Cats are tiny hackers: curious, nocturnal, not fans of authority. The one purring on my lap right now has figured out how to open every door that it's physically possible for her to, and has trained me to throw rubber dice down the hall on demand so she can chase them.
My friend's cat managed to open an apartment style fridge, correctly identify a package of hot dog weiners, tear the package open and eat all 12 weiners. After that he didn't come out from under the bed for three days.
When I was in high school we had a cat that was, shall we say, not small. My cousin was staying the night (taking my bedroom) saw the cat laying on her mat. She said "Wow, your cat is really fat". Claws and teeth suddenly displayed with much hissing. it was quite a fast reaction. I grabbed the cat before any harm could be done.
That night as I sat on the couch reading, the cat walked past with that "I am going to do some damage" crouch. Walked into my room (where she never really went at night), and proceeded to "play" on top my cousin. Retrieved cat was still pretty ticked.
I wonder how much of the cat/woman attraction is fueled by the transmission from cat to woman of the toxoplasmosis parasite? There's been speculation that the "crazy cat lady" is really manifesting symptoms of toxoplasmosis: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/magazine/09_10_catcoat.htm...
Probably not much at all. Toxoplasmosis wouldn't explain a sex-biased result. Additionally there's no good evidence that the parasite affects human cognition.
They're about the same size as a human infant, have faces with juvenile features (i.e. are "cute") and mine wakes me up at 2 hour intervals at night asking for food.
[+] [-] orangecat|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rdtsc|15 years ago|reply
That's just the first step in the process. Next step is for her to throw rubber dice down the hall and train you to chase them ;-)
[+] [-] RyanMcGreal|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] RyanMcGreal|15 years ago|reply
> Cats also seem to remember kindness and return the favors later.
The reverse is also true: an affronted cat will hold a grudge.
[+] [-] protomyth|15 years ago|reply
That night as I sat on the couch reading, the cat walked past with that "I am going to do some damage" crouch. Walked into my room (where she never really went at night), and proceeded to "play" on top my cousin. Retrieved cat was still pretty ticked.
[+] [-] groby_b|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] moe|15 years ago|reply
I would change that to "might generously consider".
[+] [-] araneae|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Umalu|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] araneae|15 years ago|reply
Something much more simple is likely going on. In all likelihood cats are more like brood parasites (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brood_parasite).
They're about the same size as a human infant, have faces with juvenile features (i.e. are "cute") and mine wakes me up at 2 hour intervals at night asking for food.
Basically they're furry babies.
[+] [-] hanshasuro|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Evgeny|15 years ago|reply