Tabby Cats

[Sensi Star]

I have a Maine Coon
(sorry I always get the 2 mixed up, mine has long ears and a fluffy tail) and am intrigued by it's personality. Is it just me, or are Main Coons the INTPs of cats? My cat seems to behave like one. She is quite shy. She is very smart and clever. Very curious. Her movements are very graceful and precise (more so than most cats). And most of all, observational in a detached way: I always catch her 'peeking' in a hidden spot -- like hiding just around the corner of a couch to observe the action while being unnoticed. This is her strongest INTP trait. However, she is also an outdoor cat which may explain some of these--but still--my friend has an indoor Main Coon and it is similar so maybe it is a Main Coon thing.

What do you all think? And also, what is your favorite breed of cat and why?

 

[Bird]

...No.

I do not think that an animal's
expressed genomes effect its
personality.

 

[Sensi Star]

 

[myexplodingcat]

Really? She's not a Maine Coon? Hmm.

I think cats have a stronger tendency towards INTP than humans do, except that they're more INTJ than INTP. But I don't think it relates to breed, really.

That goes along with stuff like, "(Irish, English, African, Swedish, Finnish) people are more likely to be INTP than (pick another nationality)." It's a bunch of hooey. Your outside environment affects your personality more than your appearance or nationality.

Does your cat like to pose for the camera? Mine does.

 

[Fukyo]

I think cats have a stronger tendency towards INTP than humans do

wat

INTP is a human psychological type, it can't fit a cat better than a human.

 

[Sensi Star]

...No.

I do not think that an animal's
expressed genomes effect its
personality.

This doesn't seem true to me. You're saying genes have no effect on personality? AFAIK the tons of research on genes suggest otherwise.

 

[Meer]

My cat is a tiny domestic shorthair.


She's a lot like me.

Calicos have low self-esteem, just fyi.

Also, your cat looks evil.

 

[Taniwha]

My kitteh is a Tonkinese/Tabby blue muted tortoiseshell. If she were human she would probably be an INTJ;

 

[Solitaire U.]

If anything, I perceive cats as extremist extroverts. If I absolutely had to assign an MBTI classification to general domestic cat behavior it would be ESFJ, the polar opposite of INTP. They're externally-fixated, equipped with what is arguably the most highly evolved sensory capability on the planet, definitely lack self-awareness or even the most rudimentary decision-making cognitive capabilities and so cannot 'think' in the MBTI sense of the word but obviously rely heavily (purely?) on feelings, and are never merely perceiving, but rather by design constantly assessing their environment and surroundings in 'survival mode'...

Which is probably why I've never cared for cats. Sorry, but everything cats tend to represent seems like the polar opposite of INTP to me.

 

[Cognisant]

True, cats aren't introverted, they're territorial.
When you want two cats to get along you smear butter on their forepaws and lock them the bathroom, then eventually (after much growling) they become accustomed to each others presence and get over it.

Their behaviour only seems introverted to us because by nature we've very vocal, very social creatures that as a matter of social cohesion are constantly in communication with each other, gossiping/small-talk are the human equivalents of how monkeys groom each other.

And most of all, observational in a detached way: I always catch her 'peeking' in a hidden spot -- like hiding just around the corner of a couch to observe the action while being unnoticed.

It's a predatory thing, all cats do it.

 

[Sensi Star]

Also, your cat looks evil.

Really? What about her looks evil? Her personality is far from evil. She's real timid and skittish. She even makes these little growls / grunts when startled or running and when trying to get attention. It's like a cats version of clearing one's throat (or similar to a pigeon noise)... it's really adorable.

 

[myexplodingcat]

wat

INTP is a human psychological type, it can't fit a cat better than a human.

I said it was more common. We're talking about the cat versions of INTPs. Why, I don't know, but we are. Maybe the poster wants to relate to her cat better.

 

[Bird]

This doesn't seem true to me. You're saying genes have no effect on personality? AFAIK the tons of research on genes suggest otherwise.

No, I am not.

Expressed genomes and genes
are not the same thing which is
why I was so careful and made
the distinction. But you clearly
were not aware of that.

 

[Bird]

You want to know what type your
cat is? Then here you go, courtesy
of Fukyo.

 

[myexplodingcat]

This doesn't seem true to me. You're saying genes have no effect on personality? AFAIK the tons of research on genes suggest otherwise.

Bird means the expressed genomes of the cat, not the chromosomes it has. If you try to clone a cat, the clone won't look identical. Certain fur color genes are "switched off" during the cat's youth. Tabby happens to be one of those fur genes.

Genetics will have an effect on personality, as well as the upbringing and environment in which the cat was raised. My indoor cats flip out when we take the outside, because there's no roof over their head. (This has to do with upbringing, not genes. You can't pass down an acquired trait like this any more than humans can pass down a hairstyle.) It's possible, too, that you played with your cat a lot or, as an outdoor cat, she's had a very interactive environment.

Cats don't think like we do, but they perceive things a lot like INTP personalities, and do use a certain level of logic in their own way. However, they can't get "lost in thought" like we do, because they don't use words to think any more than they use words to talk.

Science can be just plain awesome, can't it? ^.^

 

[EvilScientist Trainee]

No, I am not.

Expressed genomes and genes
are not the same thing which is
why I was so careful and made
the distinction. But you clearly
were not aware of that.

Uh, when we stop expressing the genes for the enzymes that affect the uptake of neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain, we have a different behaviour. If that cat took MBTI, it would be typed differently.

Just kidding.

 

[Solitaire U.]

You want to know what type your
cat is? Then here you go, courtesy
of Fukyo.

Embarrassingly enough, I actually answered all 64 questions using a composite of various cats I've lived under a common roof of acquaintance with as the beloved pets of family members over the years. The page claims to differentiate 16 distinct personality variants, but the questions are essentially 64 slight word variations defining a mere pair of feline personality types: Neurosis and Arrogance.

I concur.

Results...


CADQ (Cautious Aloof Defiant Quiet) Cats of this temperament type do not generally encourage interaction with people. This is likely to be the temperament of the feral cat you rarely see, can not catch, and if you did he would vigorously resist your well meaning attempts at restraint, exam and treatment. When raised from kittenhood or patiently allowed to establish a level of trust, the CADQ cat may form an attachment to one or maybe two individuals. His need for contact is limited by his aloof nature. The only difference between this cat and his vocal counterpart is the extent to which his fear and anger are obvious to people who would interfere with him for good or ill. Provision of food shelter, and security are the way to win the heart of a CADQ cat. Familiarity and a sense of control are needed for him to feel comfortable, but he also needs his space.

The CADQ kitten will tend to be shy and may greet your advances with a defensive aggresive posture (halloween cat), if he does not just run away. He may bite or claw an unsuspecting, well meaning person who makes him feel trapped. Early (less than 7 weeks of age) positive contact with people is most likely needed to establish a foundation upon which future relationships can be built. A calm non-reactive demeanor, food, and patience are the tools needed to win his trust, a trust that is easily broken if you make him feel uneasy. Young children and CADQ kittens are not a good mix. As an adult, this cautious aloof cat may be able to effectively avoid the advances of an enthusiatic child, but as a kitten he may not escape in time. Neither the kitten or the child will be the happier as a result of the encounter. Exposure as a child to a cat or kitten that inflicts a painful wound seemingly out of the blue, may cause of a life long distrust and dislike of all cats.

This is not a cat who likes to live in groups. The CADQ cat is probably happiest when he is able to establish a territory and conduct his affairs with minimal social interaction. He wants to know the boundaries of his territory and he wants others to recognize them as well. Urine and feces rather than facial pheromones may be his markers of choice. This individual may be the root cause of discord in a multicat household, but since he expresses his defiant aloof nature in gesture, posture and expression rather than frequent vocal outbursts his role may not be obvious to the human observer. Inappropriate ellimination may be the ultimate manifestation of this conflict. The CADQ cat may not be the one you observe engaging in the behavior even though he may initiate the cycle of urine marking. Cautious aloof cats may be able to live harmoniously in multi-cat homes as long as there is sufficient space and their boundaries are respected by all. Living in a single cat household with a person who has reasonable expectations when it comes to display of affection may work out best.

This is another temperament type for whom a veterinary visit can be traumatic. Even though he tends to be quiet, he is defiant with little desire for physical contact, and he hates the anxiety and loss of control he feels when removed from his home territory. It is fruitless and even dangerous to engage in a battle with the CADQ cat. Since his trust in human kind is often tenuous at best, avoiding a violent confrontation is advisable. It may be best to lightly anesthetize him with a quick acting inhalant like isoflurane or sevoflurane after shifting him from his carrier to an anesthesia chamber with as little fanfare as possible whenever examination and treatment are needed.

Aloof cats with a defiant nature that causes them to adopt a defensive aggressive response to fear or anger are not the easiest cats to live with. A cautious nature makes this cat more easily spooked than his bold counterpart so his defiance is more often an expression of fear. Even though neither temperament type makes them affectionate, a bold cat is easier to get to know because he is more confident and his cat curiosity will lead him to be more open to new things. However, a bold aloof defiant cat may be more frightening because he is more confident in his aggression. If you want a lap cat that showers you with love and affection, the CADQ is not the cat for you. This temperament type probably most closely resembles that of solitary living wild cats.

 

[Claverhouse]

Pussian Gloria

I am a weretabby and have been since a new-born kitten.


Tabbies everywhere approve this thread.





Claverhouse



I have copied elsewhere a video of a tabby kneading cushions in rhythm to Preußens Gloria, but it appears to have dropped off Youtube... Apologies to all cats.

 

[Polaris]

^^ meow.

Our old Norwegian Forest cat back home is highly intuitive. He is normally not that excitable (he's over 16 years old), however, he knows when I'm due to arrive from the other side of the world. He will be sitting in the middle of the road waiting for the car with my mother and I to come back from the airport. My mother says he normally gets very vocal and uncharacteristically excited before she leaves to pick me up, it is like he knows. Perhaps he's picking up on her excitement, I don't know.

I get out of the car and he will meow loudly, run in front of me up the stairs and hop into my lap as soon as I sit down. He is normally never that overtly affectionate. It is like his little welcome ritual.

It is awful when I leave. He anticipates this as well, but I get too emotional now even thinking about it.

 

[Wolf18]

I have a Maine Coon
(sorry I always get the 2 mixed up, mine has long ears and a fluffy tail) and am intrigued by it's personality. Is it just me, or are Main Coons the INTPs of cats?

What do you all think? And also, what is your favorite breed of cat and why?

I have a Maine Coon/Persian mix and a tabby mix of just about everything. I like Maine Coons. I agree with you regarding their personality.