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lovingpet -> I Was Watching My Cats Today... (Silly Post Just To Warn You) (11/30/2010 1:33:16 PM)
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...and I couldn't help but notice their behavior. I've got an older cat and two little ones who are siblings. The older one had long rule the roost uncontested (except for the whining of his human subjects LOL). He terrorized several different kittens we had tried to bring in over the time he has been with us. This time was different though. After a rather drawn out stand off and getting to know you phase, he has become paternal and quite protective of the other two. Needless to say, he's still the dominant one among them.
The older one had retreated some time earlier to the bedroom to get some much needed and wanted snooze time. After an hour or so, one of the little natives had gotten restless. He came into the room, jump up on the bed right in front of the sleeping cat. The jostle to bed woke him and the little one turned over on his back and sighed. The older one pulled him in closer and licked him (what this kitten usually seems to want when he is with the older one). After a bit of licking, he laid still and let the little one snuggle in with occasional licks. Eventually, he went about his own business, but stayed near the kitten even coming back to give a lick or nuzzle as the kitten contentedly slept. Rarely, the kitten would get up and come after an additional nuzzle or lick too. After awhile, they parted ways. I believe the older one left the room and the little one stayed on the bed.
What struck me was the fluidity of the exchange and the lack of "dominant games" for lack of a better term. The submissive one approached the dominant one and it wasn't responded to as a threat to the dominant's position and there was no fear in coming to him. "I need" was not construed as some form of manipulation or "do me" attitude. Meeting the need was not a sign of weakness or held as some kind of thing to be earned or free to be given or not on the whimsy of the dominant. Also, meeting the need was not enough. The dominant stayed to care for the submissive until they were settled completely. There was "aftercare". When his submissive's needs were met, he went on with his ruling of the household as he always did. There was no switching (as in overthrow), topping from the bottom, or any other power struggle scenario. There were two contented cats, neither any more or less a cat, and their little power structure was undisturbed even as I caught myself thinking how that little kitten had the older one wrapped around his little finger. My opinion didn't matter.
I thought about the threads that we see here all the time. I thought about all the questions I have had along the way as I have and continue to journey through my first and, hopefully, only M/s relationship. I think about the conversations I have had with others. I just thought how, wow, these cats have got it just right. Why do the humans make it so darn complicated? They were just being cats. They lived in relation to each other as they had determined among themselves. They didn't really choose it. It's just how it all turned out ultimately. They were all content and everyone got what they needed. Nothing outside of them had influence or input into how they conducted themselves. It was natural. It flowed. And now I have decided I want to be more like my cats! [:D]
lovingpet
da silly
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