Random Musing

They say that pets grow to look like their owners (or vice versa), but my experience is that this owner and her pet have seemed to grow to share personality traits.

I've had my cat, Pandora ever since she was about 3 months old (except for about 2 years when I was abroad and she stayed with family). I've often wondered if I had any influence on her personality, since I raised her.

Now that I live alone, and she's my only steady companion, I notice more and more how alike we are.

I think the most obvious similarity is how she acts around people. Around me, she's solicitous. She pads around after me wherever I am in the house, and if I'm sitting, she settles nearby, or in my lap, if it's available. She's never needy or clingy, though. She acts as though it's the most natural thing in the world to be with me, no effort needed. Around others, she ranges from politely present, to curiously tentative, to comfortably settled, to joyously affectionate. And the funny thing is that more often than not, the way she acts towards a particular person is the same way I act (or would act, if I was less bound by social niceties). I often wonder if she has the same tastes as me, of if she can sense my feelings toward one person or another.

I've also noticed that she's generally very polite. If she needs something, she'll mew softly only a few times, then just look up at me until I pay attention and help. Usually, what she needs is food, water, and clean litter. She won't "ask" for anything else. If she needs it, she'll let me know, but in a sweet, non-pushy way. Of the other hand, if she WANTS something, she won't make a sound. She'll just position herself as close to the object of her desire as she dares and waits. She'll just wait for me to notice that she wants it and offer it to her.

Whether she's a reflection of me, or if she learned from me, I don't know. I wonder sometimes if maybe we're kindred spirits, her and I, and it was fate that brought us together. It could very well be that this is all coincidence and I'm one step closer to being a crazy cat lady. Ha ha ha. Either way, she's good company and I'm glad to have her around.

Now, if only I could work on understanding men as much as I work on understanding my cat...Then maybe I wouldn't still be single! :P