Mary Allen
Hand on heart: everyone would really like to be their cat’s favorite person. For today’s World Cat Day, we’ll reveal whether cats also have favorites – and how you can become one.
We love cats, there is no question about that. People have lived with cats for around 9,500 years. Unlike dogs, cats have always remained quite independent. For example, many hunt their own food or groom themselves.
With all the independence, some people are sure: Actually, the kitties don’t need us at all. Cat owners feel all the more honored when their cat has chosen them as their favorite person. But what criteria do cats use to choose their favorites? And how do you know that you are particularly dear to her?
Cats are Picky
Exactly why a cat prefers a certain person to another is sometimes difficult to determine. It could be because you play with her the most. Or always feeding her. Or your smell. Some cats are especially comfortable with children, others more with older people. And some like men, for example, who they can cuddle up to the beard.
In general, however, the following applies: With their favorite person, the cat feels well cared for and safe. And once she’s made her choice, there’s no point desperately showering her with affection. On the contrary: proximity to cats quickly becomes too much.
Even the most cuddly and playful among them want to determine for themselves when and how they spend time with their people. So you tend to gain your cat’s affection over time. A treat here and there and the invitation to play probably don’t hurt.
What Makes You Your Cat’s Favorite Person?
It helps if your cat gets to know you while they are still a kitten. The young kitties are often even more curious and less fearful. This makes it easier for them to trust people. In addition, your cat will be familiar with your scent from an early age. The best prerequisites are that you will still have a close bond later. But even if a full-grown cat moves in with you, you can still win her heart.
For example, because you understand your cat best. According to one study, for example, cats try to get humans to meet their needs by purring. And maybe you are your cat’s favorite person simply because you understand her meow best. Because you can tell whether your cat is just greeting you or whether it wants to be fed.
The fact that cats behave differently towards their various human roommates can also have another reason: They simply know who they are getting what from. “They are much smarter than we think they are,” explains behavioral scientist John Bradshaw to National Geographic. “You know when a family member has a tendency to get up at four in the morning and give them treats.”
So maybe you are not always your cat’s favorite person, but only when it suits her. But one thing is certain: she is your favorite cat. And that’s the main thing.