Online newspaper reporters continually state that cats are “aloof”. This is patently incorrect. The reporters don’t have an opinion because they often have no experience of caring for a cat. They unthinkingly recycle what has often been repeated before.
If you like or love a cat and, as a consequence, through constant interaction and high quality caretaking, you understand cats, you’ll soon realize that the adjective “aloof” does not apply to the character of a cat. Please give us a break, guys.
Definition of the word “aloof”: not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant. (Google search).
For a start, the word aloof has been created to be used to describe a person, a human being. That is the first reason why it is unsuited to describe a cat.
To be aloof you have to have a person’s character. A cat might be quiet and mind his/her own business but that does not mean the cat is aloof. It just means he is being quiet.
“Not forthcoming”. How can that apply to a cat? Not forthcoming is a phrase for people. Even if you accept it can apply to a cat, I would challenge anyone to say my cat is not forthcoming. He shouts at me when he wants food. He stands on his hind legs and shouts. He gives me the beady eye look. Anything to catch my attention and it works. He is more forthcoming than any human I know.
“Cool”. Being sleepy and minding your own business is not being cool. Doing your own thing is not being cool. To be cool refers to the state of mind of a person who wants to be…cool….
“Not friendly”. This is obviously wrong. Cats are very friendly. They come for cuddles. They head butt you. They exchange scent with you. They talk to you. They ask for food or to go out. In short they interact in a friendly way. As far as I am concerned cats are more friendly than people and I am being as objective as I can be in stating that.
If we are strangers to cats they can be frightened of us. Cats are wise to be initially unsure of us. It is about caution because humans are potentially dangerous to all animals. Caution is not being unfriendly or stand-offish or aloof or cool. It is sensible caution in the presence of another animal – the human – that is a giant to a cat.
So, please, reporters and journalists, do your research, don’t repeat the tired old clichés. Think for yourself. Show some enlightenment. Have an opinion. Use your brain. And stop saying cats are aloof for heaven’s sake.
Aloof ?
Moi?
Yes we say female cats are beautiful and male cats are handsome even though they are beautiful too, so we do use the same words as for female and male humans.
If we called a male human beautiful he might be upset lol
Cats don’t care what we physically look like at all, they just accept us as we are and that’s a good lesson they teach us.
Absolutely agree Leah. People who don’t understand cats label them with generalisations. The problem is that the branding is constantly repeated on the internet reinforcing misconceptions about cats. I don’t like that because it is not good for the cat.
People who don’t understand something tend to generalise and pigeon hole. In the same way if people (more so men) can’t control something usually an animal they label it as in ‘aloof’. If people perceive cats as aloof then thats because they don’t understand them; they have probably never been around a cat.
Controversially you could say that about some children who are shy or clingy possibly because they are unsocialised. Its a quirk of their personality yet no one says it like its a bad thing do they? No one calls them ‘aloof’ its like animals aren’t supposed to be anything other than what people wnat them to be and if they are then woe betide them.
I think aloof is good where cats are concerned because I agree with Michael not all people like cats and until cats find out who’s who then they are cautious. I saw an example of this the other night. I came out of my friends house and her cat went out at the same time. I noticed this guy who was standing outside the house next door smoking. It was raining so Simba (my friends cat) sat outside her front door after she had closed it waiting for her to come and let him back in. I sat in the car for a while because I didn’t like the look of this guy and although he had his back to me I knew he was looking at Simba. I could see Simbas face, he look terrified so frightened in fact he ran quickly behind a bin and hid away. I then called my friend and told her that Simba was frightened and to please let him back in so she did. I then drove off. I did think though if that guys intentions were those of a cat lover would he not have put his hand out or knelt down to stroke Simba. I had a bad feeling and I was glad I waited around.
Lovely cat love his sleek coat and beautiful Orange eyes
I hope you agree with what I stated, Caroline. We say cats are handsome. We are using our criteria for physical attractiveness. I wonder if cats have the same criteria.