Hello, I am Dr. Go! Read my introduction to learn more about me and Miki, the cat who made me a cat person.
Cats love to brush, at least most of them do. It’s a way to express content, relax, but also a way to control yourself when you don’t feel well. It can also be combined with head banging and kneading, my all time favorite. It’s interesting to see how different cats use purrs in different situations, and how some of them rely on purrs almost all the time. Miki is a moderate purrer, although she likes head butts and soft meows when interacting with me. Nara is an excellent host. I rarely catch him pushing, and it doesn’t last long. He hides himself in everything he does. And Minnie is a completely different story.
Minnie and her purring
Before I got Minnie, I thought cats were cleaned regularly, when they were relaxed and cuddled. Miki likes to be brushed, but in many ways, he connects with me like a dog, as he was raised with two. After Minnie came to me, I realized how powerful purring can be. Since he was very young and not very healthy, he immediately started hugging me, sleeping on my neck and chest, on my lap, and standing on my shoulder when I was doing household chores. He stuck by me, literally, and figuratively.
And her purrs are long and deep. They bring me a sense of calm and relaxation, and they last for more than 20 minutes at a time. As soon as I touch him, whether on purpose or by mistake, he starts all over again. If I am gone for a day or two, he will meet me as soon as I enter the house, while the other two do not quarrel. He’ll be over my shoulder, shaving, headbutting, kneading, the whole package. And the first night after my absence, here he is sleeping on my chest, sometimes even resting his head next to mine.
Nara and Miki
By growing this special kind of relationship with Minnie, I regret that Mickey is no longer as loving as he was when he was just a child. But even then, he never got as close to me as Minnie is now. I think it all depends on their character. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t show love; he does, by jumping on my lap, anointing me, and giving me love bites, but the times he spends with me are usually a few minutes long, several times a day.
Nara is scared, and despite going a long way, it takes a lot of patience to get her to hug. He’ll jump on my lap now, and even sleep on my legs, but he’s not a big purrer, as secretive and contrived. But you are a chatterbox. She will make more sounds than Mickey and Minnie combined, and sometimes, it sounds like she has a lot to say. Shame I can’t handle one swing.
A unique personality
It’s interesting to watch these three interact with each other, with me, and with the dogs, as they have very different interpretations of the world around them. For Nara, everything starts as a threat, before she realizes that it’s not always bad. Miki likes to watch from a distance and think carefully before reacting. Minnie, on the other hand, is the most carefree and fearless, or really, the most carefree. You will try everything at least once, whether it is a good idea or not.
It is strange how the same life conditions and lifestyles still lead to different personalities and responses to everyday life situations, which may also be based on what happened first recorded in cats while living with their mother and littermates. However, seeing their unique personalities and the ways they communicate with me brings me joy and makes me appreciate the level of their wisdom, and their way of improving our relationship. Despite having a cat that seems to be a loner like Nara, I now understand that cats are much more complex than the unfair prejudices that have been instilled in them that place them as aliens.
This article is part of Dr. Maja and Miki.