cat temperament

Many people don’t understand the reasons why the cat temperament is different to the dog temperament. Some people think that a cat can be trained in a similar way to a dog, This is not the case.

By it's very nature cats prefer solitude, and such was the way before they were domesticated. Cats on the whole tend to hunt and live on their own. It is in a dogs nature to be a part of a group or a pack. A dog will regard it's human owners as a pack, and it will fit into a certain position within that pack.

The cat temperament differs in the fact that it will not regard you or members of your family as a pack, but individuals similar to itself, living under the same conditions. Dogs don't like to be away from their pack, and in the modern world the dogs owners are the pack. Cats don't mind being left alone as it is in their nature to be loners. If your cat has been the recipient of lots of love and attention from a young age, it can get destructive and have behavioural problems, if that attention and love is removed. However these types of cats problems will not last, and as soon as you start to give your cat more attention, it should revert to its original habits.

On the face of it you may think that a cat does not really need you, however try to remember that close bonds are very important to cats, and this is not always reflected in the way that they may behave. The bond that a cat forms with its owner is important, although a cat will probably try to play it a bit cool compared to a dog.

Another difference between the cat temperament and the temperament of a dog is that a dog will burst with happiness at the slightest bit of attention. Brush it, make eye contact, or just call its name, and the dog will be jumping hoops. The cat on the other hand doesn't need you to brush it, it is more than capable of cleaning itself, make eye contact with the cat and it won't see it as another means of attention.

Your cat requires varying types of attention, unlike a dog which goes gooey eyed with joy when you just look at it. Cats like contact and a cat wants you to talk to it. Your cat will understand the way you say what you say, although it won't have any comprehension of what you are saying. Make those words gentle and loving, and that will endear you to your cat. Learn more about the cat temperament through its body language. Look at its behaviours when it is happy or content, or when it is angry or upset. Start to read the signs as to what your cat is thinking and you will a step closer to understanding the cat temperament.