[RichardMEL]

I've had 3 cats in my apartment during the past six or so months - 2 males I looked after for friends and my own little girl that I just adopted (since after looking after the other kitties I decided I wanted one for my very own).

Anyhow, after this very small sample I have come to a conclusion and I wanted to hear thoughts from other members of the community to either debunk my nonsense, or suggest there might be something to it

Basically I think cats are, well, hetrosexual - I am sure there is a complicated word to mean what I say, but I don't know what it is - but what I mean is that they relate better or are more friendly (IN GENERAL) to human members of the opposite gender!

No seriously! Here are some examples:

- I sat a male cat (5/6 year old ginger) for a female friend of mine. While he was nice to me and slept on my bed in the end if a female member of my family or friend would visit he'd scoot to them over me anyday! I think I was just that person who made sure the food and water were there on demand

- I then looked after my ex-girlfriend's male cat (1 y.o.) who I have known pretty much since birth. He really did not like me (this may have something to do with his owner's relationship with me!). I did manage to catch him purring just once - I think he was ashamed that I caught him content ! lol. Additionally when his owner left for some time he cried and cried right when she walked out the door - he *knew* she was going for a week rather than just a few hours (it was almost amazing).

- And my little girl (again 1 year old) can't keep away from me (even when it's not food time!).. sleeps on my bed almost from day 1, always sits and watches me (if she/'s not on my lap) and generally has to be where I am. Now I went away for a weekend and my sister who lives nearby and also adores cats, including mine, offered to look after her - make sure she is fed and to spend time with her. Well my cat wouldn't have a bar of her. She hid under the bed and even turned her nose up at food my sister put out!! (And she already knew my sister from previous times we were all together). My sister now refuses to come back claiming my cat hates her! Additionally all the other female friends I have had come visit she has not related to at all well, but she likes my brother and several other guys! Only one woman that has visited has won her approval, and interestingly enough it was someone I was/am rather romantically keen on (blush) - and my kitty not only said hello but jumped up and settled on her lap almost instantly. It was so strange. (Of course she does own a male cat and perhaps kitty could smell that on her. I don't know). However when a strange male came over (a guy doing a survey) my cat was more than happy to jump right up and sit next to him rather than run off and hide!

So ok, only a few examples, but it sure seems like some cats are a) very perceptive and b) biased towards the opposite gendered human.

I've no doubt of course that once a cat knows a regular person of the same sex in the house (eg: owners partner) then it would be fine, but it's interesting to observe how they relate to visitors.

So, what does everyone else think - what have you observed from your own cats? Does what I am saying ring true or is it all baloney?

 

[Jenn]

I am not real sure, I think it just depends on the cat. For example, my Mother has a female cat, well, two actually, that love to be around men. These cats will choose men over even women they are around daily. Then again, I have a female cat that prefers me over my husband, brother, or anyone. Just depends on what the cat prefers I suppose.

 

[Annissa]

I agree with Storm1227. I've had Sabby for 14 years. He prefers my fiance over me (when given a choice) even though he's only known my fiance for 5 years! He also preferred a former boyfriend of mine over me as well until we broke up. Then he hated him. Good kitty.

 

[sentimentalgirl]

I don't have much experience. We have two girls and when we had visitors, they usually went to the female. I don't remember them going to the male.

Also, I think they stay more with me than with my husband. They always follow me. It could be because I feed them and take care of them.

 

[faile]

i have a boy and a girl kitty, both of them seem to be more affectionate towards me. i think it's cause i'm the one who feeds them and cleans their box. they're not stupid. :lol:

 

[catobsessed4]

(I'm female) I have a female and three males. The female cat LOVES me; I'm the only one she will let come near her, usually. She's actually scared of men (well, and anyone who doesn't live with her). One of the males loves me; he sleeps on my bed, lets me approach him, etc. He lets my parents do that only sometimes. Another male LOVES my mom, and only my mom. The other male loves everyone. So I think it really depends on who they're around the most, or, in my cats' case, who socialized them (3 of them were born feral). I've also seen a male cat who is terrified of ALL men, but is wonderful around women.

 

[Superkitties]

Interesting thought! I like reading everyone's experiences.

Over here, all the cats love me (woman). But I am the one who feeds/plays with them and the one they see the most, so I couldn't say that they all prefer women on that basis.

The girls: Pixie loves anyone who will play with her and amuse her. But Kayla seems to like only women, she loves sitting in my lap kneading away for an hour or more, and she'll let some women visitors pet her. She is especially standoffish to men. It took her a year to warm up to hubby, just to even pet her. We had her since she was a baby, so she didn't have a mistreated history.

The boys: They love everyone, and will run up to anyone for pets. My Mozart loves hubby especially though, and he knows he's his favorite. Ginza will get into anyone's lap for cuddles, he loves anyone with undivided attention.

 

[RichardMEL]

Well thank you all for your considered responses - just totally throwing my theory out the window. Maybe it's just a cats in Australia thing (just kidding!).

Actually the more I think about it the more I think they can pick up on our cues, and can be very perceptive at times. Of course preference for someone who cleans their tray and feeds them is clear - certainly my girl likes me because I do all those things, and I also have a warm body for her to sit on from time to time, but I don't think they're quite that selfish since I know she'll come sit on me even when it's really hot etc.

But since I've failed Pet Psychology 101 I think I'll stick to my day job

 

[camperjohn]

I'm male. My girl cat thinks she's my girlfriend. Seriously.

She can't stand to be away from me, and cuddles every morning, afternoon, night, and sleeps on TOP of me throughout the night. Not just beside me, but on top.

She also gets jealous when I have a girl over for the night. She stomps all over her face and pulls my girl-guest's hair with her teeth.

My male cat can take me or leave me. I bring him food, he eats it. I'm just a biological shovel that takes food from the kitchen to his food dish.

 

[RichardMEL]

Oh dear, I feel sorry for your girl-guests (nice term ). It's funny to read your story because I was just thinking about how my girl has been acting lately, and that's basically in my face as much as possible. And she too gets up "on top" of me (I sleep on my side, so imagine that if you will) some nights, but does relent when I move and she either falls off or is pushed off, so she runs off but usually I wake up and she's snuggled in against me (this morning I woke up and she'd burrowed under the covers and was sleeping near my foot - until I accidently jabbed my toe in her face Now she jumps up in front of me when I am at the computer and sits on the keyboard etc. It's usually sweet but it is also annoying because I have to keep moving her to work and she doesn't like that! I think it is just an attention thing - she wants to be the centre of it!!! (sounds familiar hey?)

Still I love her... except when she yawns in my face because Ralph Wiggum nailed it: my cat's breath smells like cat food...

 

[camperjohn]

My cats can stomp all over me, yawn in my face, scratch my favorite chair or even poop on my cereal - I don't care. I love them way too much it's almost unhealthy. I cuddle with them and tell them stories like they're my kids.

I never imagined such a small bundle of fluff could give so much love.

 

[Padunk]

I have two females; I adopted Punky before I moved in with my girlfriend. They got along great then, but now that my girlfriend moved in, I'm not kidding there is some anomisity between the two of them. Punky rarely listens to her and almost never socializes with her. When we have company, Punky is all over the guests... male or female she loves them to death.

We adopted Elly together so we haven't had any gender issues with her. She's probably slightly more affectionate to my girlfriend than she is to me.

 

[camperjohn]

Oh yes, AND I have a male cat as well as my "girlfriend" cat. The male was the first cat I got, and we were buddies, he hung out all the time.

But after I got the girl cat, he started doing his own thing. No longer 2 buddies hanging out together, now that I have a "girlfriend".

Just like people...

 

[camperjohn]

In that case, INSIST you open the door and let the cat in to sleep on you.

1) He will need to get use to the idea that his sleep will be interrupted. He needs to learn to deal with that for...

2) ...when you have kids, getting up in the night, you will need to have the door open to hear you newborn cry. He's going to have to get used to the idea that he feeds your baby 50% of the time so get used to having half a nights sleep now.

3) If he doesn't like that idea, shall I give you my number? I've got a big house and I like kids!