by Sarah Guy

Created on: November 03, 2008

For the first 18 years of my life, I just did not like cats. This had mostly to do with the fact that my main exposure to the species until that point in my life had been Max, a fat black ball of fur, fangs, hiss and bite belonging to my childhood best friend. She doted on him, even while he was going to town using my skin as a scratching post. Since I didn't really know anyone else with a cat, I figured they were all more or less like Max.

After I left home from college my sister moved to Utah for a while and returned home bearing a cat, much to my parent's chagrin (they weren't much for cats either). Milo, however, converted us all. With snowy white fur, he was Max's polar opposite in color as well as temperment. Milo's need for constant attention was so great that he would happily lie on his back in your arms, and reach up ever so gently with two soft paws to pull your nose downwards for kitty kisses. Like a dog, he'd follow you around and flop on his back for a belly rub when you crouch close by him. Milo was the friendliest cat I'd ever met, and he completely changed my opinion of cats.

So much so, in fact, that after I graduated college, I quickly gave in to my now-husband's persistent pleas to get a cat. When I arrived at the shelter, however, I just couldn't bear to break up the last two kittens left in a litter and came home bearing both a brother and a sister. Flash forward a few years and several states westward, and my husband and I now have a brood of five cats. It took me eighteen years to get over my cat aversion, but only three to establish my own miniature cattery! Our feline family consists of two brother/sister sets and one extra male.

Despite the fact that my first experience with a male cat was so negative, my experience with my own has been that male cats are overwhelmlingly friendlier than their female counterparts. I love my two little girls dearly, but I can't convince any of my friends of the warmth and affection I get from them, because they often won't even come out for visitors, and if so, scurry past as quickly as possible. My males, however, will come and make themselves right at home with any stranger that walks in the door. Pinot, one of my boys, is part Maine Coon and is as docile as can be. He follows my husband everywhere and yowls if he feels he isn't getting enough attention. Eddie, my newest addition, sleeps with me every night, on my chest, or sometimes draped over my neck like a stole. Eddie will go into what I call a 'kitty bliss coma' where he kneads at you with his paws, eyes closed, with his nose running in pleasure. As gross as it sounds, the more cat snot I have on my shoulder, the happier I know my cat is- so I don't mind it. My other male, Badgett, will groom you with his tongue if you pet his side. All my boys are exceptionally friendly.

My females' coyness and occasional standoffishness doesn't take away from their moments of sweetness and charm. When it comes down to choosing a side, however, my personal experience points to male cats being the friendlier side of the species.

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