Cats honestly got the short end of the stick, folks treat them like dogs, feed them like dogs, try to play with them like dogs, and when it doesn't work the cat goes bonkers and then everyone's like "ah, that's cats for you."

When we got our first cat as adults, I researched for weeks and was blindsided by how little I knew about them. Their digestive systems. How they need to play. How particular they are about environment and cleanliness.

Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they -need- to eat meat. They cannot, say, convert beta carotene into vitamin A. They eat animals that have already done that for them. So yeah, the carrots in her kibble aren't doing jack shit but add sugar to her diet.

The other thing about subsisting exclusively off live prey is that most your water's gonna be in that wet flesh. So they don't have the same kind of thirst instinct we do. This dehydration is where you get the urinary crystals and infections that are so so common with cats.

For play, cats are essentially just nurturing a hunting instinct. And since you don't want this tiny fragile animal killing real things outside, you mimic that. Toys with hard-to-get food are awesome. They need to at some point "catch" the toy too, or they can get upset.

Cats are so sensitive and high strung because they're tuned to be both predator -and- prey. It'd freak you out too tbh. They have extra feelers all over their bodies, really sharp senses, and no way to shut it off. Some are more chill for sure, but just generally speaking.

Cats naturally have a rhythm that's kind of like: eat, bathe, play, sleep, play, eat. This is one reason why vets recommend multiple small feedings a day. That rhythm keeps them energized, occupied, and rested.

Anyway I know too much about cats but I'm not a vet, cross reference this stuff, and ofc there's always exceptions and variations because cats are all so different! Only you, your cat, and your vet can decide what's best for them.

Sorry but someone mentioned how some people even PET cats like dogs haha. Cats have whiskers all over their body, light touches can be alarming. Most cats have "no" zones. More intentional scratches and with-the-grain pets are usually winners, but again each one is different.

My kinship with cats 100% stems from being autistic and having a lot of the same needs lmfao. But if you can "unlock" your cat and truly coexist, make the home welcoming for them, you'll get a cuddly weirdo. Bc cats like people. They really do.

If you're reading this thread and thinking "jesus christ, that sounds high maintenance," YEAH! It is! Thinking a cat is an "easy" pet leads to so much abuse and neglect. Don't get a cat if you don't want to take care of an animal.