It's long been known that each cat has their own unique personality, and that no two cats are ever truly alike. However, a recent study from the University of South Australia, based on a wide analysis of 3,000 cats, has narrowed down the total list of cat personalities to five of the most dominant ones, which are discussed in detail below. Knowing which personality your own cat exhibits will make your life a lot easier, especially if you've got more than one feline companion living under the same roof.
Here are the 5 most common cat personalities and how you can recognize them:
Outgoing cats simply love investigating and exploring, and tend to get in trouble for visiting places which are off limits. These cats need constant stimulation, and may become a bit destructive if they get bored. They can also be commonly found chasing after fellow housemates, whether human, feline, or even canine! What these cats truly require are plenty of toys, and people who frequently entertain them. Chasing a feather-on-a-string or even a laser pointer can help calm them down by allowing them to rid themselves of any excess energy they may have built up.
2. The Bossy Cat
As unsavory as it might sound, these types of cats are often labeled as bullies, due to the fact that they tend to be less tolerant of others, and are likely to hog resources, such as litter trays and food bowls. If you own one of these cats in a multi-cat household, it may be useful to provide more resources around your home. Ensure that each cat has their own litter trays and food bowls, and keep them all some distance apart. In this way, one cat won't be able to hog all of the resources simultaneously.
These kinds of cats are often highly-strung or anxious. They typically run and hide when strangers approach them, and would much rather disappear than deal with an unfamiliar situation. The key to taking care of one of these cats is to make sure they have plenty of 'safe spots' around the house, such as open cupboards or cardboard boxes, so that they never need to face anything that makes them uncomfortable. We'd strongly advise never forcing one of these cats to 'face their fears,' as this could serve only to further traumatize them, thus degrading their trust and self-confidence even more.
4. The Spontaneous Cat
Spontaneous cats tend to exhibit erratic behavior, and often react differently to an identical situation on separate occasions. This often occurs when a cat hasn't fully refined their set of life skills and, when faced with the unknown, will opt to run first and ask questions later. Alternatively, they may just have a mix of anxiety and high energy levels, which often tend to complicate a cat's behavior patterns. It's very important to never shout at a spontaneous cat, since it may confuse them and cause them to act even more unpredictably in the future. Setting standard routines for feeding and playing may help your cat make better predictions, thus leading them to behave more appropriately most of the time.
