Frequently I meet people who have a preference for dogs over cats with their main argument being that dogs are far more loyal than cats. As someone who has grown up with cats and dogs, I have never understood this perception that cats are not loyal.
Baby boy Crys incessantly to be fussed when Eddie comes home and will not quieten down till he gets what he wants. As I arrive in the driveway if even only gone for only half an hour I am always met by at least one of the cats at the door, or they will be waiting in the hall as I enter the house. Baby girl has to be in the bathroom when I have a shower and will cry till she is let in, and after she has eventually had her dinner she curls up on Kailums bed waiting for him to join her.
I could write countless examples which to me demonstrate the loyalty of my cats, and this is probably because they are treated as if they are precious (which they are, and they know it!). A miss understanding that cats are so independent that they don’t need humans is not necessarily true. Cats who are ‘pets’ that are not allowed in the house will learn to fend for themselves. The natural instinct will be stronger as they can’t rely on regular meals and warmth of spoilt house cats.
Perhaps the main reason for the belief that dogs are more loyal is down to how they are portrayed on TV. The dog is always seen as the hero and the cat is often viewed as the pesky pet who scratches and hisses every time someone goes near them. This is particularly the case in movies – Pet Sematary comes to mind.
There are several ways that cats can show their loyalty, basically, they are telling you that they love you:
Puring: Anyone who knows anything about cats knows that they purr when they are happy. The more you stroke and fuss them the louder it appears to get. It can be a sign of pain though, so if your cat is acting unusually and is purring you better get him checked out.
Squinting: I love the way my cats squint at me as a sign of happiness and if I reciprocate you can almost see the smile on their faces. Have you ever noticed that the visitor who doesn’t like cats will attract unwanted attention? This is because when disliking something we squint almost without knowing it which the cat miss reads as affection.
Head butt: This is my favorite feline affection and I love it when they lean forward to offer the kiss. Oddly, the cats will headbutt Mikey and Kailum every time they rub them or pass them in the kitchen. If I go to look for a headbutt to frequently, more often than not both cats bow their head away unless there is food involved.
Grooming: Cats spend a hige amount of time grooming themselves and mine are experts at it as they are always perfectly clean. If a cat snuggles up to you and starts to lick your hand it’s a great sign of trust so you should feel very lucky!
As someone who has been brought up to respect and care for all animals, there is no doubt in my mind that any aminal once treated with care and love will learn to trust and pay you back with subtle loyal traits.

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