By Heng Rui Yuan (22J12)
Your skin is glowing, homework is done and dusted, and the stall owner called you shuai ge (Handsome), or mei nü (Pretty) when you ordered cai fan (Rice with assorted dishes) today. Things have never looked better.
Except, when you lie awake at night, extremely pleased with how the day has gone, an unbidden thought weaves into the fissures of your mind. That is, you think you're not quite an expert in the field of fluffy friends when you review how earlier this morning, the school cat wouldn't lean very much into your touch, and the seemingly aloof cats at void decks did not move from their regal stance when you approached them.
Adorable Manja 🥰
To you, who lie awake in the dark musing over the subject of how you could possibly wangle the attention of the furry without having to dangle a can of tuna in front of its eyes, or worry your lips while you brood over the multitude of ways you could attract cats, look no further into the realm of possibilities, for you have descended upon the very guide that endeavours to transcend anything else in life.
Hopefully, this article appears as an illuminating guide to the heart of a cat, and through garnering short snippets of information from here you will become besties with your neighbourhood fur-riend
Pet Pet the Cat
Firstly, before you pet a cat, it is best to judge whether they would be comfortable with being touched. To do so, extend your hand toward it, so the cat can inch closer to sniff it.
If you clear this stage and your meowjesty does not hiss vehemently, sharpen its claws, or display any adverse reaction from your gesture, you can slowly proceed to stroke its back.
According to studies conducted on the subject of petting, cats are generally found to love being petted around the facial region. Hence, when you judge that it bodes well, you can also try petting the aforementioned region.
However, before your hand strays anywhere else, it would be worth taking note many cats are not comfortable with people touching its tummy, so do take note of where your hand is heading toward as you pet the good boy.
Manja chilling 😍🔥 (Pic credits: Loh Jia Thye (22J12))
Cardboard Boxes
It is often said to attract a furry, you have to first understand its heart.
Often in films, cats are depicted to be absolutely attached to anything that looks remotely like a box. This then begs the question of "Why?"
To answer that, it has been found cats find boxes to be their humble abode for the warmth that they provide. Essentially, it is a shelter they can get cosy in, and where they feel safe residing in.
Now that you are aware of the reason behind cats' unadulterated love for boxes, make sure your little friend feels safe where it is, and shower them with a lot of love.
Manja loaf 🍞
Time
Much like humans, cats need time to acclimatise and warm up to people. Perhaps, some people, like that lady you see at the void deck on your way home from time to time (with an odd affinity to cats, and who, seems to have hidden a cat magnet somewhere in her frilly blouse), may have cats pounding their paws on the ground, jostling to congregate around her feet.
Do not be dismayed, however, as many often propound that with time, things will change for the better. Hence, I dare say the cat sitting leisurely at the coffee shop will one day warm up to your gestures with your unceasing effort. Give it some time, and remember, there is no need to rush the cementing of relationship with your best fur-riend or it may get fur-ious.
Love the furry, and it will soon love you too (or it already does, but is too shy to express their affection toward you openly, or they are just play hard to get cats).
Manja doing a sleep 🥰
Scent
If any of the preceding tips do nothing to help your situation, I have one last resort for you.
Before I go into writing the last resort, do you love the scent of catnips?
Do you go feral over it?
Well, if the answer is yes to any of the questions above, you can douse yourself in catnip and present yourself to a cat. With the scent of catnip wafting from your being, you will now have a higher chance of getting a cat to follow you home.
With that, I have come to the end of my sharing tips to a furry's heart. Stay pawsitive.
A disclaimer, this article was written by someone who has no experience with a cat because I am terrified of cats (but I still love them furries anyway). However, I hope this article can still serve as a credible source that you, who is troubled about furries, can turn to.
Manja in the toilet 🥰👍
For a credible source, you may like to visit https://www.cats.org.uk/cats-blog/how-to-make-friends-with-nervous-cat