[puridalan]

So, I've never been a huge cat person, though I don't hate them by any means. There is this one gray and white cat that I met five years ago only once in my neighborhood and it followed me home, even though I did not pet or feed it.

A few months ago, I was back home and was out walking when the cat literally remembered five yrs. ago only once who I was. It came over to me and started to meow and I petted it. It was like a dog it followed me on command, and it even stopped when I told it to.

Left it someways and continued on my way. Next day was even worse, I go outside the back door and take a few steps out and the cat has been waiting at me, intending for me. Mind you it somehow had to creep under or over the locked back gate, and I told it to hurry up and come out with me. I start talking to it, like it's a human telling the cat that it shouldn't be such a creeper and to keep up or stop 'talking to me'. A second later it gives me this look like I'm going to run out infront of this car. The cat isn't stupid, it knows that the car is there, it literally gives me this cocky look. Going infront of the car, it stops, and not only stops it sits and stars at the driver like they're a moron...then gives me a look back almost smiling I sware and comes prancing back to me like ha ha ha. I get all upset with this cat saying you could of been killed why are you being stupid.

I get a call a few minutes later, the cat out of no where starts meowing as soon as this person gets on the phone with me. Mind you the cat hasn't meowed at all beforehand. It literally will not stop meowing, so I tell the person I'll have to call them back. As soon as I hang up, the cat stops -.-

I've never seen a cat act to this degree that 'humanish' and that keen on knowing and what I was doing...it's not normal. I only met the cat once five yrs. ago and it remembers me. I thought it just liked everyone, but when another person passed it hissed at them and stared them down like it was protecting me..which is just well strange.

I was only at my house for a few days, then went back. Though I recently went back for a night for an appointment. Anywho, my sister told me about this cat that's been infront of our house. I asked her for a description it was the same cat. From her report, she said the cat has been sitting infront of our house for the past four days meowing and waiting. My sister says it's very strange. What's even crazier. A person (that does not know anything about the cat) asked me do you have a cat following you. So...that's weird.

SO, my question is do you think a cat could possibly not be a 'cat' in the mental body that is...or no you think the cat is just being weird or what? I'm curious to your input

Thanks!

[Ebonykrow]

Why was it like a dog if it followed you on command? Cats do this too. Cats also have the capability to store immense amount of memory, in a study conducted by the University of Mass. it was found cats can retain long-term information 16x longer than dogs, and even 5x longer than orangutans. Five years of retained memory doesn't sound all too surprising to me.

It sounds like any cat I've ever met--and I've met my fair share. They are more like a human in respects to behavior and understanding more so than any other animal in the kingdom, except for our closest relatives. Their brain structure is nearly identical to our own, which suggests they are capable of the same complex emotions and understanding that we are. We also communicate in a similar way, and some cats that are used to verbal communication with people will naturally be more verbal. The more you talked to this cat, the more it meowed back at you--you were literally having an understandable conversation with him.

He may have just formed an attachment to you, which is common with strays. It's normal that a cat, or any creature--even people--will naturally like someone better than others. You probably behaved around him in a way that made it easy for him to trust you, and made it easier for him to form this deep attachment. Homeless cats are likely to take up with a few particularly kind individuals that send peaceful signals. The most highly prized form of communication with a cat is ignorance--you ignore him, the more he's going to like you.

Some cats are just like that.

My suggestion is to just remain friendly with him, and not worry about it. The worst thing that could happen is you have a new best friend on your hands.

[puridalan]

haha Thanks that's what I've considered as well. The only weird thing is the strong attachment because I don't live near this cat, except when I visit home on occasion. So, far to date the cat and I have met a total number of only 5 times (all together in the five yrs.) You would think that if you've only met an animal five times you wouldn't have that strong of a bond, but it's like the cats known me forever.

[Ebonykrow]

Not entirely true. I met a cat that lived across the street in a feral colony about a year and a half ago. He was completely feral when I met him, didn't have any intention of being around me. That evening we were best friends. I met him about 1-3 times a month for the next six months. He didn't trust any other person but me, and would run at the slightest indication of another person--whether it was someone shouting at the gas station across the street or a car door slamming, he was gone, right out of my lap.

Some cats are just incredibly needy, and feel that there is only one or two particular people that can adequately make them happier. The cat probably has known you for a long time, you just didn't notice him before. Like I said, the more you ignore a cat (even unintentionally), the happier they will be to spend time with you in the end.

Also, this is a good example of just how well a cat cam remember. http://www.snopes.co...s/christian.asp I'm sure everyone's heard the story about Christian the lion by now, but it still serves as a great example to their ability to remember.

This post has been edited by Ebonykrow: 08 November 2009 - 01:13 AM

[puridalan]

O, ya didn't even think of that, thank you!

[batvette]

Not to diminish (or "cheapen",LOL!) your relationship with the cat, but have you ever fed it? It is a common truism that if you feed the neighborhood roamer once, you never get rid of them. However they have more in their heart than food, there is a Siamese (supposedly the most intelligent and doglike, noticeably so) that comes around my yard regularly even tho I haven't fed him. Really friendly, and has really deep human like eyes, that display his moods well.

(when I commented on your profile I saw you started this thread and thought of my siamese "friend")

I still won't feed him, my neighbors do and he'll show up at 4 am at their door meowing loud and wake them up, they have to get up just to feed him! He looks well kept and I think has a regular owner, the little "tramp".

[Kim81]

Ebonykrow, on 08 November 2009 - 05:12 AM, said:

Not entirely true. I met a cat that lived across the street in a feral colony about a year and a half ago. He was completely feral when I met him, didn't have any intention of being around me. That evening we were best friends. I met him about 1-3 times a month for the next six months. He didn't trust any other person but me, and would run at the slightest indication of another person--whether it was someone shouting at the gas station across the street or a car door slamming, he was gone, right out of my lap.

Some cats are just incredibly needy, and feel that there is only one or two particular people that can adequately make them happier. The cat probably has known you for a long time, you just didn't notice him before. Like I said, the more you ignore a cat (even unintentionally), the happier they will be to spend time with you in the end.

Also, this is a good example of just how well a cat cam remember. http://www.snopes.co...s/christian.asp I'm sure everyone's heard the story about Christian the lion by now, but it still serves as a great example to their ability to remember.

Aww, this story is making me miss my babies But I agree with you. My cats remember things an people very well and have their own prefrences of who they like to be around. My youngest cat ( I have 2) is always meowing and responding when my Husband and I talk to her You should take this cat in and make her your pet !!

[Hamlyn]

Also, cats don't know what phones are. So if you're talking on the phone, the cat is usually sure you're talking to him.

Don't get me wrong. If there is such a thing as a mystical connection, then cats have it with their humans.

[puridalan]

You don't understand though I was talking earlier to the cat and it said nothing, only when I got on the phone did it start.

[Hamlyn]

Well... cats are slightly insane.

[Paranormalcy]

Now I agree, my cat jumps up on my lap when I am on the phone for even a minute, and prods around and rubs and meows, but I look at it the same way is I were reading a book or on the computer. "Hey, what's this? My human is giving undivided attention to... what is that thing? Well, I'm not sure, but whatever it is, if I stand in front of it, his attention will then focus on me. Here I go - uhh. HYUP!"

[Opus Magnus]

Cats are cool. It seems like they live in that thin line between being awake and being asleep that humans only rarely enter.

Sometimes while staying at my friend's house and going to sleep, getting to that state and inducing sleep paralysis the cats would start to interact with me. They'd be aware of the games going on in my head and react, like dodge imaginary darts, or jump in front of an imaginary dart to shield another cat. Then all surround me in some strange ritual dance. Those cats were awesome.

[Hamlyn]

Absolutely right. Laundry, books, computer, anything you're doing, cats love to intervene. Mine do, anyway.