Why do cats like people who don't like cats?

A reader asks: I don't like cats and they are always around me. Why is that?

It's a common occurrence. You're at a home where a bunch of people have gathered, and the resident cat decides to sit in the lap of the one person in the room who doesn't like cats.

So, why do cats seem to approach people who don't like them? Good question.

Cats like things to be on their own terms. They like to have options, and they like to make their own choices. It's been said that a cat's worst enemy is a closed door. With that in mind...

One explanation for why cats like people who don't like them comes down to the differences in the way two different groups of people, cat lovers and non-cat lovers, approach cats.

How does a cat lover approach a cat?

Well, in their excitement, they often make a fuss about the cat. They point to the cat. They move toward the cat. They often initate contact and approach the cat head on and try to pet the little fur ball. Worse, they stare at the cat.

Kitties may take all this attention from a stranger (someone they're not quite sure of yet) as a sign of aggression.

On the other hand, people who don't like cats often avoid them, don't approach them, and most importantly, don't stare at them. They may ignore them totally and not look at them at all.

This non-aggressive behavior doesn't threaten the cat, and gives the cat the opportunity to initiate the contact, allowing the kitty to be in control.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons