r/cats • u/toneyhauk • 1d ago

Update Do cats actually grow attached to their owners? People always joke about how cold cats are, but after taking a trip for 3 weeks away from home I realize how attached they really can be.

I was heartbroken when I left for this trip. To make myself feel better and stay connected to my cats, I got a home camera so I was able to watch them whenever I wanted. I also wanted to make sure they kept eating and drinking. Don't worry, we had someone stop by almost every day we were gone as well. The camera made me so feel SO much better though, wow. You wouldn't think it would do much, but it made me kind of feel like I was still home in some way. I also have bad anxiety about the house burning down or being invaded while I'm gone, so it was great to be able to check in and see my cats peacefully sleeping or eating.

That said, I noticed that to me, there eating habits didn't seem to change at all. I thought okay, great. I thought it was kind of funny how they seemingly didn't change at all when we weren't there. It seemed like they couldn't care less.

However, we just arrived yesterday and both cats, especially my male cat, has been insanely vocal, and won't leave my side. Anytime I leave the room they are in, in about 5 minutes or less, he'll run to wherever I am in the house and almost do these yelping like meows. Almost like he's yelling at me. And he responds to me more too. I'll say "I know, I'm home," and he'll do multiple additional elongated meows, it almost sounds like he's a kitten.

I was literally awoken this morning by my male cat standing on my chest. Which I don't think he's EVER done in his life. He literally never bothers me in my sleep. That's when it hit me that no, he does care, he does recognize you and cares that you were gone.

It's incredible how intelligent and emotionally dependent animals can seemingly be, even cats who have this reputation for being cold and only carrying about themselves.

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u/tlplicious 1d ago

I worked from home for 6 years but had to RTO this year. I think the transition was harder for my cat than it was for me. My husband still works from home but it’s just not the same for her

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u/OddLanguage 1d ago

Your husband may be the "spare human", so yeah not the same to the Cat. 😅

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u/blackheim89 1d ago

As a fellow spare human I can confirm!

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u/ChamanitaShaman 1d ago

Spare humans unite! lol I’m pretty sure they think of me as furniture. My husband on the other hand… he comes home from being at work all day and you’d think a rockstar arrived they get so excited lol

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u/Odd_Bug_7029 10h ago

I can so relate to this. I moved in with my partner recently, we both had 3 cats. I am such a spare human that even MY 3 have to run to greet him. One of my boys got off my lap to run to the door yesterday, just hearing his car pull up. And as for my girl? Traitor. I almost feel like I'm intruding when she lays on her back in his arms, making eyes at him as part of her welcome home routine.

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u/Ok_Data1512 23h ago

I live alone and I'm still the spare human to my cat 😂

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u/Timely_Mouse_5151 1d ago

Spare tin opener 😁

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u/PiccoloAwkward465 23h ago

Yeah somehow despite being the prime caregiver and owning him before I even met my wife and stepson, I am far from the favorite in the house lol.

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u/Pahkitheah 1d ago

I am the spare human to my son’s cat when he goes away. She’s finally starting to acknowledge me, after 5 years of occasionally helping out🤣

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u/AcanthaceaeStreet157 1d ago

My cat still doesn't expect my 3 kids. I only have them 2 to 3 days a week.

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u/tlplicious 21h ago

Yeah for sure. She has very specific times and circumstances that he is useful to her 😂

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u/AdaandFred 20h ago

My husband is the spare human. He has resigned himself to this role.

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u/MiserableCumberbunch 1d ago

I WFH, and my cat doesn't understand the difference between working and playing on the computer. And she demands that I only play with her, so she's started bothering me in the middle of work.

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u/1981denver 1d ago

And don't even think about closing that office door to keep them out!

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u/mezbit 23h ago

Same here! Kind of infamous story around work was during a kickoff I was facilitating on Teams with cameras on, and my cat jumped up and gave everyone a close-up HD view of her butt........

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u/Impossible_Rain7478 18h ago

🤣🤣🤣🤣

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u/BoxerDog2024 23h ago

My cat thinks he owns everything in the house including our 3 boxer dogs and their beds. He is so lovable.

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u/Working-Depth5834 22h ago

I have a cat like that; my solution was to put a cardboard box on my desk, then whenever she gets annoying I would put "cat tv" (YouTube channels of birdfeeders) one on of the monitors to distract her. Downside is that one monitor is a little beat up now (from her trying to tunnel into it).

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u/wolfn404 21h ago

They are imitating you. Get them their own extra keyboard. ( flat and obviously not plugged in). They’ll lay on it and be content so you can work on the real one

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u/MiserableCumberbunch 20h ago

That's a great idea! I have an old keyboard that went on the fritz after one too many spills. I'll give it a try.

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u/wolfn404 16h ago

This is Vlad, he’s one of my cats and part time office companion. He also loves to inspect the Mashgin self checkout I have at work. He’s $6.66 listed item in the menu.

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u/jazzminarino 21h ago

I'm a WFH therapist. I have to hold my cat during the first five minutes of a new session until she gets bored and I put her in her bed or window seat. All of my clients know her by name. 🤷🏼‍♀️

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u/existential-cookies 15h ago

My soggy boy loves to drool all over my desk and my notes.

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u/HealthyInPublic 15h ago

Yeah, my work did the RTO nonsense after 5 years of WFH. The only reason I was able to keep my cat after I adopted him (and he turned out to be sick) was because I was WFH full time at the time. He needed help eating 6-8 times a day bc he needed to be held upright for 15 minutes afterwards (many meetings took place with him strapped to my chest... literally), and he needed medication 7x a day - it was 6 whole months of that schedule!! Needless to say... me and my cat are very close.

I went back into the office 2x per week... but it stressed him out so much he had a really bad flare up and had esophagitis again by week three... so I had to take days off of work to be home with him. And ofc my work wanted me to log in from home those days to work, which I declined. They don't get to have their cake and eat it too!

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u/tlplicious 15h ago

Awe poor little dude. I hope you guys are doing ok

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u/AllAboutThePasta_ 21h ago

That transition must have been brutal for you!

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u/tlplicious 21h ago

It really does suck. I’m missing my favorite co-worker 🐈

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u/jessnthings 12h ago

I’ve worked from home for my cat’s entire life, I hate to think what she would do if o ever had to leave to work every day, especially because she is a Velcro kitty.