why do people say cats don't love us?

[Anonymous]

We just had a house sitter for 10 days for our cat and dog. Since returning, our dog is 100% acting normal but our cat is on us like velcro. She normally sleeps all day in her covered, cushioned bed tent-thing, but she has been on us nonstop. If I use the bathroom, she is in there and on the sink while I brush my teeth and edge of the tub while I shower. When cooking, she's in the corner watching or asking to be picked up. Overnight, she's usually in the living room sprawled the sofa but since our return is usually sleeping above my head or snuggled into my side, then does the same to DH, and goes into our kid's room to snuggle with him a bit; it is waking everyone up but we feel bad that she was so obviously lonely! I'm working right now and she's plastered to my side kneading biscuits. Later she'll likely be sitting on my husband's desk watching him type.

I already knew she loved me; we've lived together for 17 years! But it is interesting to me that so many people think that cats don't love us...

[Anonymous]

Yes, my cat is this way too and only more so as he gets older. He hates when we go out of town. Heck, he hates when the family hangs out without him in the house! If we all wind up in a room together without him, he'll show up looking for love and affection, or just to sit and listen to our conversation, or sometimes he'll bring in a toy and drop it for us to throw for him (he's always loved playing fetch). When we read to our kids at night, he comes in and sits on the end of the bed or on the rug to listen.

Sometimes I stay up late to work or just get alone time after everyone else has gone to bed, and the cat will stay up with me and sit next to me on the couch. But also, if he decides it's time to go to bed, he will pester me until I come with him because he doesn't want to go to bed without me (he sleeps at the end of our bed).

When I was very sick during my pregnancies, he'd sit next to me while I threw up in the bathroom and rub against my legs and just generally appeared concerned.

Sometimes when I leave the house, if there is no one else home, he will chase after me and chirp at me from the door as I leave, because he doesn't want to be left alone.

I don't know what "love" means to an animal, but there's no question that our cat cares about us and is very loyal and interested in our well-being. Maybe it's just self-serving (we feed and shelter him, he wants us to keep doing that), but he's so affectionate and sweet about it. I view it as love.

I've never had a cat who was just totally aloof and kept to themselves. I am a big animal lover and have always been very affectionate with my cats, so maybe that is why my cats tend to be very affectionate towards me.

[Anonymous]

My 3 year old kitten girl sleeps next to me on the bed, and on my side of the bed napping during the day. She follows me everywhere, unless she's very deep in nap mode. And like yours OP, super clingy when returning from travels.

When I get home from work, she runs downstairs to the door to greet me, and rolls around like a dog. It's adorable. Sometimes I just catch her staring at me with soft "slow blink" eyes. She adores me just as much as I adore her. The idea that cats are aloof and solitary is a myth and does not apply to the vast majority of cats, in my experience.

[Anonymous]

My cat is obsessed with me. Follows me around from room to room, always looking for a chance to sit in my lap.

[Anonymous]

Our cats are so loving and loyal towards our whole family. They want to be with us,purring on our laps, and cuddling, often. Cats are the best!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, my cat is this way too and only more so as he gets older. He hates when we go out of town. Heck, he hates when the family hangs out without him in the house! If we all wind up in a room together without him, he'll show up looking for love and affection, or just to sit and listen to our conversation, or sometimes he'll bring in a toy and drop it for us to throw for him (he's always loved playing fetch). When we read to our kids at night, he comes in and sits on the end of the bed or on the rug to listen.

Sometimes I stay up late to work or just get alone time after everyone else has gone to bed, and the cat will stay up with me and sit next to me on the couch. But also, if he decides it's time to go to bed, he will pester me until I come with him because he doesn't want to go to bed without me (he sleeps at the end of our bed).

When I was very sick during my pregnancies, he'd sit next to me while I threw up in the bathroom and rub against my legs and just generally appeared concerned.

Sometimes when I leave the house, if there is no one else home, he will chase after me and chirp at me from the door as I leave, because he doesn't want to be left alone.

I don't know what "love" means to an animal, but there's no question that our cat cares about us and is very loyal and interested in our well-being. Maybe it's just self-serving (we feed and shelter him, he wants us to keep doing that), but he's so affectionate and sweet about it. I view it as love.

I've never had a cat who was just totally aloof and kept to themselves. I am a big animal lover and have always been very affectionate with my cats, so maybe that is why my cats tend to be very affectionate towards me.

I like this post.

[Anonymous]

Our cats are huge cuddle bugs who definitely love us. I think cats get the rep they do because many of them aren’t interested in people other than their owners, so they seem aloof. They love their people though. I don’t know a single cat owner who doesn’t have a solid bond with theirs.

[Anonymous]

It's people who don't have cats who say this. Or don't have time or awareness of the subtleties of cats. I've had 5 cats throughout my life and each one showed affection differently. Some were cuddly like the PPs mentioned, some didn't like to be picked up but would always be with someone when we were home. "Oh, you're in the kitchen? Huh, what a coincidence. So am I. You're going to the basement? I was just about to sniff around down there." One calico always acted aloof but she would run to the door whenever she heard our car park. When we opened the door she would walk away She was like OP's cat and would sleep on my head after we came back from vacation.

[Anonymous]

I have three cats and this post made my day. And all three of ours show delightful affection in different ways. Love cats!!!

[Anonymous]

OP here. I love happy cat stories like these! So much of what we do day to day is worry and stress. Hearing about your little love bugs — however they show it! — is so refreshing.

[Anonymous]

Nonsense, all my cat loved me. My cat is now 15 years old and she gets mad when I am not in bed on time when she is ready to be next to me. She is always next to me on her own accord.

[Anonymous]

Mine too. She is curled up on my chest making it impossible to type my response on my laptop

[Anonymous]

One of my biggest achievements was convincing my dog person husband to let us foster (and adopt) a cat. Shes since converted him into a cat person with her adorable playfulness and affection. I catch them cuddling often. We also have a golden retriever. Why people think they need to pick, I dont understand.

[Anonymous]

Animals have different personalities in different species. "Love" is a loaded term.

[Anonymous]

I’ve never heard anyone say that. My mom died of cancer, when she got really sick and was bedridden her cat did not leave her side.