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What kind of cat owner are you?
Cats show us humans their affection for us by purring and rubbing, and other body language. How do you express your love for your feline(s)?
Research shows that there are three basic "cat"-egories of cat owners, or rather the cat-owned types. Take the following test of 20 YES or NO questions to see where you stand.
Answer the questions HONESTLY with a simple "yes" or "no" and I will tell you how to score yourself at the end of the test. Okay, here we go.....
--1. Do you allow your cat to sleep with you?
--2. Do you allow your cat to eat at the table with you?
--3. Have you ever dressed your cat with special clothes or costumes?
--4. Have you ever bathed with your cat, shower or tub?
--5. Do you keep a night light on for your kitty to see?
--6. Is your cat considered a part of the family?
--7. Do you brag about your cat to other people?
--8. Have you ever called your cat and talked to it on the answering machine or talked to it on the phone?
--9. Have you ever broken up a romantic relationship because of a cat?
--10 Do you talk gibberish or baby talk to your cat?
--11. Do you carry more pictures of your cat than you do of your family?
--12. Do you take sick days off from work to tend to a sick cat?
--13. Have you ever taken Fluffy to work with you?
--14. Have you ever dressed kitty up in costume and gone trick or treating?
--15. Do you try and take kitty wherever you go?
--16. Do you celebrate your cat's birthday with a party?
--17. Have you ever felt you and your cat can read each other's mind?
--18. Do you feel that your cat needs day care because kitty gets lonely?
--19. Have you ever taken a special vacation so that kitty could come along and have a vacation too?
--20. Do you cook actual meals for kitty to eat?
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--HOW TO SCORE YOURSELF:
Give yourself one point for every YES response that you've give. (No points for any NO's) When done, total up the points and then find out what type of owner you are, based on the score sheet below:
--SCORE SHEET:
--If you scored 10-20 points:
YOU ARE A CAT CHERISHER.
A cat cherisher is a devoted cat lover who considers kitty to be one of the family. You will go out of your way to treat your cat with special privileges that normally would go to a family member. You are
most likely to baby talk to your cat, arrange vacations and carry pictures of your cat in your wallet or purse. More than 68 percent of pet owners fall into this category.
--If you scored 5-9 points:
YOU ARE AN INDEPENDENT CAT OWNER.
As an independent cat owner, you consider your cat as one of the family, too. However, you do not spend as much time and emotional energy on your cat as a "cherisher" does. You will let your cat sleep with you, but are less likely to watch a TV show for kitty's benefit, talk to your cat on the answering machine or take kitty out in a costume to trick or treat. You most likely have children at home.
--If you scored 1-4 points:
YOU ARE A POSSESSOR.
As a possessor, you believe that a cat is just an animal and don't bother to give kitty any special treatment. Most of you also have children living at home. This may be the reason for a lack of personal involvement with a cat. Only 5 percent of pet owners in this survey fall into this possessor category. (Thank goodness!)
So, now you know where you fall! But I have no doubt that if you have even bothered to subscribe to and read a newsletter dedicated to CATS, that you are definitely in the CAT CHERISHER category and have a very high score - like me! Did you score a 20? Hmmmmmmm?
One thing I would add to the list of questions:
Do you leave the (big screen) TV on for the cats when you go out in the evening so that they will have some company? (Mine love the Animal Planet Channel.) I guess my secret is out now!
THE CAT OWNER
PERSONALITY PROFILE TEST:
"Two cats can live as cheaply as one, and their owner has twice as much fun."
--Lloyd Alexander
If you allow your cat to go outdoors, consider installing a cat door so your cat can come and go as she pleases. Be sure to mount the door at the proper height, which is about 6 inches from the floor. Familiarize your cat with the door by propping it open and placing her in front of it. To encourage her to go through the door, entice her by placing some food on the outside.
