I wonder if your personality is a reflection of the cats' or vice versa...

I've long held the theory that pets reflect the owner. I love Frankie- she's a love machine.

Neither of my brothers will have their dogs neutered- need I say more?

Funny My torty is the same way. Don't mess with her dog, she has taken on a pitbull before.

My dog little man is the mature listener and watcher with just a hint of pride to go with his mastry of human manipulation through being less than 8 lbs and oh so very handsome.
On the other hand, my Hana is a nutzo crazy head who is obsessive about attention and love and has no qualms about looking spastic or neurotic as a 3 pound chihuahua can. Today I'm having a Little Man day, but as the evening progresses, I think I'll be more like Hana - once the drinking has commenced that is.

All four cats are great. All together, they are super. I'm liking Drew's theory.

Faith, I don't know. Though it's no mystery that I got one scaredy fat cat, one little emperor, one prissy love machine, and one grey-haired old man. It all fits, somehow ;)

Wow, that's fascinating! I'm going to have to contemplate Pan and Harold, and what they say about me (as opposed to what they *would* say about me, which is probably quite different). Off to stare at their furry navels, metaphorically speaking.

I only have one kitty now after a high of three. Even though she is technically my daughter's cat, the two of us have this weird bond. My husband and son are indifferent about her and my daughter spends time with her occasionally, but when everyone else is moving in their own personal universes around our living room, it's my eye that she will catch and I know exactly what she's thinking...Who are these crazy people? She then comes up to me, stands on her back legs with one paw on my thigh and waits for me to tell her it's ok to snuggle, which, of course, is ALWAYS.

Plus we talk to each other when we're in the kitchen alone.

Hey, I just had an epiphany as well! I'm frickin' bug nuts!

I agree with Drew....Animals are a part of who we are, like it or not, but yes my cat is a reflection of who I am, and me her, I mean I love to sleep for 18hrs a day (who doesn't) And yes I get a bit needy to, just like my little girl. I think that's the way it was supposed to be, us codependant on animals. I truely feel sorry for people who can't appericate animals.

You're theory's far from crazy.

Are you a mind reader?

Just before I read your post I was thinking about my cat and her personality. And as I read your post I thought about how much my cat and I are alike.

My cat, Cali, is an only cat and I'm pretty sure she would like it to stay that way. She, like me, enjoys her alone time and if you interupt it, there will be hell to pay.

Cali is very verbal, always talking to me when she is in the mood, which again is like me.

The funniest thing we have in common is our craziness. Some times she gets so wound up that she just goes nuts, running around, playing and being a spaz. I am the same way, which is sad because I'm almost 35 and I have no excuse for it.

It may be projecting, but I seriously doubt it. I really think pets (be they cats or dogs) tend to be like their owners. It's just nature, don't you think?

Laurie, I look forward to your site every day. You're so insightful, and you have such wonderful, multifaceted kitties. I'll bet all four of them get the "kitty crazies" that inspire your wonderful, scattered, pointed, poignant, amazing, hilarious writing.

(Should I mention that Gwyndolyn is the cat and Sara is the person here? Crazy Aunt Purl will understand ...)

Just and FYI hon... Bob cannot be "autistic"... he must be Autistic. Capital A please. Bob needs to do the Autistic community proud! His canine brethren are working hard to better the lives of Autistic children - http://www.MerrillsFund.com - maybe we could get an Autism Service Dog for Bob next??

I think that I am a reflection of my cat's personality... She taught me everything I know!

Hmmmm. Never quite subscribed to this theory, but now you have me thinking. I know the reason my dogs are naughty is because I've spoiled them rotten (one sits on the furniture he isn't allowed on in the first place and allows me to bring him the water bowl)...

My dear, *everybody* reflects little bits of us back at us. That's why we need each other: to see ourselves as we really are, the good and the bad.

I have three cats and they two have completely different personalities - one is kind of a dumb blonde, the other is into world domination like Sobakawa, and the other is sweet and talkative. I do think we affect their personalities by interacting with them, but I also believe they're mostly born with their personalities, like we are. I had no idea how much of our personality we were born with until I had the opportunity to observe my twin nieces from birth, and they came out with the personalities they have now at 16 -- absolutely amazing!

Other Dagny, I decided to re-write that part because I realize in the reading of it that it might sound bad. I am so glad you told me to capitalize it, too, I never knew! I'll do that from now on.

But I do think Bob is actually borderline Autistic. He's so interesting! He is five years old now, but still forgets things like how his tail follows him everywhere. And when Drew was here, he freaked out when he realized there was a STRANGER sleeping in the other room. So I calmed him down and he was fine and I fell back asleep. And then Bob forgot why we were sleeping in the guest room. So he went to the bedroom and OH MY GOD, there is a STRANGER in there. And he freaked out all over again. Wash, rinse, repeat... all night long. He just couldn't hold the thought for more than a few minutes.

He is so sweet. I have to try to get video of him seeing his tail one day. It just surprises him each time.

This makes a LOT of sense to me and I haven't even been drinking with Drew!

Wow. I'm just bowled over, over here.

I just realized I'm as batshit crazy as you are.

And I just got a new box of fine wine.

I am so opening it right now because it must be five o'clock somewhere... right?

And I'm in a celebrating kind of mood because being as batshit crazy as Aunt Purl is A-OK in MY book. Especially if it involves a box of fine wine.

[YOUR Sobakowa would beat up MY Sobakowa, because YOUR Sobakowa is a girl, and mine is a boy, named Catzilla. Girls are deadlier. I just know it.]

Bob, Roy, Soba and Frankie are clearly the controlling masters of the Robot-Writer Laurie. The evidence is in these blog posts, for sure!

Cat Hair Castle and Camp Cat Hair--wow, I have the eastcoast outlet of those organizations!

Laurie,

You're not crazy! You're philosophizing [well]. Crazy is when you think there are mind-controlled vampire ferrets spying on you black helicopters. (And I should add that I don't believe in zombie rodents--that was just the loopiest idea I could think of at the moment. Which might make me a certain kinda nervous. Oh my, I'm going to stop now.)

Anyway.

It's funny... My cats are definitely like me. I have two cats and a dog. Louis, the orange tabby, is very defiant, demanding and eccentric (he's obsessed with anything circle-shaped, loves to eat pumpkin, does log-rolls on the floor for fun, etc.) He expects everything--its his, by birthright. But he's grateful when he gets it, whatever the "it" is at the moment. Chloe is the grey one, and she's a bit of a space cadet, shy and thoughtful. At the same time, she's inexplicably drawn to whatever scares her... She'll spend an hour alternatively approaching and batting/hissing at a hairbrush that's fallen on the floor. We had moths in one of our kitchen cabinets 6 months ago--when I come home from work, every evening, she is sitting in front of the same cabinet, staring and waiting for another moth.

Don't forget someone being afraid of change. ;^)

Yes, my kitty is like me. Just shorter. /runs

There are two dogs and one cat in my family. The dog that I picked out, Kira, is much like my husband, quiet and easy going. She attracts small children and is gentle and loving.

The dog that he picked out, Claudius, is almost exactly like me. He was traumatized and under-socialized as a pup. So, he is anxious and always on the lookout for bad things. He is eager to please and smart as a whip (ok, he's smarter than me). He doesn't trust people easily.

The cat that I picked out is very much like me. She is independent. When she does want affection she is not sure how to go about getting it. She doesn't like to sit in laps, but does like to be near people always. While I'm writing this I'm astounded that I could substitute my or my husband's name in any of these sentences and it would make sense.

I think we find those pets that mirror us best - we see something of ourselves in them and because we love them so much, this lets us be forgiving of our collective, um, oddities. By loving them, we can love ourselves...(I have no idea where that all just came from, but it sorta makes sense.) But I agree - because my baby girl pit bull and I are alike in someways too - we both have tons of love for those close to us and we're open (and like) to meeting new peeps and adventures, but woe to those who look at us cross-eyed or use their bad manners, grrr.

My little cutie, Senorita Monkeycat, and I are very alike as well.

http://www.dementedramblings.com/images/2c759451b349.jpg

We both tend to:
lie around a lot;
be rather standoffish with new people;
suddenly get hyper and rush about, then fall over in a heap;
like our privacy;
love food too much;
be mildly bipolar;
get overly excited when playing a game and hurt ourselves or someone else;
very affectionate and demanding of attention;
rather quiet.

She is my angel.

Oops, I hit post before I meant to.

What I was going to add was, I've had several friends and family members that have noted the cats' personalities... In the context of, "Go figure, she would have picked 'em."

So maybe our kitties are our little mirrors--maybe in loving our kitties, we acknowledge and love ourselves, in a weird way.

Thanks for posting your thoughts today...

The cat I've had the longest is just like me - whiny, never comfortable, emotionally distant. I've always felt responsible for making her that way, but maybe it is her nature.

You're not crazy, at least not in my book. I had a reading done about ten years ago (wait! I'm not crazy either! Keep reading!), and the lady said something that rocked me to my core: before we are born we make "deals" with everyone else we will meet in our upcoming life. These "deals" provide us the palette to learn the lessons we need to learn/grow/move forward on the great cosmic train. Taking that idea, mixing it with yours presents an even more remarkable idea: Everyone we know plus every experience we encounter shapes us indelibly and perfectly. We attract those whom will serve as catalysts for growth if we choose it. I think if we remain blind to the lessons--for whatever reason--we set our self up to repeat the experience later on.

Or not. Whatever. My brain hurts.

~Jesse from Tacoma

Jesse, that was PROFOUND!!!!

I love you and your cats and I don't think you're crazy. But, umm-ahh, don't talk about this theory too much during your performance review. Unless they've already fitted you for your Giant Tie costume.

My sister-in-law has had cats all her life. My brother begrudgingly accepted two, Beau and Jasmine, from her childhood into their home. Who knew that this cat pair mirrored these two crazy kids? Beau was (he has since passed) cranky, loud, and petty if you sat in his spot. Jasmine is neurotic, increasingly so, difficult to placate at times, and has a slight psycho streak that could be the end of all (but that's a story for another day). The dynamic has changed a bit. There are two more cats, Ziggy and Bella. My brother and his wife made the decision to not have children. These cats are their kids, and their personalities greatly reflect this fact. I could just go on and on, but I decided to stop. Have a nice day. I'm sure glad neither my brother nor his wife will ever read this. I love them dearly, and I'm even crazier than both of them put together.

You're not crazy - that totally makes sense. Esspecially since you're spreading it ot over 4 cats - I'd expect there are elements of their personalities in nearly everyone.

Oh they absolutely have fully formed personalities. I've lived with too many not to know this is a fact. And they have even higher cognitive processes like a sense of humor or whimsy.

I've chewed on this theory about our personalities in our pets before. And I have noticed that the pets that do reflect some part of me I tended to have very tight bonds with. Other pets, that I wasn't so similar to in some way, we had a wonderful relationship but it wasn't the same as those who I "understood" a little better.

It is interesting to wonder if we pick each other because we see something familiar in each other or if certain traits are "nurtured."

I currently live with a Diva Dog who I can only aspire to be like. I think she is the perfect female. She loves hard, plays hard, is in charge of all around her, is the toughest little gal (never complains when she is hurt and has not problem "correcting" bigger dogs) but is so generous with her affection it is mind boggling. She likes to be in everyone's business but has no problem walking away. I want to be like her!

Aw Laurie, you're not crazy. It's Drew who's batshit crazy!

Or maybe not. My cat is a hyperactive crazy-ass, just like me.

Oh, they definitely reflect who we are! But not all of us are wise enough to see that. I know people who have cats -- just cats. They swear the cat is just a cat, no personality at all. What does that say about the human?!

I play a game that is somehow opposite: If these cats were human, what would they be like? One of mine would be a teenage boy who endlessly stares into the fridge looking for something to eat, would wreck the car, lose the keys, and never grow beyond his teenage outlook on life. (Not sure this gives me insight into myself beyond an active imagination, but I notice more about the cats.)

Aren't the folks there YET?

such nice kitties. such a nice person.

I agree that you're not loco. Maybe you could cultivate a Blanche DuBois air of Southern senility! Wouldn't that be fun?

And we aren't anthropomorphizing our pets -- they have definite personalities. My cats Deano & Doyle are definitely "Big Brother" and "Little Brother," and no one who has met them could ever think they weren't.

So yeah, you need to spend like two hours reading Mommy Blogs and then you will feel like the whole cat concept is the most normal thing there is in the world.

Also, I totally aspire to be as cool as my dog. She is utterly unflappable - AND can I just say she is a dog not motivated by food, that's almost as rare as a woman not motiated by food or yarn.

I would need a zoo to capture all the personalities. Hi Sybil, remember me?

As for what Jesse said, I think I made some really bad deals and I have a lot to learn.

Now my brain hurts.

My best friend told me a few years ago, when I first decided to get not just a cat, but a Siamese cat, that she thought that was perfect, because if I wre an animal, I would be a Siamese cat. And I quote, A little aloof, a little diva-ish, and very intense, but also incredibly loyal and very affectionate to the chosen." That's my Siamese girl to the core, and probably more me than I like to think. My Siamese boy-cat is a whole other beast, though. He's dumb as a stick, a pure hedonist, interested in only being petted and being fed. If he were a man, he would be sprawled out on the couch watching football, drinking beer and eating ribs all the time.

My doggie is my friendly, happy side, and my kitty is my dark, hateful side. And the kitty always beats up on the doggie.

And my Monkey is almost EXACTLY like me. SCARY!!!

I have three (homo sapien) children, and YES they all three exhibit pieces of my own soul & personality, sometimes the lovely, creative, uplifting pieces of me or my DH, but very often the crappy pieces! They're often like funhouse mirrors that distort things (Do I REALLY look / sound / act like THAT???). Thank God for family counseling!

I also have two furry four-footed children, and the dog is just like another child, only with lots more patience, more smiles, and less arguing, and the cat is like... well, Disdainful Feline Dictator is pretty close.

I have 17 year old identical twin girls, and they display very opposite, yet accurate sides of myself. They fight alot, which gives me a clear indication of why I am such a nut myself...

both rabbi julius and leonard nimoy are incredibly vocal, and when they want your attention, they WILL get it.

nimoy likes to be close to me at all times, while julius is content to watch, so long as when he's ready, you are too. jules is more picky, nimoy likes everything. julius is also fierce when necessary. nimoy just sort of rolls with it, figuratively and literally.

i was just thinking about how different they are even in small things, like how they walk or lay down. jules is very elegant and handsome, he walks with cat style. nimoy actually scampers. julius likes to circle and pat and knead until he finds just the right spot. nimoy just flops his ass down whereever.

i love my boys.

Oh, I've known that for years. I reflect my animals and they reflect me. Hence, we have one "unique" household (that is what the real estate agent called us"). You know you have reached the heights of crazy when your real estate agent calls you "unique"!

No doubt about it, they have distinct personalities, but I don't think they got them from me -- they came that way.

Ali is the needy, whiney baby, never more than six inches from me at any given moment, constantly seeking reassurance.

Casey is the super-independent grown-up, (she was always mature, even as a kitten) who is happy with a couple head-scratches before she heads on back upstairs to her room, to sleep. (Yes, she has her own room -- wasn't my choice, but that's how it is).

Although Casey weighs a good five pounds more, Ali always picks the fights, and Casey always shrieks like she's being tortured during said fights, but it is Ali who gets the beat-down from Casey, when all is said and done. They don't fight much, thankfully, except for turf wars over that sunny patch in front of the storm door.

I am so glad to read this, because not two days ago my therapist told me my cats *were* me. Even though I only have two. At least we like our cats/selves?

I think animals pick up some on your personality. We have a cat and dog and both are laid back and can always deal with change. We've moved umpteen times in the last few years and I've had probably just as many jobs with crazy hours. We've moved the cat's litterbox so many times it's a wonder he can remember where it is, but he's never once rebelled. My mother's cat peed in her bed whenever there was any type of change and I'm thankful mine adapt better than that. Now, we're expecting a human child and the cat seems to know that as well.

The cat is the boss of the house, probably because we had him first. Kitter will chase the dog out of a sunbeam, or for fun he'll hide behind something and scare the bejeebus out of the dog. They are both goofballs.

The kid, Speck, even in utero is an uncooperative little shit. Sounds about like some combination of DH and I. :)

Hmm, I wonder what it means that we have a grudgingly adopted stray who is the nastiest, meanest, stupidest, greediest creature I have ever seen--with the fastest set of razor-sharp teeth. We call her Mrs. Chompers. She is perhaps the id of our little tribe of cats (4 total). Pearl is the superego, Buffy and Small Change are the ego?

OMG this explains so much.
The problem with choosing pets is that sometimes their personality doesn't appear right away. So do they absorb yours, or is it coincidence?

Yes, the cats & the kids - well they scare me sometimes when I see myself in them. Quite frankly I think they're just copy-cats... (I crack myself up)

My cats and my dog are VERY much pieces of my personality. We can disregard the snake, as he's not all that personable to begin with.

Yes. My three cats (I'm almost up there with your status, woo!) are definitely me--Lacey is the affectionate-starved adorable one, Mia is the independent loner that's afraid of the electronic litterbox, and Ike is the one we rescued from a dumpster that will get upset when people yet at each other and bite everyone around him when that happens. Hanna, the dog, is happy-go-lucky, gets into trouble a lot, but forgets why easily. She's the dork of the group.

So. I believe Hanna most represents me. *facepalm*

I'm love all my kitties but one of them I have a real psychic connection with. I know this sounds funny, but she knows what I am thinking. Sometimes when I am looking for her, she hides. Not mean, but playing hide and seek. But, when I call her in my mind, she comes. There are other things too. I know it sounds like I am batshit.

So now I know how Billy Bob got the "nervous hospital" line. hehehe

Hmm. My dog Scout is quite the opposite of me. But then again, he takes after my hubby...

I have a cat (Milo) and a Dog (Chloe) and they really are like two different sides of my personality. Chloe is a medium sized mutt who is all sweetness and light. Chloe loves the world- the world can do no harm, and life is always good. At the same time she is an anxious little animal (like me) and has abandoment issues (also like me).

Milo on the other hand is affectionatly referred to by my dad as "my bank robber of a cat." He is street smart, clever, can open doors and locks- steals stuff to hide away in his stash and continually beats on his dog. (never mind that he weighs 15 lbs and she 40 lbs) He is also a love junkie who contantly needs to be petted and touched (but on his own terms)and always looks like he is plotting world domination. He reflects my smart, conniving side.

Or another way to say it- have you ever seen the comic "Get fuzzy" with Bucky the cat and Satchel the dog? Well that comic accuratly reflects my life.....

I know you get a bazillion comments, but those kitties just bring me to tears. I love every little piece of fur on their bodies. Gotta go look for Kleenex now...

I have goats as pets. I'm not gonna think on that one too much.

OK I can buy into this but one of my cats likes to be vacuumed and the other goes limp if you rub her ears. What does that say about me, I wonder?

My three cats definitely have purr- I mean, personalities, but I'm not sure they reflect me so much as themselves.

Ganache is our Southern Belle. She's not terribly smart sometimes - although Frank thinks she understands more human words than the other two - and she's very needy and meow-y. As Frank interprets it: "Tell me how pretty I am! Now brush my fur and pet me! Purrrr!" She knows she's a pretty cat, and I swear she poses for photos. She made the 365 Cats a Year calendary last year posing on a typewriter (they spelled her name wrong.)

Espresso, her sister, only weighed a pound when I got her from the pound, but like the beverage, "size is deceptive." She is a very bossy little kitty and will yowl at the top of her furry lungs if I hit the snooze alarm in the morning or don't go to bed at 10 p.m. (Why? Who knows?) If she were a human, Frank says she'd be a college student in jeans and a T-shirt with straight As. when I have company over, she climbs on one of the chairs and just listens to the conversation. Ganache gets bored when she sees it's not all about her, and goes somewhere else to sleep.

Entropy, the oldest, is the one who would rule the world. Right now, she just rules the couch. As a human, she'd be a powerful executive in a red suit and pearls - who also likes to dance. She's bossy in her own way, too, getting Frank to feed her grilled chicken or brush her whenever she wants. She tolerates the other two kitties and has a running feud with Ganache who thinks SHE should be allowed to sit on the couch whenever she wants.

Frank and I have little conversations all the time about what the kitties are REALLY saying and what certain looks or gestures mean, so if you're crazy, move over - you've got company.

I see pieces of me reflected back in nearly everyone at some point. I think there are few humans on earth who have nothing in common with whoever or whatever is in the room with them. There are personality traits in my animals that highlight things about me.

My cat Linus thinks he is a normal graceful cat, but he knocks things over all the time and can't actually jump as high as he thinks he can (meaning he slides down walls/other things a lot when attempting to jump too high).

Lucy (also a cat) is extremely persistent and will try nearly anything to get what she wants (even if it involves annoying the heck out of you). I doesn't matter how many times you tell her no and put her back on the floor - she is still going to stand in front of your computer monitor and purr until she gets what she wants.

Riven (dog) is sneaky. He knows he can't steal stuff off the counter if I'm in the room, but the second I leave - he's going to eat whatever it is he wants. He's very smart and will always find the loop hole.

Snoopy (dog) just wants you to like him. He is very sensitive and will get sad if you yell at him. After he figures out what you want him not to do, he won't try it again.

If the pets are a reflection of who we are, then I can really be happy with myself. My (girl) dog, Oscar, is calm, and happy and loving, and still playful at 12, shares the big sunshine patch of carpet on weekends... Even though there are four humans in the family, I think she's My dog.

Both of my children have different facets of me, and my husband. They are a nice mix, really. My son (also 12) loves to read, do math and science, and is all "guy". My daughter will be 10 this weekend, and she is so much like me I apologize to her. I had The Child Curse from both my mother and MIL : I hope you have a child just like you". Poor kid.

My parents' dog is a big hunting dog, but is a sissy who chases butterflies and licks lotion off your hand. So does that mean my parents are sissies?

Love it when you post pics of the kitties. Makes me miss my Jemima, who went 2 Christmases ago at the ripe age of 17. My first baby (I have since had h.sapiens babies). I still miss her. I occasionally want another cat, but I'm not ready yet ...

Jemima was a standoffish maiden aunt sort of personality. Don't touch me (unless *I* initiate it), don't pick me up, don't smother me with love ... I'm a smothering-with-love kinda gal, just ask my kids - at least they like it ! She nearly died on the spot with HORROR when I brought the first baby into the house. She was packing (very stately-like) through the living room when she suddenly FROZE, crouched, looked around in, yes, horror, at the small squeaking thing on the floor. The facial expression was priceless: "WHAT is THAT, and WHAT is it doing in MY HOUSE ???" She slunk away, tummy almost to the ground, never taking her eyes off the evil creature. When child no.2 arrived she had settled down to a pained "Oh no, not another one...."

When/if I get another cat, I want a Siamese. Preferably male. DH says No More Cats! ... but then he's a dog person ... but then again, he *is* a cat - covered in fur; hates to get his paws wet; loves dairy so much it's a standing joke in my family that when you invite Sam to dinner, if there is whipped cream involved, he needs a whole bowl just for his own dessert! ... I have an actual photo of Sam and Jemima, curled up on either side of my column heater, backs as close to it as possible without singing fur ...

Ah, I'm rambling. Forgive ...

Er ... paCing. Damn typos.

See, now that makes sense to me. Maybe because I also have (or rather, am owned by) four cats--you're totally right. Each of kitty is unique and loveable and amazing, but also, for some reason, it seems like there is a little part of me wrapped up in all that fur. Or maybe it's more like I have a little bit of them all wrapped up inside me. Now I feel all warm and snuggly and want to go groom myself on the window sill.
Meow! Thanks for the smiles Laurie. You're the best.

Hey Laurie, please do us a favor and give Roy a big hug. Every time I see his face I get all teary-eyed and have to go hug my girl, Creature. Just so ya' know, she doesn't particularly appreciate the huggin', but she likes to see Roy and Bob on the computer. She comes running when I yell, "Look! Look! It's Roy! It's Bob!", and gets her fat self all lovey and purring up in the monitor. With it still being winter weather here, you can imagine ... static + monitor + cat hair = fun had by all.

Nature or nurture - whatever, you better believe it's true. One of the reasons I can't understand how people live without animals; something missing, there. My animals and I have always reflected each other. (Current crop can be seen at: http://www.tsocktsarina.com/blog/?p=45)

You say this little wine glass philosophy has made you look at your animals in a whole new way? Me, I'm thinkin' it'd make me look at my wine glass in a whole new way. In fact, I think I'll go take a look at it right now.

Pets totally reflect their owners.. My cat Claudia has a personal space bubble (and she'll thank you not to invade it unless you have permission!) and Calvin who reflects Jason's need to antagonize down to the last drop. All animals (not just pets) have very "human-like" qualities to their personalities. If more people witnessed and believed this, the world would be a better place. Maybe everyone needs to start drinking more wine??

I totally believe pets have their own personality. I don't know if my cat mirrors a bit of my soul or not -- he probably does to a greater degree than I'd care to admit. Sometimes he can be so sweet and loving and cute. And then he can just be a real brat. Hey, look, we are just alike!

Wling your dog is the local sport here where we live, and I LOOOVE t see the "people and dogs who match" walking by at the Starbucks!
I think you're right on with both the pets AND the children reflecting bits of yourself. And to quote Chris Rock, "Ain't no kid have it worse than the one who's like his momma's ex husband!"
as usual- love that Roy!

And also: don't you just love when your pet knows that there is something wrong and tries to comfort you? If I am really sad or really ill, my cat knows this, and will bring his favorite toy that he shares with no one and drops it in my lap, or he'll try and sit on my head and purr. Because clearly that would be very comforting.

I don't have cats - just one dog, but I do have 4 sons! With kids, though parents love them ALL equally (that's the story - we're sticking with it,) the ones who are most like the part of us we don't like, are the ones we have the most problems with - follow? Is that the same with the cats?

WOW!!
No, you and Drew are not crazy. It all makes perfect sense.
Yes, animals have their real, fully-formed personalities. Yes, I think mine exhibit some aspects of my personality or I exhibit some of theirs.
However, I must say I have not spent this much time doing an indepth study of my animals' personalities, quirks and foibles. Maybe I'll start.
Yes, my children exhibit pieces of my personality and they have sucked out some of my soul. ha.
It makes me sad to see my personality quirks in my children and it makes me happy.

You Am Smart.

I have one very special kitty. She's at the vet right now at this very moment getting yet another tooth removed. She is a piece of my soul and anyone who says otherwise just doesn't get it. (And maybe needs to be hit with the clue stick.)

Love the Roy. Muchly. <3 The Other Kitties too.

*OtterHuggles*

Since our household contains two dogs and thirteen cats, if I completely subscribed to the "pets reflect our personalities"theory, I'd have one helluva case of MPD. I do believe there is something to it though. In fact, the other day my hubby had this lightbulb-over-the-head moment and announced that my dog Rosie was my daemon - she was my Pantalaimon and I was her Lyra. You have to have read Philip Pullman's book The Golden Compass to understand the reference. But it's SOOO true. Frighteningly true. And cuts down on my travel a lot because, unlike Lyra's world, I can't take my daemon everywhere I go.

BTW, I love getting to know all your cats. I have this plan to give each of my cats their fifteen minutes of fame on my blog. So far it's just a plan... but eventually. It's soooo true that they have their own personalities from the get go.

holy cow! it's all true!! The dog is a mini me--crap, he even LOOKS like me! and the cats all have different traits that are just like mine! Now I need some wine....

You know, what is it about the little cats that make them so fiesty. My two littlest cats are both very, um, wait, how do I put this kindly? They're very spunky. =)

YES, Laurie - although I've usually had only one feline presence at a time, I know that collectively they all represent me. Well, Duh! Who else! My current feline connection is Sheldon from Sitka (he had other names in the 5 yrs before he became my soul-diva). So, I enjoy your feline furry family so much. Some people can interract with more than one personality at a time. Thanks for showing me that interraction.

Bossy's dog is a ginormous Great Dane who complains too much and likes to lean on people until she gets her way. Similarities? Nahhhh.

I have to say the theory isn't far-fetched. I've been saying for years that my cats get their neurotic behaviors from me and their friendliness from my hubby.

My ISP was messed for a coupla mos. and my largest complaint(aside from the email issue, which was actually liberating)was not being able to connect with you, your insights, and the feline connection! Oh - So - Good - to be Back.Aud

well audie! welcome back!

I don't think your philosophy is crazy at all.

...and even if it is, there's no harm in having a mechanism that helps you love and accept yourself.

(from a long time listener, first time caller)

Yeh, it's sad but this makes sense to me too.

My cat Abi has no fear and is curious about everything. When something interesting happens she literally sits up on her hind legs like a meerkat to check it out. She waltzes into my neighbours' apartments, jumps into their cars (okay I started that by taking her to visit other members of my family - she doesn't like trips in the car, but does like being where the action is). She has the crazy too, like the fact that she can't stand water but is also fascinated by it and tries to drink from the tap as it is falling (because it's fresher that way). She's a very social cat and waits for me to come home from work to race me up the stairs - she waits on the landing for me to reach that level and takes off again. She chases the broom when I pretend to clean. It's a small apartment but despite this she is usually in the same room at me - whether it's the bathroom sitting in the bathroom sink or sitting on the windowsill watching me wash the dishes in the kitchen. Sitting down to watch tv is the signal for her to leap up and sleep stretched out on my legs (up on footrest). Also, she terrorises my brother's cat Elwood (despite the fact that he is twice her size and age) - my brother is horrified to have such a wimpy cat and tries to get him to stand up for himself! Abi is me, age approximately 7, which is probably right in cat years.

If it was a larger apartment (and i could fit more cats in) maybe my personality could have more dimensions?

I have two pets, a cat named Baxter who is a wuss and shy with strangers but very affectionate, and a pit bull dog who is confident, demanding and expects instant gratification. Ironically I think both do represent part of my personality!

This post is so funny. I'm sitting at work giggling about how TRUE it all is.

We had a Bob-type kitty, we called her our post kitty 'cause she was dumb as a... She unfortunately died from a heartworm.

My kitty from high school, getting old, not going to say how old... Anyway, I tell people "you know the crazy old cat lady? well, I have a crazy old lady cat". She is so neurotic. If you walk towards her, you are chasing her. And endless other things, like only drinking water off the sides of the tub, etc.

My new kitty (an outdoor rescue) is also crazy. FOOD CRAZY! He also goes totally limp when picked up and loves it when my husband swings him like a pendulum.

Of course, the cats are just a small part of our animal love fest. Let's see: 2 cats, 1 ferret, 1 chinchilla, 5 rabbits, 1 hedgehog, 2 guinea pigs, 7 rats and 6 gerbils. Yes, they all have names which I won't confuse you all with.

YES!!! EXACTLY RIGHT! I have two kids and see myself in them. But, also? Somewhere I read a long time ago that you are the combined sum total of the five people you spend the most time with. So, think about THAT, huh? You are awesome.

I've always said, if you know my pets, you'll know me.

"They" do say we get pets who reflect how we want the world to perceive us. So maybe your 4 are the 4 facets of you. Which is some pretty deep shit.

I will say I fear I made a bad mistake getting a 900-pound pet (the horse) who is A) Blonde, B) Stubborn, C) Likes to do things his own way, D) Likes to know all the facts before he dives in, thank you, please - I could go on here, but really, it's beyond hope at this point.

I just saw this article on MSN, not terribly profound and slightly off topic but still relevant. Yes, I too can ramble.

http://msn.match.com/msn/article.aspx?articleid=7466&TrackingID=516311&BannerID=544657&menuid=6>1=9177

(Hmm, they missed the "Buying everything in sight with the credit card phase".)

Damn, the preview showed the whole thing! Arrgh, I hate techmology sometimes!

Try again:

http://msn.match.com/msn/article.aspx?articleid=7466&TrackingID=516311&BannerID=
544657&menuid=6>1=9177

Hmmm, so what does it say about me that I have 13 cats and 5 dogs? Also I am married so maybe some of them are parts of my husband's personality. By the way, I haven't responded before and also not sure what an URL is. Not very into the technology.

So you're saying that I had to get Boris because Natasha is kind of anti-social whereas Boris is the party animal? Hmmm. Makes me kind of worried though since Grasshopper and I refer to Boris as the Porn Star. Natasha is the supermodel with a Greta Garbo complex.

I think I'm going to need to get some wine.

Hm. Little White Canine is always excited when nice people are around and can make everyone laugh. Ginsberg (aka Orson aka Garfield) can't stop eating and lounging. Emerson is high-strung and panicks easily. Fat little Lolita forgets about the world and gets lost in dreamland. Lowell doesn't like being picked up but prefers cuddles to food. And Eliot, he'll be on your lap in 10 seconds flat when you sit down--but only if you're a guy. Check, check, check, check, check, check ... OMG. Now I need a martini

When I got a puppy (5 years ago), my alpha-cat, Nicholas aka the Catfather, was perturbed. Especially when the puppy didn't immediately fall into line. Nick didn't get mad----He very deliberately squatted over her bowl, and pooped.
I couldn't yell, it was just too FUNNY! And totally something I could relate to, I was the younger sister, and sometimes you had to choose just the PERFECT revenge. If the parents laugh, you're less likely to be punished.

DH says that Boo is just like me and I would have to say that Toby is just like him. Weird? Yes. True? Yesser. Unfortunately we don't look like our dogs, which would work to our advantage as they are within the correct weight range.

Ha! And I have to point out that Sobakawa is always WRITING her manifesto, and never has finished it? :)

I've read most of your blog and have to say...I think this is your best post yet. Rock on crazy cat lady, the world needs more people like you.

i am drinking the red wine. and i am (hopefully) NOT philosophizing, 'cause i would be a dead girl ... or a dead goldfish. yep. i came home to a dead fish tonight. hope i'm not like that one at all, but perhaps the one that's still living and swimming all over the tank. or perhaps like my plattys ... hiding in darkness, rejoicing in light, always eager to explore and eat.

Love this post. The dog is lying on my bed staring at my while I laugh, and I get the distinct impression that she is thinking, "Why do you sit in front of the tv-like thingee when you could be petting my instead?!?!"

Yes, our children do reflect part of our personalities as well. I realised this when my son was two years old, sitting in his car seat listening to his mother "sound-off" about the guy who just cut me off. Nothing rocks your world like having your angelic toddler yell "Fu------ Id---" at the car beside you. Good thing the windows were rolled up.

He's 11 years old, and his behaviour has improved slightly, but I definitely see part of myself in him and his younger sister.

OMG! This is so freaky.

As a crazy cat lady myself,I just had this epiphany.

One day I'm sitting there alone with my 3 cats and it just hit me " Oooh , how weird, these cats are just like my 3 kids."

We have O'Reilly , the responsible one.He's my watchdog, always guarding the house and his mama.(like son 2)All up in my business.

We have Cavuto, He's the youngest and is a free spirit.Doing daring dumb things that could possibly injure himself.He is so happy to be alive ...he wakes me up at 5 A.M. every day just to share the joy.
(like son 3)

Then we have Monkey, she is naturally smart and doing things her own way. Cutting a path , giving the smack down to anyone in her way,overcoming the obstacles .An entrepreneur (like son 1)

And then, I say to myself, out loud "good lord woman , you belong in the nut house"

But I really don't . I guess it's like that saying when spouses live together for so long , they start to look alike.

I suppose cats and kids are reflections of us , weather they like it or not. And the cats are fine with it.

time to re-name the blog.
You've turned a corner.

just sayin is all

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Your cats are ADORABLE!

I think it's more of 'like' recognizing 'like'. I know that because my love had a black cat that was a TOTAL psycho. It would pee on my side of the bed, it hide in dark places all the time and was afraid to come out except to him. Him she loved!

I understood after months of us (me and Peeta) hating each other....his TOTAL psycho ex-girlfriend had picked her out and gave her to him as a gift! ;)

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to answer your question about kids, yes. each of my kids reflects a different quality about me. some more than others, lol. my oldest (she's 22) reflects my tendency to be flighty at times. my 21 year old daughter has an attitude, like don't f**k with me unless you wanna piece of me (although i didn't get that attitude til i was like 25, lol, and she's had it since she was 13!). my 14 year old son is the loving, cuddly part (hard to imagine in a 14 year old, lol) with a mouth that does NOT stop (i do stop talking once ina while, lol, unlike this rambling comment). my youngest? he's 12, and he seems to be getting my "handiness." i can fix things. i cook (i used to do it professionally). and of course, i knit, crochet, spin, sew. he can make crochet chains, and has started his first knit scarf. he's my baby.

You know, it's not too late to buy "notcrazycatlady.com", just in case.

Around mi casa, the two cats seem to each represent the personalities of my partner and I in different moments. You're totally right, btw, about the personalities -- they've got them, fully fledged.

I think you're on to something there. But I mainly wanted to tell you that (a) there's a lot of trust in wine-glass philosophizing and (b) your photography gets more beautiful every day. That shot of Soba looks like an arty-Marilyn Monroe-type photo shoot!

Keep on keepin' on!

I meant "truth"! There's a lot of "truth" in wine-glass... oh, you know. Crap. Time for more tea, only because it's too early for wine.

Oh good grief yes. My daughter is already turning into me and she's 14 and in denial. We look alike, sound alike, she might as well be my clone. My son looks more like his dad, but he got my procrastination gene and is virtually my personality clone. He's in denial about turning into me, too.

The cats are a little different. They have their own personalities (my smallest is the alpha, too, but she's a tabby). I don't think they reflect my personality, but I do have traits in common with them. They were all strays we've picked up along the way, so maybe that's why I got the ones I have. Like goes to like. (Five years ago I would have said you were crazy if you told me I'd have three cats, love them all like crazy, and would admit to having personality traits in common with them!)

You can't even imagine the ways your children show parts of your own personality. They learn by example, you know, so every bad habit or trait you have is thrown in your face by these people. Sometimes I watch my oldest when she's angry, and sadly, it's like looking in a mirror.

OMG....just lurking and had to comment! You are too funny. Love your site. ;)

I totally think its true that cats and dogs have their own defined personalities.

We have a typical teenage girl in our house. Penny (she's 2) likes to "talk" ALL the time, she needs constant attention of the adoring kind, and she loves grooming herself and looking in the mirror. Ozzy (Penny's not so twin also 2) is a bit of scaredy cat but loves being petted and paid attention to (if you can catch him) and he is always up to mischief. We don't have an Alpha cat. It seems like one comes up with the brillant idea and they both execute it. Like getting the 3x6 rug (its lightweight) from the downstairs living room to upstairs under my sewing table in less then an hour. Twice. We've finally put it down under the furniture.

Now the dog. Well, um, she's simple and we really aren't sure what's wrong with her. I know it involves ADHD and being dropped on her head. I'm sure of it I just don't know when/how it happened.

Love, love, love the kitty cat bios! Isn't it great how different each of our animals can be, and how human their characteristics are? Or should I say, that humans share so many animal charactistics...hmmm. I used to have a horse that definitely had quite a personality...he would get so mad if I forgot to bring him carrots that he would turn around, but his head in the corner of his stall, and refuse to talk to me!

Mam'zelle Purl...surprizing wisdom! It is interesting. If you were a cat you would be an Orange tiger with the polka dot stripe pattern that purrs really loud and has peacock colored eyes.(meaning they change color) You would also make bread with your paws alot.
Animals do fill life with light and love. Drew knows, he's not nervous ;) It is fun to see people as animals other than human. Yes, people are afraid of me. You are the best friend a cat could have, thanks for this story and all the cat scoop. haha

You are so right... my two boys are utterly and completely the two halves of my personality... and they are as different as peanut butter and cocaine, I mean, night and day ;)

LOL!! I have two sons. You would think son's would take after their father's...Well in looks they got those from Dad...SO handsome! But in other funny quirky things..they get from me.
For instance...my youngest, Nate. I am a freak about the sheets and covers being "just so" and lately Nathan is picky about blankets and how they lay and who lays on them and such. One night I didn't get the blanket right on him and he went nutso...but I totally understood the madness of a wronged blanket and quickly fixed it. All was well with the world.
Now my dog?? He's not much like me except for maybe we're both just lazy. LOL

I do get what you and Drew are saying...Animals are clear about who they are, what they do and why they are here. They teach us so much and give us so much love (that's some job) They are natural never fake! Good way of life.
I have 6 cats making me smart and sexy. I just need more help than you. I am a Pices and a Pig and I took your good advice in the horoscope (Thank you!)so to celebrate I'm getting some Philosophy wine and crochet. (and Catnip...TGIF)

This is definitely going to take a glass of wine, or hell, a whole bottle maybe, to philosophize on... I can already note at least one quality of myself in each of my 4 animals... and there are more. I could probably write a book. I think you've just inspired me to update my own blog! maybe.

I know you think you're the crazy cat lady, but really, I've found that less than 3 cats is no fun. But you have to stop before the health department investigates. I mean, my four cats are such a little colony, I feel like I'm a behavioralist on Wild Discovery-sort of a HouseCat Manor, if you will. Hmmm, I've gotta see how they all fit into my psyche.

and my dog is totally my husband and vice versa. But that's a whole nuther story.

Whether we like it or not, one of the primary reasons animals find their way to us (and us to them) is to show us mirrors of ourselves. This sucks when I am complaining about how grumpy and stubborn my horse is, how neurotic and passive-agressing jack the cat is, but is mostly nice when it is callie cat, who is sweet and loving until she becomes demanding and pees in the corner. The lessons I have to learn!! Great post!

Hm. I certainly hope not, actually...because Frodo is play-aggressive (ie, I love you Mommy! Let me show you that love by clamping onto your ankle with my teeth and all four sets of sharp claws COMPLETELY AT RANDOM), likes to chew on zippers, knocks things off of my nightstand to wake me up whenever he feels like it, and his favorite food is hummus. I would be certifiable if I had anything in common with this cat!

i am Sobakowa in human form.

Nah.. you're not batshit crazy... it's Drew! (g)

Nah...My children exhibit their father's personality more then mine...which is weird sometimes as we the parental unit are no longer together.

Our household consists of 2 cats and 2 humans, and I have to say the the female cat is like me (kind of shy and quiet, but affectionate bordering on needy once she's comfortable with you; a bit prone to getting grumpy; looks younger than her 10 years; has a bit of a tummy), and the male is like my husband (outspoken, loves to be the centre of attention, is everybody's buddy right off the bat; long and lean; has a nervous tummy and is prone to getting sick.) I don't see much of myself in the male, or of hubby in the female.

I've fallen in love with this beautiful cat lady! K, bye!

I am so happy to read about your cats and their personalities. This is crazy because I am not a cat person... but the more I live with my cats, the more I read your blog... the more heart-eyed I get whenever I see a cat that's well-loved (or worse, a stray that needs a loving home...)

I work in the animal sheltering business and all eight of our cats are rescues. Some are like me, some are like my husband. Our Eldest of Days, Tessie, a true calico, is on my lap right this moment. All she wants is love and softness all around her. She is happy and purring and peaceful and meditative. She makes you feel peaceful in exchange for the lap. Tessie is the me I want to be: peaceful, quiet, content just to have another cool sunny day to live in, and not stressing out over anything but bad dreams and sudden, loud noises.

Jigsaw, our second eldest, is most like me as I am now. She is the Boss of all the other cats...so this means she has a lot of responsibilities. She is a perfectionist, she stays up all night pacing the house and worrying about her duties of keeping the other cats in line, guarding the house and worrying about the weather and unfamiliar noises. She loves her quiet time alone. And for a little while each morning and evening she wants a lot of love all at once, just wants to be petted and talked to and have a good conversation and something good to eat. The rest of the time she is a workaholic.

Blue is the part of me who can deal with troubles. He's my withdrawn, quiet, stoic side.

Bella has her stories no one will ever know. She is happy just to be loved, and to be here. She has wise eyes and is very generous. She is very much like my husband.

Annie is a reflection of my younger self. She is unsure of herself and a little on the shy side, but what she really wants is love and affection. Lots and lots of it.

Guinness is a tuxedo, soft and sweet and inobtrusive. Once he is satisfied that you have noticed him, he just wants to cuddle and be near.

Shamu is wise far beyond his years, smarter than most people I know, and affectionate. He is a terrific conversationalist and is loyal to the point of self-sacrifice.

Seven is our bouncer, a big tuxedo full of mischief, but he is also the dearest, sweet affectionate cat. He sometimes resents being a full-time inside cat, but we have reached a truce on that subject. Seven is Daddy's boy.

i love this post! I think you're right about your cats. You know, like how people and their dogs sometimes look alike? :) And kids definitely reflect parts of their parents' personalities; i'd think our cats and dogs would learn from us in the same way... or maybe we learn from them?

My Mollie is shy, doesn't like crowds, but is whip-smart and knows how to find and get what she wants. Maggie is much more outgoing and needs lots of love, but is kind of a clumsy goofball. Both of them love feathers, shiny objects, yarn, snuggly blankets and mid-afternoon naps. We're very much alike :)

My cats absolutely reflect my inner world. One of my cats is clumsy, loving, and not too bright. One has strange agendas, is oddly standoffish (except when she's not), and gets picked on a lot. The third is possessed by Satan. Hey, what can I say?

My little furball Prana and I have several things in common. He likes loves being outside, wants adventure and excitement but then loves being home and snuggling in the bed. Sometimes he's spoiled and demanding but really he wants people to like him and is very loyal.

On the other hand, he just killed one lizard and two mice today. And left them for me as presents. I hope I don't do something as nasty.

Oh My God... I'm Roy. Well, at least I am no the neighbor's dog down the street. LOL I'll just keep on keeping on.

At least you didn't refer to their purr-sonalities... :)