I found this in pictures of cats, and it reminded me of endless discussions about whether cats are capable of love. Well I cant claim all cats are, but of course neither are all humans. All I know is that cats give their love back to people who love them. One of my grandmothers funny cats knew the sound of my car and she would rush back home to greet me no matter where she is. She would climb up my clothes, wrap her little arms around my neck, lick my face while rubbing her head against mine.

A friend of mine calls this “iams cat food syndrome” and keeps on telling me how pet cats only show you affection if you give them food. As someone who adores cats and someone who has been loved by a cat I know that’s not true. Cat’s affection does not depend on treats and iams cat food like my friend said. Clinical evidences show that mere presence and/or touch of a preferred person have been shown to reduce the heart rate of these animals – which is a sign of bonding.

Cats who live with humans since they were born often consider themselves almost human or their humans almost cats. They are known to bring dead animals as proof of their love and care. They follow their “owners” around the house and wait for them when they are gone. My funny cat used to sit on a table next to the window for hours waiting for me to come home. If that is not love I don’t know what it is.

Of course there’s a lot more. From cat kisses, squinting, cute cat sounds, rubbing their had against you, kneading and purring to the ultimate sign of trust – lying on their back. This is probably the greatest sign of love and trust from a cat. With it’s stomach exposed your cat is in it’s most vulnerable position.

“A cat, though independent, has a way of letting you know that without you life just wouldn’t be worthwhile.” ~ Sharon Lundblad

There’s an old English proverb that goes: “The cat has nine lives – three for playing, three for straying, and three for staying.” I always liked it, and it always comes to mind when i see my funny cats playing with boxes. One of my pet cats claimed this new cat litter box as her bed, before i even had a chance to use it what it was ment for.

I tried to find why pet cats do that but no answer yet. I guess they like the cosines, security and privacy something that looks like home they were born in. I love seeing them playing with boxes, scratching, running in and out of it, making all those funny cat sounds while pretending they are hunting anything or anyone walking around their little fortress.

Of course toys for cats are nothing compared to a simple cardboard box with holes to jump through or to track and unsuspecting human from. A box can provide fantastic position to hide in anticipation of surprising attacks.

“Buy a dog a toy, and he’ll play with it forever. Buy a cat a present, and it will play with the wrapper for 10 minutes.”

I love tabby cats. Probably because I’ve had more than 5 so far but still, there is something about them. This one reminds me of my funny cat. She used to grab my neck with her front two paws, and kiss my cheek with her sandpaper-like tongue. Unfortunately I don’t have a picture with her doing that, in my pictures of cats, because no one thought it was cool as much as I did. I remember my sister always used to laugh saying “see even your funny cats think you need a bath.”

So what’s the deal with this kissing or licking?
Grooming is a very important part of cat’s everyday routine and they spend a large part of their grooming themselves. Kittens often use their tongue to taste new things. Studies show that the cat’s sense of taste is keener than that of the dog and that use their tongue to learn about things by licking them. Cats also do it to show their affection just like with their kittens. They do it to keep them healthy and to show them they are loved.

For some pet cats licking is a form of comforting behavior and is linked with the cat kneading its paws (paw pressing) on its owner. This is very common for cats that were separated from their mothers before 12 weeks of age. If cat is in pain or dying, she uses this as a method of comforting itself. Pet Cats use pawing along with purring to show their affection and contentment but also to mark their territory. Scent glands on their paws release small amounts of scent onto the person or object being pawed, marking it as “theirs.” Also yawning in front of their owners and blinking behavior is common in cats and may be a sign of trust or affection.

“What greater gift than the love of a cat?” ~ Charles Dickens

As I was going through some old pictures of cats I found this. You know, off all Funny cats Fluffy was the funniest and most loveable cat of all.

Fluffy had eight kittens that year. It was probably the biggest cat litter I’ve seen in my life. Of course i wanted to pet the kittens right away, but my grangmother wouldnt let me touch them. Luckily for me, Fluffy thought I’m safe, so I got to hold them anyway. She brought them to me, the very first day she had them. When it comes to cat health and cat care all you need is common sense. Handling kittens shouldn’t be any different.

Since new born kittens are just like babies you can’t expect them to play, at least not before they are several weeks old. You should try to interact with kittens as soon as possible since that way they will become more sociable. Try to hold them gently for about 10-15 minutes at a time.

Make sure the mother is present when you’re picking them up since that way they react better to humans. It’s believed that her presence reassures them. Be careful how you’re handling them and make sure to wash your hands every time since kittens are very sensitive. And most important of all don’t let tons of people handle them.

Never miss an opportunity to hold a kitten. ~ Keeba