Cat owners, can someone give me a “owning a cat for the first time” handbook for dummies run down? My housemate adopted a cutie yesterday and I love her already but I know nothing about cats and he’s at work a fair bit while I’m home.
Just wanna do the best for her 💕
1. cats are not dogs. don’t expect them to act like dogs.
2. To pet a cat: hold out your index finger. If the cat is frightened/aloof, hold it a few feet away. If the cat is interested/friendly, hold it like 6” away. The cat will sniff your finger if they want to hang out with you. Then, they may move forward a little and sort of pet themselves into your hand, or they may just hang out and be like “ok i’m ready for pets now”. If they move away, they do not want pets. That’s ok, they still might like to chill with you. Cats especially like to be petted on their cheeks and behind their ears.
2. Cats are very sharp. They have 3 main sharpnesses: a) claws, b) toofs, c) a metaphorical sharpness of the mind in re going places you don’t want them to go. Watch out for the first 2 by learning a cat’s body language, and for the 3rd by remembering to close doors. and when you go through said doors, you enter foot first - open door a crack, shove foot in, cat will somewhat indignantly jump back, then you can put the rest of your body in through the door and shut it quick.
3. A cat belly is very soft and also Forbidden unless you and the cat know each other quite well. Even then, it is a personal preference on the part of the cat.
4. you have heard that laughter is the best medicine. this is not true. purrs are the best medicine. Purrs can be increased in potency with the addition of kneading (“making biscuits”) but this is also a personal choice on the part of the cat.
5. If a cat Chooses you (sits in your lap or on some other part of your body), you are forbidden from moving the cat. They decide when to get up. You are at the mercy of the softest tiny rumbling god.
Enjoy getting to know the kitty!!! :3
Binge watch Jackson Galaxy's YouTube channel (I did this when I adopted my first cat, and it was a huge boon for us)
Also there are many helpful charts for learning cat body language, such as the above from doggiedrawings on etsy.
Watch the tail, ears, whiskers, and posture! Also, showing you the butt, or putting their butthole right in your face, is like a cat handshake. Thanks, cat, that's a very nice butthole. Well done.
