Friday, December 30, 2011

Feline Groovy

We are a family of cat lovers. Why, I happen to have the most wonderful cat in the world living with me. And the other most wonderful cats (yes, I know you think they can't all be the MOST wonderful, but you're wrong) live with my sister and niece.

Meet Bella. She plays hard.

And she sleeps hard.


And there's Biscuit. Big stretch - and... jazz hands! 


He's exceptionally handsome. And according to the Myers-Briggs for cats - he has the same personality as my Socks. I knew he was super cool.


And super cute. This is almost too much cuteness. I should have warned you.

What's your cat's personality? Take the test to find out. I'll be taking it for Cass tomorrow, to see how compatible we are. Well, I already know that we are extremely compatible. Still, I find it fascinating to plumb the depths of my cats' mysteries.

Here is Socks's profile (And, interestingly, Biscuit's too):

BSPV (Bold Social Compliant Vocal)
Bold and Social, the BSPV cat enjoys adventure and companionship. It is easy to make friends when you meet a confident cat with a vocal communication style, who actively seeks attention. When his vocal style includes a large vocabulary of pleasant chirps and mews, the BSPV can be the 'perfect' cat. However, if your idea of the 'perfect' cat is a quiet house quest who is pleasant but undemanding, the BSPV cat may be too needy for your tastes. When his vocal communication style is loud and repetitive, with a limited vocabulary, this attentive cat may drive you nuts.

As a kitten the BSPV cat is likely to be the one that meows in greeting, runs over to you, climbs into your lap, and steals your heart. If you like a conversational cat, go for it. If you prefer a quiet household try to find his quiet counterpart, the BSPQ kitten. Whenever possible, acquiring two kittens will make it easier to satisfy the social needs of the BSPV or the BSPQ. Bold, social, compliant cats generally live happily in groups. Sociability in cats is not indiscriminate however. Who and what any cat chooses to befriend is dependent on mutual compatibility and previous experience. BSPV/Q cats are just easy to get along with so the chances of forming friendships is greater than with some other temperament types.

Even though the BSPV is a compliant cat, he may actually be intimidating when you attempt to do things to him (like trim his nails or groom him) because his vocal commentary may sound more angry and reactive than he actually feels. Once a kitty learns that you are easily intimidated, even a compliant cat can dictate your behavior. Siamese cats have a bit of a reputation for being difficult in a veterinary exam room. Actually they are often just vocal cats, and are not necessarily any more likely to bite, scratch or struggle than any other cat. BSPV cats express their opinions out loud. It is perfectly reasonable to expect that a vocal cat will make less than happy sounds when placed in a potentially threatening situation. Over reaction to their vocalization can result in a confrontation rather than a pleasant exam. If your veterinarian or other experienced cat handler recognizes that your BSPV cat is just expressing his opinion, they will find him to be quite manageable.

The popularity of Siamese cats and more recently Maine Coon cats reflects our desire to share our home with a companion who will talk to us, enjoy our company, and approach life with confidence. Both of these breeds are reputed to have a temperament that fits the profile of a BSPV cat. Maine Coon cats are generally of the soft-spoken, large vocabulary communication style. The Siamese being recognized as the great orator of the domestic cat world. Whether or not this temperament type occurs with greater frequency in any particular breed of cat remains to be seen. It is however a temperament type that is likely to appeal to many cat owners.


  






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