All of us know that cats are picky animals. Whether it is their food, toys, or even humans, they are very selective when it comes to choosing who and what to spend their time with. Do you want to become your cat’s favorite person?
Of course, you do! However, cats can be slightly complex, so becoming a cat’s favorite person is not always as straightforward as being friendly with them. Our guide is designed to explain why do cats have a favorite person in the first place, and if so, how do cats pick a favorite person.
How were cats tamed?
Evidence from research shows that cats started to become domesticated somewhere around 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. This is because early humans who lived in communities stored grains in their tents. These grains attracted mice, and cats ate these mice.
This caused our feline friends to come into contact with humans, and they developed a mutually beneficial relationship: cats ate rodents that bothered humans, and humans became bonded with cats and gave them food and shade. This is also where the reasons for becoming a cat’s favorite person started to take root.
How do kittens communicate?
Becoming a cat’s favorite person means making an effort to bond with them when they are kittens. This is because when kittens are taken away from their mother, they will be actively seeking someone new to bond with. You could fill this void in their life by being their caretaker and becoming your cat’s favorite person.
Here are the 5 main ways through which you can tell how do cats choose their favorite person:
1. Feeding cats
Yes, feeding your feline friend could help you become your cat’s favorite person! Animals are simple, and they derive their pleasure from simple things as well. Cats are known for being independent animals, and when they are in the wild, they can fend for themselves very easily. However, who does not like a bit of pampering every now and then? If you want to become your cat’s favorite person, give it food and water on time.
Even though cats are independent, they like to be looked after too. Since you cannot communicate through words with them, this gesture of looking after their nutritional needs will help you bond with them and become your cat’s favorite person. You can even give them treats to win their favor, but we do not believe in handing out treats without a reason since these could make your cats unhealthy in the long run.
2. Rewarding good behavior
A bit of positive reinforcement goes a long way with cats. To become a cat’s favorite person, you should reward them for their good behavior when you get a chance to do so. Since cats do not like money, how do you reward a cat in the first place?! Well, it’s pretty simple. There are special cat treats that you can buy from the supermarket. Whenever your cat engages in good behavior, for example, it actively participates in a game or uses its litter and cleans up after itself, gives it a small treat.
A little cuddle and petting its coat can also count as a “treat” and help you become a cat’s favorite person. However, do not go overboard with the treats since this can mess up your cat’s entire diet and make it too used to being fed “junk” food.
3. Bonding during early childhood
Interacting with kittens is key if you want to become a cat’s favorite person. Feeding kittens in time and in-person (rather than just dumping food in their container), cleaning after them, and engaging in light exercise with these little cat babies will make them look up to you as their primary caretaker. This will reduce the emptiness they feel from being separated from their mother and treat you as their parent.
4. Engage with them
Engaging with your feline friend can be one reason why you are your cat’s favorite person. The best way to engage with your pet cat is to play some healthy game with it. If you do not have the time to take your cat out for a walk, you can play fetch with it indoors as well with some soft toys. You can also use a laser pointer, and while sitting on your sofa, move the laser all around your room.
See how much your cat loves chasing after the light and trying to catch it! You may be wondering how playing with your feline friend will make you your cat’s favorite person? Well, the logic is simple. When you take out the time to bond with your cat and get some time to know it, your cats will reciprocate. Contrary to popular belief, cats will recognize that you are making an effort to become their friend, and they actually appreciate it.
5. Give them their space
If you are a cat owner, you will know that there will be a time when your cat just wants to be left alone. In order to become a cat’s favorite person, it is important to know when your cat wants to be left alone. This is because, unlike dogs, cats just like to enjoy their own company at times.
So if you think that your cat is deliberately staying away from you and your family for some time, do not try to engage with it too much. Maybe it just wants to relax or take a nap.
Becoming overbearing with cats can backfire, and they grow to resent you if you touch them too much when all they want to do is relax alone. However, if you see a sudden change in your cat’s behavior and you think it is spending perhaps a little too much time alone, consult your vet. This could be a sign of depression or anxiety in your feline friend.
Different personalities
While the 5 reasons we have given above are the main reasons for why cats pick their favorite person, you should understand that these are not sure shot ways to get in your cat’s good books. Like human beings, all cats have different personalities, and different people appeal to them.
None of the reasons mentioned above may work in gaining the favor of your particular cat. That does not mean something is wrong with it; your cat is just different. In such a scenario, the best way to become your cat’s favorite person is to just spend time with it, get to know it a bit more, and try to make your own strategy.
What not to do?
One sure shot way to get your cat to resent you is to hit it or shout at it when it is problematic. Such behavior will automatically put you in your cat’s bad books and undo all the bonding efforts you have made to date.
We hope that our guide to becoming your feline friend’s favorite person proves helpful to you and helps you bond with it!
