Cat-haters say they’re selfish little creatures who just use you for the creature comforts you provide. For example, the cat who wants to snuggle on your lap is just looking for your shared body heat.
I have trouble believing this because my cat will abandon her “spot of warm” (heating pad set to low heat/similar to body temp) to come perch uncomfortably on my lap even if I otherwise ignore her.
She’ll also ignore food if she can have snuggling.
This enthusiasm for personal contact is not universal – Keith’s Mom once commented she was rather miffed that the cat obviously wants to be with me, Keith, Keith’s Dad (who is so similar to Keith she might not recognize him as a stranger…), but never with her. She seemed to think I should train my cat to be more egalitarian –
Which rather makes me think the cat actually likes me. This has been my experience with all the feline pets I’ve had over the years. Have I just been outrageously lucky, or do cats get a bad rap?