Psycho-Babble Social Thread 253465

Shown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Cat-therapy

Posted by Tramatic1 on August 23, 2003, at 20:02:17

When I get down, I watch that silly little black kitten my daughter has, bounce around and do amazingly weird things. I mean, what's so difficult about a dustball that the kitty has to examine it, and sneak up on it then run away when a little breeze moves it? Bouncy bouncy flop flop...run like the wind little black fluff ball.


T1

 

Re: Cat-therapy

Posted by Tabitha on August 24, 2003, at 2:46:29

In reply to Cat-therapy, posted by Tramatic1 on August 23, 2003, at 20:02:17

my cat does this flop over thing, but if I try to scratch her belly she moves. She's just showing me her belly. What does it mean?

Maybe Tony/lostsailor's cat Aurora can interpret for us. She posts here from time to time.

 

Re: Cat-therapy - Tabitha

Posted by BekkaH on August 24, 2003, at 12:01:16

In reply to Re: Cat-therapy, posted by Tabitha on August 24, 2003, at 2:46:29

> my cat does this flop over thing. She's just showing me her belly. What does it mean?
>
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In "Catwatching," Desmond Morris says that cats show their bellies when they are in a friendly mood, and they do it only when they are with people they feel comfortable with because the belly-up position makes cats very vulnerable. Morris says, "The cat is saying, in effect, 'I roll over to show you my belly to demonstrate that I trust you enough to adopt this highly vulnerable posture in your presence.'" But, he says, most cats draw the line, even with close family members, when they try to touch those soft, vulnerable parts. I have two cats. The older one takes a swipe at me when I try to pet her tummy, but my other cat loves it. Desmond Morris also wrote "CATLORE," another "must-have" for cat-lovers!!

 

Re: Cat-therapy - Tabitha » BekkaH

Posted by Tabitha on August 24, 2003, at 12:36:58

In reply to Re: Cat-therapy - Tabitha, posted by BekkaH on August 24, 2003, at 12:01:16

thanks Bekka. Now I'll feel honored every time she does it. I guess we're miscommunicating, she honors me with a belly flash, then I ruin it by making a grab for her. She probably wonders why I'm so uncouth.

My bunnies used to do the same thing, flopping over, but not necessarily directed at me. Sometimes I'd just spy them doing it from across the room. It really looked like pure bunny joy.

 

Re: Cat-therapy - Tabitha » BekkaH

Posted by gabbix2 on August 24, 2003, at 17:10:38

In reply to Re: Cat-therapy - Tabitha, posted by BekkaH on August 24, 2003, at 12:01:16

I haven't read Catlore, but I loved A cat is Watching, Desmond Morris is fascinating.
I used to think my cat was trying to psych me out when she rolled on her belly and then 'bunny kicked me' HARD! when I'd go to pat her. Well I didn't really, but it seemed like a nasty trick.
The cat I have now loves having his belly rubbed too. And if he's really happy, like if I've been away for a while and I come back he turns somersaults.
Not half flops, but perfect somersaults. He only stopped for a while (understandably) after he fell off the couch once. I've never seen any explanation for that though.

 

Re: Cat-therapy - gabbix2

Posted by BekkaH on August 24, 2003, at 19:23:35

In reply to Re: Cat-therapy - Tabitha » BekkaH, posted by gabbix2 on August 24, 2003, at 17:10:38

> I haven't read Catlore, but I loved A cat is >Watching, Desmond Morris is fascinating.> The >cat I have now loves having his belly >rubbed :too. And if he's really happy, like if >I've been away for a while and I come back he >turns somersaults. Not half flops, but perfect >somersaults. He only stopped for a while >>\(understandably) after he fell off the couch once. I've never seen any explanation for that though.
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Wow! A somersaulting cat! I'm going to have to look that one up. I've never heard of that. My cats retrieve toys just the way puppies do, but they don't have the talent for somersaults. Thanks for mentioning that other Desmond Morris book. By the way, there seems to be something wrong with the Amazon book link feature. When I clicked on the CATLORE book link I typed, it's linking with some other Catlore book, but not the one I meant. The book I meant is simply CATLORE by Desmond Morris.

>

 

sorry I was referring to the same book » BekkaH

Posted by gabbix2 on August 24, 2003, at 19:38:26

In reply to Re: Cat-therapy - gabbix2, posted by BekkaH on August 24, 2003, at 19:23:35

As you were My mom always refers to it as a "Cat is watching" and it stuck!

 

sorry I was referring to the same book - gabbix2

Posted by BekkaH on August 24, 2003, at 20:42:08

In reply to sorry I was referring to the same book » BekkaH, posted by gabbix2 on August 24, 2003, at 19:38:26

> As you were My mom always refers to it as a "Cat is watching" and it stuck!
>
***********************************************

Oh yeah, I thought it sounded awfully familiar, but then I figured he'd written two books with nearly the same name.


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