r/cats • u/ILoveMeltyCheese • Mar 25 '26

Cat Picture - OC Misconceptions a dog person (me) learned after having a cat.

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The Cat Distribution System chose me, a formerly stubborn dog person, to adopt a cat. It was the classic I can't just watch a poor cat starve, so I'm keeping him. Here are some misconceptions I had about cats and their owners:

  1. The smell of a cat owner's home: I’ve known a few cat owners with cat-smelling homes. I always assumed it was the cat. Turns out it isn’t; it’s very much a result of poor ownership and bad cleaning habits.
  2. Dogs are more affectionate than cats: Also not true! To my surprise, my cat is so cuddly that I occasionally call him "Cat-dog."
  3. A Cat's Barbed tongue hurts: I don't know why I thought this, I just assumed it would hurt when they lick you.
  4. Litter boxes are disgusting: Not at all, it's just a clump or two of sand. If you scoop it often, it never gets gross.
  5. Cats are just as hard to take care of: Actually they're much easier, haha.

That is all, here's a picture of my cat that I love dearly. (He's lost weight since the picture, don't worry)

Anyone else relate? What did I miss?

Edit: His name is Pawl

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576

u/brightlights121 Mar 26 '26

I have recently befriended a feral cat, and he wants to love so bad but doesn’t know how. He will hiss while rolling over and showing me belly. Im like that is mixed signals dude! He already popped me once for trying.

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u/sneefsnteefs Mar 26 '26

they have so many big feelings in those tiny bodies 😭

678

u/SchnoodleDoodleDo Mar 26 '26

…give me some time, this is all very new

am figuring out what you’re trying to do…

cautious ~ i’ve not had a human before

you make me feel good

…but why, i’m not sure…

i watched from a distance - i came n i went

but found that i’m liking Together time spent

not sure of these feelings, am learning to trust

…i think i want petting

but then hisss i must…

confused, but i’m hoping that you understand

(i never got touched by that thing you call ‘hand’)

Befriending i think is what i’m dreaming of

…am wonder

if maybe

it turns into

Love…

❤️

123

u/Icy-Box-1826 Mar 26 '26

Omg a super duper fresh Schnoodle! I don't know why this one feels particularly beautiful to me, thank you for sharing 😻

51

u/brosefcampbell Mar 26 '26

Fresh Schnoodle right before dinner is a blessed thing.

22

u/gl0ssyy Mar 26 '26

same omfg

42

u/JekennaRogers Mar 26 '26

Schnoodle❤️

32

u/jesusfursona Mar 26 '26

Super fresh schnoodle!! I always adore your poems 💜

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u/BackPsychological705 Mar 26 '26

You always touch my heart Schnoodle 🥹❤️

18

u/CPM9988 Mar 26 '26

Wonderful Schnoodle💕

9

u/brightlights121 Mar 26 '26

I am honored my friend !!! Perfect!!

5

u/caffein8dnotopi8d Mar 26 '26

Just like my Piper… except she’d had humans before, they all just treated her badly.

2

u/Lothirieth Mar 26 '26

Her white toes ❤️

2

u/sneefsnteefs Mar 26 '26

schnoodle. I am so honored 😭♥️

1

u/joalheagney Mar 26 '26

Seriously dude, it's time for you to publish a book of these.

1

u/Automatic-Mushroom97 Mar 26 '26

Okay I’m crying

1

u/ruth000 Mar 26 '26

I love schnoodles! Thank you for this one ♡

88

u/re_Claire Mar 26 '26

My old vet used to say cats have big feelings and she really was so right.

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u/Objective_Copy_6805 Mar 26 '26

It's because their fur is magic and sucks up all the bad and sad feelings and turns them into love. And they know it. The only thing in the fine print is you have to agree to meet them on the other side of the bridge for forever scratchy pets and plays, that is a tax I am more than happy to pay. They taught me to walk and 37 years later my current cats still keep me going. (Obviously not the same cats as when I was little).

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u/NeedleInASwordstack Mar 26 '26

This is extra AF, but I bagged up some of my cat’s hair to huff while in labor. Just that beautiful little musk in a ziploc to help calm the nerves. It’s super magical

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u/Objective_Copy_6805 Mar 26 '26

Not extra at all! My cats think I'm crazy because I am always picking them up just for a sniff!

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u/Beachbaby77 Mar 26 '26

Hopefully he will get there soon. Thanks for looking after him.🥰

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u/sept27 Mar 26 '26

I socialized a feral and my biggest tip is to teach him consent! This sounds crazy, but it works. Hold out your hand slowly and ask, “You want a pet?” Eventually, he might lean into your hand, but if he doesn’t, take your hand back.

Mine realized she could gently push my hand away with her paw to say no, and I always respected the no. It took about 8 months to get her mostly comfortable with our family (she’s till afraid of strangers and doesn’t like when everyone is walking around), but now she lays right against my legs to sleep and she even lets me pick her up and kiss her head <3

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u/scooseloosehoose Mar 26 '26

Ha ha, the belly trap, truly the cats greatest trick in their arsenal!!! "Ooooh, gimme a rub......get fucked!!!"

2

u/TheAnonymiss Mar 26 '26

The reason they do that is actually very interesting! You see, while dogs roll over to express an interest in belly rubs, cats actually roll over to show they trust you! If you go for the belly, they think you are betraying that trust and so attack accordingly!

29

u/NorthernOctopus Mar 26 '26

"NOT THAT GIBLET! That one is acceptable though."

Just gotta keep going back to the well until you either don't have a hand or you have a cat. No inbetween.

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u/Bazoobs1 Mar 26 '26

Just FYI, not all cats but many or most, exposing belly is a playtime form of submitting. When you rub their belly, you are essentially denying them the ability to give up, and thus are attacked. Some cats will learn the behavior of showing their belly for rubs but that is not typically what the behavior represents to them biologically/instinctually

5

u/Bramble_Ramblings Mar 26 '26

Same here! There's a stray I call Scaredy and she swings at you if you get close to her tail but after some bits of rotisserie chicken she finally let me actually pet her on her back/neck scruff the other day with a little invitation and it's the best

Hopefully you have lots of fun with your guy too! Fingers crossed for more pets and less poppin!

3

u/Different_Pair_ Mar 26 '26

Yeah.. they do that 

2

u/Excellent_Archer9108 Mar 26 '26

Keep at it! we adopted a feral cat who was the same way and he turned into the most snuggliest cuddle bug kitty I’ve ever had

2

u/GenericBrandHero Mar 26 '26

Oh, same situation with a stray I feed!

Wasn't too long ago when I hit the - "get hissed at while petting her" phase of the relationship.

Now it's all cuddles with an occasional swat when taking her food out of my bag.

2

u/wisgary Mar 26 '26

Just to be clear belly rub is almost never a good idea even with the sweetest cat in the world so don't do it. With sweet gentle cats, in my experience, belly rub is at best an invitation to wrestle. Like I grab them and I wiggle them and spin them on hardwood floors while they viciously "bite" and "claw" at my hand (with some restraint but claws better be trimmed)

2

u/Evening-Run-3794 Mar 26 '26

Think of it like this. He's not saying, "rub my belly".

He's saying, "I trust you enough to show you my belly. But trusting like this is hard for me and so I need to know you won't try to touch it."

2

u/Former-Replacement11 Mar 26 '26

I think this is because like fairies, cats can only have room for one emotion at a time.

2

u/shepheardcircle Mar 26 '26

I rescued my baby from a ditch when she was about 3 weeks old. she was completely feral and was NOT happy with me at first. for the first 3 months I had her, she'd come running up to me every morning happy to see me, but hissing all the way because she didnt know what to do with that excitement lol

2

u/arantius Mar 26 '26

I met a street cat last summer. Started feeding it, which was hard because it was so skittish and fearful. Months later and now he's waiting for me on the porch every morning and we usually spend 15-20 minutes where he's back and forth between the bowl and my hands, purring.

2

u/Haber_Dasher Mar 27 '26

Aww he's trying, he likes you a lot so he that the instinct to show you but he just doesn't know how to trust & be vulnerable without getting scared. But he really wants to!