Nonverbal Communication Taught by Cat

Okay, so this is an odd topic, but possibly valuable--and if not valuable, at least somewhat entertaining.

Mazie is my roommate's cat. She is somewhat of a typical cat: likes to chase things, thinks she can catch birds, tortures insects, eats, poops, sleeps a lot, etc. Pretty typical. But one of the most interesting things about her is her behavior.

I've always thought cats were kind of conceited. I mean they strut around looking at you like they have never seen you before even though you just shared your tuna sandwich with them. They have no problem walking away from you as if to say "I'm bored--See Ya." Not to mention all of the times they use you as a petting station. Mazie gets petted at least half an hour every night!

But what can we learn from them?

While I was eating breakfast this morning, Mazie sat on the chair next to me in a pitiful little bundle. I finally realized after consuming a piece of toast that she wanted attention-specifically to be petted. If it were only that easy! I wonder what would happen if I sat down next to someone, curled up in a little ball, and looked sad. Sounds kind of weird, but that is what people do (well, with a few variations).

What do we do when we want attention? There are two approaches: the pitiful fur ball or the playful Tigger. The pitiful fur ball is just that--look miserable, lonely, and needy--and if you are lucky, someone will take pity on you and pet you; I mean pay attention. In contrast, the playful Tigger consists of drawing as much attention as possible by energetic expression. This approach requires an outgoing attitude, making loud noises, and lots of exaggerated motions (like Tigger).

Maybe I am humanizing cats, but their approaches work well on humans. Hmmm, it makes you think.