Does your dog greet you like he has never been so alone? On the other hand, does your cat not only greet you at the door, but you are lucky if you see her unless she is hungry? This is perfectly normal behaviour from your pets. Dogs are conditioned to give affection to their owner at any given minute while cats are more aloof. This does not however mean your cat does not like you.
Once cats were worshiped, the idea that the ancient Egyptians had was that cats came from a place beyond death. This thought has perpetuated itself into the modern world. When your cat ignores you, it can actually be a sign of her intelligence. She knows if she ignores you long enough you will give her attention, but on her terms, not yours. Often she will ignore your calling of her name until you give up. She will then take the opportunity to sneak around and rub herself on your shin. She knows that you will be so pleased that she has come; you will forget it was your idea. Your cat will come to you when you want and have accepted the fact that her coming to you is on her own terms.
This can be very frustrating, but to react negatively will not get you anywhere. Cats will quite happily pack up and leave if they are not happy with you and life in your home.
Cats do take notice of you, and they do love you, as a rule. They just do not see the point in showing it at the times when you want them to. If you manhandle your cat when she does not want to be cuddled or picked up consider yourself lucky if all she does is struggle to get down. Often cats, when confronted with this behaviour, especially younger cats, will scratch and slash in order to escape. They will come back when they wish to show you affection. This is often why we think our cats consider us to be their slaves.
Dogs, on the other hand, are wired differently. People often treat their dog like a small person in the family, and this is not the right attitude to have towards your dog. Dogs love and need rules in order to function properly. A dog obeys the person they consider the leader of their pack and will go out of their way to obey and respect that person. But, if the person does not establish this relationship when the dog is a pup, then the dog will treat you with contempt, much as what you think your cat does. Jumping on people, licking them and other behaviours are not tolerated by the leader of the pack unless they initiate it, which is very rare. Watch a boisterous pup rush up to an older dog and attempt to grab the older dog’s face, or be tapped with a paw. The pup will be lucky if it only gets snarled at. These behaviours are disrespectful in the dog world and from their perspective will be in their relationship with you.
This can be very frustrating, but to react negatively will not get you anywhere. Cats will quite happily pack up and leave if they are not happy with you and life in your home.
Cats do take notice of you, and they do love you, as a rule. They just do not see the point in showing it at the times when you want them to. If you manhandle your cat when she does not want to be cuddled or picked up consider yourself lucky if all she does is struggle to get down. Often cats, when confronted with this behaviour, especially younger cats, will scratch and slash in order to escape. They will come back when they wish to show you affection. This is often why we think our cats consider us to be their slaves.
Dogs, on the other hand, are wired differently. People often treat their dog like a small person in the family, and this is not the right attitude to have towards your dog. Dogs love and need rules in order to function properly. A dog obeys the person they consider the leader of their pack and will go out of their way to obey and respect that person. But, if the person does not establish this relationship when the dog is a pup, then the dog will treat you with contempt, much as what you think your cat does. Jumping on people, licking them and other behaviours are not tolerated by the leader of the pack unless they initiate it, which is very rare. Watch a boisterous pup rush up to an older dog and attempt to grab the older dog’s face, or be tapped with a paw. The pup will be lucky if it only gets snarled at. These behaviours are disrespectful in the dog world and from their perspective will be in their relationship with you.