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It seems like no one is on the same page regarding cat behavior.
We spent many months going to shelters to find our 2 wonderful kitties, and in that time I have spoken with numerous shelter workers/volunteers. I've picked the brains of our two regular vets. I have regular Q & A sessions with pet store employees.
It seems like everyone I've talked to has a fairly solid opinion about cat behavior, but everybody says something different. I hear about dog experts all of the time. Where oh where are the feline kind? Are there no facts when it comes to cat behavior?
I
. Where oh where are the feline kind? Are there no facts when it comes to cat behavior?
There are plenty of facts. Which ones would you like?
No, seriously - I think I understand what you're saying, but in reply there are a few things for you to consider.
a) Vets are medical practitioners. They do not study behaviour. It's like asking an internist for a psychological assessment. Some seem to know a bit, some do not and will admit it, some just fluff it. Rather than ask a vet, ask a behaviourist - they're two very different sciences.
b) Pet store employees - inasmuch as I'm sure some do love animals, and some might spend time studying animals and or be in contact with them, asking them for advice is like asking a member of the public who happens to like cats. Here's an analogy: put 10 people in a room and ask them what kind of car you should buy. Everyone's going to have an answer!
c) Shelter workers/volunteers - again, great people with a love of animals and the willingness to donate time, effort and energy, or take it up as a full-time job, to try to help them. But again, there's going to be a wide variety of opinions as to the "why does a cat....". Now if one of the workers has a PhD in feline behaviour (yes, it does exist!), that's a different kettle of fish. But I've come across some of the best intentions in the world that get translated into "fact" when it comes to animals and facts they are not.
Was there anything specific you were looking for (behaviour wise that is) or was it just general information?
Was there anything specific you were looking for (behaviour wise that is) or was it just general information?
First there was the gender factor. When we got our first cat, Gracie, I started asking everyone what would be a good fit as far as getting a second cat. Several of the shelters wouldn't even let us visit with females because they said two females is a bad mix. They said only a male would work. Others said male or female, it all depends on the cats. Some swore by female to female companionship.
Then came the age factor. Someone said females work when they're young, then may grow to despise each other as they age. Then people started telling us to get one her age. Others said we should get her a kitten. Another person suggested getting two kittens! Someone else said to get an older cat to mother her since she's 10 months old.
Then came discrepancies about how to do a proper introduction. Bring the new cat into the resident cat's living space in a box so they can smell each other first. No, don't do that because the new cat will feel threatened. Swap cats in and out of the box so they both get a turn. No, don't put any cats into a box like that. Separate them in different rooms. Don't separate them. Put them together and if they fight separate them and try again. No, after they fight don't separate them--let them work it out.
Then there is cat behavior in general. Do's and don'ts about proper training (e.g. litter box, scratching posts, toys) discipline (e.g. to spray them with water or not, to smack their noses or not, etc), personalities (e.g. brad cats).
As far as personalities go, our first cat Gracie is a combination of almost all the personality types on the chart that shelters use to match cat's to proper homes. It seems that Gracie is as full of contradictions as the people who claim to know about this stuff .
I think you get the idea, so I'll stop blabbing.
P.S. Any good books on this stuff out there?
Last edited by JupiterFire; 04-01-2009 at 07:59 AM..
LOL...that is because all the questions you have posed....well, there is no definitive answer! Like 5 horses stated..."everyone is an expert". Most only know what has worked for them....trial and error so to speak. Of course, there are also guide lines that should be followed. But one,certainly can't stick to them exclusively.. We're dealing with cats here!!!! As for a best match to your Gracie...I have 5 cats..3 females and 2 males...all get along great. Only you know your cats personality.
I have guidelines that I follow everytime introducing a new kitten...they have worked well for me over the years...will they work well for you? Who knows, until you try. Again, trial and error. Same goes for litterboxs and the litters that are used. Your cat may prefer something completely different than mine do....which is why there are so many products on the market.
I can tell you right now...ask ten questions about cats and you will most likely get 10 different ans.
If you specific questions...shoot...we can only give you the benefit of our expeirences. Wether our ans. work for you or not, is a whole other story...Again..we're dealing with cats!
The inherent nature of the cat definitely comes into play here. They are exasperating, mercurial critters.
The suggestions you're getting are based on what's worked best for that particular cat owner. It's best to take those suggestions with a grain of salt and with knowledge of a) your own cat (mercurial as he/she may be); and 2) yourself. For instance, my mother keeps telling me to swat my cats when I see them misbehave. Well, I'm not the swatting type, so I look for other ways to discipline them. If method A doesn't work, I'll try method B, or a combination, until I find something that does work.
It's like with kids -- No one method is going to work on whatever the issue is with that particular child. So you've got to try, try again until the problem is solved.
But one,certainly can't stick to them exclusively.. We're dealing with cats here!!!!
Again..we're dealing with cats!
I always feel this is a problem. Expert X recommends ABC, while Expert Y recommends something else altogether. Read a wide array of dissenting opinions - and read them critically - before deciding what's best for you and yours. Try it. If it doesn't work, raise you hand and say, "Doesn't work!" and go away and try something else.
Humans seem very reluctant to admit failure when it comes to animals - somehow it's as if it offends our sensibilities that we could not make the animal conform to our will. The people I tend to listen to are the ones who readily admit failure - for it seems to me at least they're willing to learn from experience.
I call it the "Pick 'n Mix" approach. Not everything is going to work for everyone in all situations. Pick the ones that work for you and mix them altogether into something that works for you and your cats.
I can tell you right now...ask ten questions about cats and you will most likely get 10 different ans.
If you specific questions...shoot...we can only give you the benefit of our expeirences. Wether our ans. work for you or not, is a whole other story...Again..we're dealing with cats!
I am beginning to understand all of this I guess. I know I might sound a little over zealous, but these are our first kitties and we really want to give them the best environment possible. Also, I am a natural-born researcher so the first thing I want to do with anything new is learn all about it . I'm sure I will have specific questions soon as we are on day 5 since bringing home our second cat child
The inherent nature of the cat definitely comes into play here. They are exasperating, mercurial critters.
Mercurial is the perfect word to describe them. I knew there was a reason I've always been partial to cats (over dogs)
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. Most only know what has worked for them....trial and error so to speak. Of course, there are also guide lines that should be followed. But one,certainly can't stick to them exclusively.
. We're dealing with cats here!!!!
