
e.g. when I've been in hospital, once I am home he becomes afraid of
them again. He sees Claire at least twice a week, she was here 3 times a
day looking after me last year but he wants to go out the minute she
visits. Luckily she is not offended, she's Tigger's meowmie. I don't
know if animals experience love for humans in the human sense of it. I
do know that Boyfie only wants *me* to be with him. Is that love?
Maybe he is just used to me and feels safe with me. I love *him*
anyway..


Tweed


I'm sure my cats have loved me, and that Sootie does. I don't think I'm
deluding myself, their behaviour and desire to be with me, for me to show
them affection when they could be doing other things they like etc. They
just don't like to show it as dogs show it and you do have to earn it with
a cat.

Judith

But is it *love*? The scientific part of me says it's more likely that
cats just want to be fed and have a comfy bed inside when it's cold or
raining and will do what they have to to achieve it. My heart says that
Boyfie loves me.

Tweed




  #17  
Old September 11th 15, 06:38 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
jmcquown[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8,008
Default Your cat doesn't love you: science

On 9/11/2015 12:59 PM, Christina Websell wrote:
"Judith Latham" wrote in message
...
In article , Christina Websell
wrote:

"J" wrote in message
...

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science


Rudyard Kipling was right. Cats really do walk by themselves, and do
not need their owners to feel secure and safe, a study has shown.
Although absent owners might worry that their pet is pining, in fact,
cats show no sign of separation anxiety.



Let's just say that Boyfriend prefers me to stay at home with him and is
delighted when I come home, whether I've been out for a couple of hours
on a shopping trip or away for the day like last week. Whether this
means he *loves* me, I don't know. I do know he is very attached to me
and no-one else. No matter how many weeks he's been fed by other people
e.g. when I've been in hospital, once I am home he becomes afraid of
them again. He sees Claire at least twice a week, she was here 3 times a
day looking after me last year but he wants to go out the minute she
visits. Luckily she is not offended, she's Tigger's meowmie. I don't
know if animals experience love for humans in the human sense of it. I
do know that Boyfie only wants *me* to be with him. Is that love?
Maybe he is just used to me and feels safe with me. I love *him*
anyway..


Tweed


I'm sure my cats have loved me, and that Sootie does. I don't think I'm
deluding myself, their behaviour and desire to be with me, for me to show
them affection when they could be doing other things they like etc. They
just don't like to show it as dogs show it and you do have to earn it with
a cat.

Judith

But is it *love*? The scientific part of me says it's more likely that
cats just want to be fed and have a comfy bed inside when it's cold or
raining and will do what they have to to achieve it. My heart says that
Boyfie loves me.

Tweed




Does it really matter? We love them. They cuddle with us so they must
get something out of the deal.

Jill
  #18  
Old September 12th 15, 01:32 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Bastette
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,622
Default Your cat doesn't love you: science

Christina Websell wrote:


"Judith Latham" wrote in message
...
In article , Christina Websell
wrote:

"J" wrote in message
...

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science


Rudyard Kipling was right. Cats really do walk by themselves, and do
not need their owners to feel secure and safe, a study has shown.
Although absent owners might worry that their pet is pining, in fact,
cats show no sign of separation anxiety.



Let's just say that Boyfriend prefers me to stay at home with him and is
delighted when I come home, whether I've been out for a couple of hours
on a shopping trip or away for the day like last week. Whether this
means he *loves* me, I don't know. I do know he is very attached to me
and no-one else. No matter how many weeks he's been fed by other people
e.g. when I've been in hospital, once I am home he becomes afraid of
them again. He sees Claire at least twice a week, she was here 3 times a
day looking after me last year but he wants to go out the minute she
visits. Luckily she is not offended, she's Tigger's meowmie. I don't
know if animals experience love for humans in the human sense of it. I
do know that Boyfie only wants *me* to be with him. Is that love?
Maybe he is just used to me and feels safe with me. I love *him*
anyway..


Tweed


I'm sure my cats have loved me, and that Sootie does. I don't think I'm
deluding myself, their behaviour and desire to be with me, for me to show
them affection when they could be doing other things they like etc. They
just don't like to show it as dogs show it and you do have to earn it with
a cat.

Judith

But is it *love*? The scientific part of me says it's more likely that
cats just want to be fed and have a comfy bed inside when it's cold or
raining and will do what they have to to achieve it. My heart says that
Boyfie loves me.


I think other mammals have many of the same emotions that we have. Love
isn't strictly an emotion, although it involves emotions, but it also
requires thought, which humans do more of than most other creatures. So
what we think of as love might not mean the same to another species. But
I don't have any doubt that they feel affection - you can see that among
cats. They're a social species, even if not as much as humans are (or
maybe just differently). Cats also bond with non-human species, who don't
feed them, so the cats must be getting something other than their basic
physical needs from those relationships. Affection is an important part
of social relationships.

I don't have much investment in figuring out whether my cats feel the
same things toward me as I do toward them. I like the way they curl up
with me, rub noses with me, purr when I just talk to them (Licky), get
tremendous joy from walking down the street with me (Smudge), roll
around on the floor, squirming in anticipation of being petted, sit
there slow-blinking at me, and all the cute ways cats show affection.
We understand each other - we're mammals, we like touch and cuddling,
which are important parts of human interactions, too.

I might not be able to expect the same kinds of commitment from a cat
that I would expect of another person I'm close to. But I still get
plenty from cats and I'm pretty sure they get plenty from me, and not
just food and shelter.

--
Joyce

A clean house is a sign of a broken computer.
  #19  
Old September 12th 15, 01:34 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Bastette
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,622
Default Your cat doesn't love you: science

jmcquown wrote:

On 9/11/2015 12:59 PM, Christina Websell wrote:
"Judith Latham" wrote in message
...
In article , Christina Websell
wrote:

"J" wrote in message
...

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science


Rudyard Kipling was right. Cats really do walk by themselves, and do
not need their owners to feel secure and safe, a study has shown.
Although absent owners might worry that their pet is pining, in fact,
cats show no sign of separation anxiety.


Let's just say that Boyfriend prefers me to stay at home with him and is
delighted when I come home, whether I've been out for a couple of hours
on a shopping trip or away for the day like last week. Whether this
means he *loves* me, I don't know. I do know he is very attached to me
and no-one else. No matter how many weeks he's been fed by other people
e.g. when I've been in hospital, once I am home he becomes afraid of
them again. He sees Claire at least twice a week, she was here 3 times a
day looking after me last year but he wants to go out the minute she
visits. Luckily she is not offended, she's Tigger's meowmie. I don't
know if animals experience love for humans in the human sense of it. I
do know that Boyfie only wants *me* to be with him. Is that love?
Maybe he is just used to me and feels safe with me. I love *him*
anyway..

Tweed

I'm sure my cats have loved me, and that Sootie does. I don't think I'm
deluding myself, their behaviour and desire to be with me, for me to show
them affection when they could be doing other things they like etc. They
just don't like to show it as dogs show it and you do have to earn it with
a cat.

Judith

But is it *love*? The scientific part of me says it's more likely that
cats just want to be fed and have a comfy bed inside when it's cold or
raining and will do what they have to to achieve it. My heart says that
Boyfie loves me.

Tweed


Does it really matter? We love them. They cuddle with us so they must
get something out of the deal.



I just said basically the same thing - but not nearly as succinctly.

--
Joyce

A clean house is a sign of a broken computer.
  #20  
Old September 12th 15, 10:48 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
The New Other Guy
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 88
Default Your cat doesn't love you: science

On Fri, 11 Sep 2015 17:59:33 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote:

But is it *love*? The scientific part of me says it's more likely that
cats just want to be fed and have a comfy bed inside when it's cold or
raining and will do what they have to to achieve it. My heart says that
Boyfie loves me.


GLyN doesn't stay inside often.

He DOES, however, follow me like a dog whenever I'm outside,
and he talks to me constantly then, and only then.

Inside, he won't eat until he has gotten up on my lap and
been petted, and he does the same AFTER eating, almost
every time he eats, day or night.

He doesn't just loaf on my lap, he has to be ON my chest,
or even my shoulder, and will strain to get his head tilted
back far enough to see me when he's there.

NOT the same as human love, but a close enough version
for me, and apparently, for him.




 




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