Sometimes, just sometimes, it’s good to question the close-knit bond you have with your kit. After all, they’re in charge. So why is yours following you around all the time? Turns out, since it’s cats we’re talking about the answer should be complex. There could be a variety of causes and it could be more than one. But they aren’t all bad news…
5 Reasons your kitty is hot on your tail - You are interesting.
- You are interesting.
Fancy that. The human offers entertainment? Yes, because when you have the superior intelligence of the feline species, you require frequent and quality stimulation. Lying around and purring is one kind of self-induced stimulation (of the nervous system, as we explored here), but it has its limits and, to be frank, it’s boring to do everything oneself when you have subjects to serve you. Watching the human walk around and do strange things with unimportant objects is endlessly fascinating to a cat. And when you look at things their way, it kinda makes sense. “Amazing how they carry a pile of clothes I’ve just carefully and thoroughly marked with my molt all the way to the grey box, let it chew them for a while, ad when it spits them out, carry them, wet and foreign-smelling, to flap about from strings in the sky. Guess I’ll have to start with the hair deposits all over again. Sigh.” - You are strong and brave.
Not as strong and brave as kitty, mind you (“have you EVER had to face down a terrifying gurgling human child that’s more than twice your size trying to put its blasted bow on you?!”), but a different kind of strong and brave. The kind that’s useful for things kitty doesn’t understand and might make “ouchies”. Like other humans who are Unknown Quantities. Or the new cold box (also grey) with its funny hum during sleepy time. Life can be treacherous. Let kitty hide behind (or on top of) you. Use a soothing voice. REMOVE the threat! - You provide meals.
Kitty, as you know, is a fussy eater, and she knows you go on long, life-threatening treks away from home to bring her bags of yum and cans of delicious. And sometimes actual fishy bits. But only the sustainably fished ones. So, when she trails around after you and it’s not boredom (because the feather toy was ignored) and it’s not fear (because you picked her up and she purred), then it might be hunger. Purring, incidentally, is also a sign of hunger, as we discovered here. - You know the cat doctor’s number.
Cats hardly ever make a sound if they’re suffering (unless, of course, it’s a very sudden and extreme suffering, like a door slamming a tail or another kitty attacking the body) but they do let you know they’re not feeling well in other ways. Not eating their food or drinking any water is a big way, and important to respond to immediately. Another way is to follow you around forlornly (although, with cats being so beautiful, it’s super hard for them to look forlorn). Their heads may be drooping, their eyes may be darting, and their gait may be jittery. They’re hoping that you’ll find it odd and investigate. But don’t prod too hard. If they have a wound you hadn’t seen they might bite you in pain. Easy does it. It may even be an invisible issue like a fractured bone, in which case it’d be safer (for both of you) to let the vet investigate. - You are being stalked.
By your own cat, that is. Cats are always practising their treacherous arts, from sharpening claws on your jeans while you’re in them to swatting at your legs as you pass innocently. You are not innocent, as the primary pal they have, however, you are game. As in, prey, but also as in fun. Consider yourself a trusted practise-mate. They don’t really mean to hurt or eat you, but they need to keep up their skills in case, you know, you don’t deliver on number 3 or number 1 when they need you to…And then it’s tickets for the poor birds in the garden. Which is why kitty’s sporting that pretty bell necklace you gave her for her birthday, right?
Tell us the weird and wonderful ways your kitty has followed you around, with a photo, on Instagram and the hashtag #dotsureFollowCats. Remember to tag the pic and the caption with @dotsure_pet and to make it public so we can see it.
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