Ok, so when you see a kitten, or even a grown cat, and immediately think it’s the one for you, you pay the necessary fee to the breeder or store owner, and you take it home thinking it’s going to be with you for the remainder of its life. Unfortunately this isn’t always the case!
Cats, unlike dogs, are not big on blind loyalty. Cats live life on their own terms. Like teenagers they except to come and go as they please without being questioned or having restrictions placed upon them. Some of them also have their own ideas about where they should live – and that may not ncessarily be in your home!
When cats are out and about in the neighbourhood they encounter other people. They spend time observing what the neighbours are doing. They often snack at friendly homes where they are welcomed. On these visits they occasionally decide that this other home is far more suitable and will increase the time they spend there – until you start to wonder where your cat is most of the day. Eventually there will come a time when he rarely comes home at all! If your cat has some kind of identity tag on him, the neighbour will probably contact you to let you know where the cat spending his time, or perhaps even trying returning him to you – but if the cat’s mind is set on moving in with your neighbour you may as well pack his belongings and let him go!
Cats have a will of their own, and once they choose you, they’ll be loyal and friendly – but don’t expect that just because you chose the cat as a kitten, that it will stay forever. If you want that kind of loyalty, you’d be better off choosing a dog!