This is an off-the-cuff post and it is probably a slightly complicated subject which may require more than I am willing to give it. It is more a discussion document than the complete package.
As they are retired, older people are around the home much more. They are able to get involved with their cat much more which would lead me to believe they would be good with a more active or demanding cat. However, older people are less motivated and more static and therefore are more likely to prefer a docile, less demanding cat.
Also older people become less able to do things properly. They screw up because their skills deteriorate. This implies older people would prefer a docile, undemanding, easy to keep cat.
As for younger people you’d have thought they’d prefer a more active cat but….younger people are working hard nowadays in a more competitive world which obliges them to be away from home a lot and/or with less energy and time to devote to their cat when they crawl home from the hard slog of the workplace.
This leads me to believe that younger people might prefer a docile undemanding cat. This in turn leads to the conclusion that modern humankind increasingly prefers a docile highly domesticated and undemanding cat able to be content with his own company.
If I am correct, I have to come to the conclusion that the sooner the domestic cat loses his/her wild cat tendencies the better.
I have consistently come to the sad decision that the fact that the domestic cat is less domesticated than the dog is detrimental to the cat. The domestic cat has to become more domesticated to suit modern living.
There are other factors too. Older people are likely to downsize which means to an apartment. Apartment living is fine for a cat if it is on the ground floor and the gardens are large and safe for cats (if let out) and provided neighbours tolerate cats. There are complications. Once again this leads to older people opting for an easy to care for cat able to cope with full-time indoor living (possibly).
Younger people are more likely to move. Moving is bad for a cat. The best sort of cat to cope is a docile cat who has little interest in expressing his wild cat heritage.
Yep…young people and older people want the same cat: undemanding and highly domesticated.
Kittens are hard work
I can remember my first cats – both kittens – bother and sister, tearing around the house tearing up my new leather sofa 😉 I loved them dearly.
That sounds extremely imaginative and clever. Babz looks like she is an ebola nurse in some new fangled gear 😉
See the waste paper basket Babz is wearing on her head in that game, Walter would put Jozef in it and roll him around the floor lol and tip it over and ‘cage’ him.
Kittens are hard work, if we had our Walter as a kitten now it would finish us off lol As soon as he was feeling well and confident he was very hyperactive with happiness, he was everywhere! He used to wear poor Jozef out, he would suddenly just fall asleep.
Adult cats are much calmer but I couldn’t ever choose. Young or older, male or female, I have loved every single one we have had the pleasure of living with us and Walter and Jozef are now my sun, moon and stars.
So interesting, Rudolph.
I’ve never seen a male from any species not know how to mate.
It can work if you have the will.
Right Caroline?