Cats are so manipulative

Since adopting a cat 3 years ago, I've marveled at how adept felines are in getting exactly what they want from their owners.

My dogs will stare me down if we're in the same room and they're hungry. If no food is forthcoming, though, they'll not whine or bark. They'll politely and quietly go back out into the yard, no complaints.

But the cat? The cat plays hard ball.

Early in the morning I hear her meowing as she pads into the bedroom.

Jumping up onto the bed, she literally (and figuratively) walks all over me, batting at my face.

Not working?

She'll then advance to knocking a few books off the nightstand with a crash.

She meows and purrs incessantly.


I've learned a few things about cats since I adopted Annie, a feral whose past clearly included some kind of sophisticated human interaction.

But mostly, I've learned that they know how to get what they want, when they want it.

A hungry cat simply will not be ignored.

And it's not just me.

Here's an article about how cats have learned to wrap us around their paws with a purr.