The Imperious Cat
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I would wager that if you have a cat, you probably have an imperious cat. Cats can appear haughty and arrogant without even trying. But this type of behavior does not seem to apply to the dog in the household.
Here’s an example of an imperious cat. This morning I was still lying in bed; awake, but thinking. Lying in bed thinking helps me to review things. Think about what I want to accomplish.
The decision about where to move. (Kendra and I will be looking at condos in October. They get snapped up fast. I’ve already talked to the bank. An application is only good for 120 days. My lease will be up in January. So October is when I apply for the loan.)
Ivy waltzed into the room and meowed once. She is not a chatty cat.
Me: “What is it, Ivy?”
Why do I respond this way every time? She can’t answer the question. But next time I’ll say it again, you can be sure.
So I figure she needs more food in her bowl. I’m trying to cut back on her food intake due to her weight.
I figured that’s what she wanted until I got up and looked at her food bowl. She didn’t need more food.
As soon as I got up and started moving around, Ivy disappeared behind the curtains. This is where she goes to watch what I call her “outdoor TV.”
In other words, she watches for anything that moves. If it’s a squirrel, it’s imperative that she get excited about it. Ivy can get excited by a leaf blowing around.
Eventually watching “outdoor TV” will make her sleepy and she’ll take a nap there between the curtains and the patio door. Cats seem to sleep a lot, don’t they?
My vet said it wasn’t unusual for a cat to sleep 18 hours a day. Apparently more than half of cats sleep between 12 and 18 hours a day. Kind of remarkable, isn’t it?
So Ivy didn’t need anything from me. Her food bowl wasn’t empty. I guess she just thought I’d been in bed long enough and it was time to get up.
Why Did I Use The Words “Imperious Cat?”
So why do I call it “the imperious cat?” Well, that’s because cats rule the home. You exist mainly to see to a cat’s needs.
They love you, yes, but they’ll let you know when they need you. And you’re to back off until they do. Otherwise, you might get a paw swat that draws blood.
In other words, don’t call them; they’ll call you.
When a cat wants to be petted it will “nose” your arm until you comply. You exist to see to a cat’s demands.
As every cat parent knows, nobody owns a cat.
“In ancient times, cats were worshiped as gods; they have not forgotten this.”
Terry Pratchett
The word “imperious” popped into my head when Ivy nonchalantly walked into the bedroom this morning and issued one “meow.”
Cats are independent creatures. Sometimes they appear aloof and standoffish.
They’re everything you wanted to be when you were in junior high and liked a boy. You wanted to appear nonchalant and indifferent.
So I got up, watered the outdoor plants and ate a bowl of cereal. I haven’t seen Ivy since. As soon as I got up I suppose her mission was accomplished.
Do You Think A Cat Stays Up All Night?
I think Ivy stays up much of the night, as evidenced by her toys strewn around the floor every morning.
Today I walked into the living room and saw a stuffed red felt heart on the floor. Yesterday it was a red and white curtain tie.
Before I gathered up all the foam paint brushes, each morning I’d see them laid out in a pattern. So I know she’d moved them around during the night.
Who knows what a cat does while you sleep. It’s a little scary to contemplate.
A cat wanders around with its tail held high and waves it around like a slithering snake on the ground.
I was wondering what a cat’s tail in different positions means; if it’s the way they display what mood they’re in. So of course I looked it up.
Hills Website – The Tales Your Cat’s Tail Tells:
A tail positioned straight down can signal stress or aggression. A lower tail is a very serious mood.
A tail curved beneath the body signals fear or submission. Something is making your cat nervous.
A tail resembling a pipe cleaner reflects a severely agitated, stressed and/or frightened cat trying to look bigger to ward off danger.
A tail that slaps back and forth rapidly indicates both fear and aggression. Consider it a warning to stay away.
See if you can say this real fast: The tales a cat’s tale tells. What a mouthful.
Cat’s don’t necessarily get all happy and excited when you walk in the door or call out to them. Actually, you can’t “call” a cat at all.
It’s like picking up a phone and finding there’s no dial tone.
Your cat will let you know when you’re needed. And not a minute sooner.
A dog sees you as its master. But a cat sees you as its servant.
Loved your Ivy post, Brenda! I was thinking, though, that when Ivy came into your bedroom and just meowed the once that maybe she was just saying “Good morning!” And that’s all she had to say. Of course, it could have been, “Good morning, it’s time to get up!” too! Like you say, no one really knows the mind of a cat! Fun post!
P.S . I didn’t know you were planning on moving. I must have missed some posts. Maybe without repeating everything you could fill me in at my email. Just wondering what has led to your decision as I tho’t that you liked the place you are living.
Brenda, I love your Ivy stories. She sounds like a bundle of love and joy.
I do not have cats but I have 3 imperious dachshunds and they rule me and the roost.
I’ve never had a cat but my dad and sister do and they say the same things that you do.
Hope that you are staying cool.
Now that Clementine is old (15) and in stage 4 kidney disease, she is very needy. Follows me around everywhere and sticks to me like glue. Sleeps next to me every night. Now she wakes me up in the middle of the night for more wet food, even though I feed her at 1030 pm AND leave out a bowl of dry food for her. I feel like I have a newborn baby again, but…when you sign up to be a pet parent, this comes with the territory.
I think your stories about Ivy are some of my favorite to read. Her antics are always so funny, and her pictures are always so beautiful!
There can be exceptions to the rule. We had a lovely cat from a couple who gave it up because theywere expecting a baby and they discribed him as agressive and territorial. Well, the first night we had him, our daughter cried in the night and when I went to see her, he came with me and jumped immediately on her bed and cuddled her back, which has scoliosis and is painful. Over the years, I would see him on her bed with her poking her finger at his nose. Be would snap at it like he was going to bite it, but he always ‘missed’. And at that she would giggle and poke her finger at his nose again. Over and over he would play this game with her. It took me a while but I finally realized he did it to make her laugh. Such a lovely cat. Miss him to the ends of the earth.
Loved it…so true!!
Your Ivy stories are my faves!
Nicely written article about Ivy. I am glad to hear you are in the process of finding a better place to live!!
I never had a cat but it sounds about right to me! Enjoy and keep cool everyone!
Loved the cat observations……and so true!
Good Morning Brenda,
I so love your Ivy stories. I’m missing having no cats. I had as many as nine kitties at once, all of them rescues. Due to family health issues, and travel for them; adopting any new cats for now isn’t in the picture. I volunteer and buy food for my local Paws chapter. My husband and I adopted a French Brittany puppy at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. She was born with a deformed hip and deemed unsuitable for bird hunting; and would’ve been euthanized. We drove from Elma, Washington (about 20+ miles) from the Pacific ocean to the border of Wash/Idaho state. We named her Lucy. She follows my husband on his quad; when he checks our few head of angus cattle daily. She runs like a three legged dog. When she is excited; she twirls in circles especially at breakfast time. Lucy is a impy bundle of joy! I thank God every day; that we were able to save her. Dwellings without any fur babies are joyless!
Thank you for adopting her. It’s people like you who make the world a better place!
Oh you’ve described the moods and actions of cats perfectly. Another wonderful post, Brenda!
Have you ever had a cat?
Oh my goodness yes! When my husband and I got married he had 2 cats then we took in 2 more cats. Found new homes for them when we were sent to live in Germany for almost 4 years. When we came back, we adopted one more. He passed on and we didn’t have any more. My husband was a huge fan of cats.
Brenda, what a great article…..you captured my Chloe…I do love when you talk about Ivy, what a pretty girl. Have a great week
Ivy is quite the character!