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Written by Paul
Dr Paul Manktelow is a vet who’s worked for almost 20 years on the front line in some of the UK’s busiest veterinary hospitals. As Chief Vet in the Charity Sector, he leads a team of vets and nurses that treat thousands of pets every year. Paul also appears regularly in the media as a TV and radio presenter, writer, public speaker and podcast producer.
Cats are one of the UK’s most popular pets, yet they are also among the most misunderstood. From assumptions that they are aloof and antisocial to the belief that they are easier to care for than dogs, many of the ideas we have about cats are based more on myth than reality.
The problem is not that cats are complicated. It is that we often try to understand them through a dog-shaped lens.
Dogs tend to be expressive. They seek attention openly, greet us enthusiastically, and often make their feelings obvious. Cats communicate differently. Their signals are usually more subtle, which can lead people to assume they are distant, indifferent, or simply do not care.
In reality, cats are often communicating all the time. We just do not always recognise what they are saying.
The Myth of the Independent Cat
One of the most common misconceptions is that cats are low-maintenance pets that largely look after themselves.
While cats can be more independent in some ways, that does not mean they have fewer needs. They still require mental stimulation, predictable routines, appropriate social interaction, and environments that allow them to feel safe and in control.
Many of the behavioural problems seen in cats, including inappropriate toileting, aggression, excessive grooming, or withdrawal, can be linked to stress or unmet needs rather than “bad behaviour”.
When we assume cats need very little from us, we can unintentionally overlook important aspects of their welfare.
Cats Show Affection Differently
Another reason cats are misunderstood is that they express attachment differently to dogs.
A dog may jump up, wag its tail, or actively seek physical contact. Cats are often more subtle.
A cat that chooses to sit in the same room as you, follows you from place to place, or greets you with a slow blink is often showing trust and affection. They may not demand attention, but that does not mean they are emotionally detached.
In fact, research increasingly suggests that cats form strong social bonds with both people and other animals. They simply communicate those relationships in their own way.
Behaviour Is Communication
Many behaviours that owners find puzzling are actually completely normal feline behaviours.
Purring, for example, is often assumed to mean a cat is happy. While this can be true, cats may also purr when they are anxious, in pain, or recovering from illness.
Kneading, sometimes called “making biscuits”, often looks odd to owners but usually reflects feelings of comfort and security. The behaviour originates in kittenhood, when kittens knead around their mother’s mammary glands to stimulate milk flow.
Even bringing prey home, while often unpleasant for owners, is not an act of cruelty or mischief. It is a natural hunting behaviour rooted in instinct.
Understanding the meaning behind these behaviours helps us respond more appropriately and avoid misinterpreting normal feline actions as problems.
Seeing the World Through a Cat’s Eyes
Cats experience the world differently from us.
Their sense of smell is significantly more developed than ours. Their whiskers act as highly specialised sensory tools that help them judge spaces and detect subtle changes in their environment. Small changes in the home, such as new furniture, unfamiliar visitors, or altered routines, may have a bigger impact on a cat than many owners realise.
The more we understand these differences, the easier it becomes to appreciate why cats behave the way they do.
Understanding Leads to Better Welfare
One of the themes Annie Clark and I explored in a recent episode of The Consult Room was how many cat myths stem from simple misunderstandings. Behaviours that appear aloof, stubborn, or strange often make perfect sense when viewed through the lens of feline biology and behaviour.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your cat is actually being affectionate, why they follow you around the house, or whether they really are as independent as people claim, you’ll find plenty more surprising insights in the full episode.
The goal is not to turn every cat owner into a feline behaviour expert.
It is simply to recognise that cats communicate differently, have their own welfare needs, and deserve to be understood on their own terms.
To find out more listen to the podcast: Cat Myths Busted: Things You Never Knew About Cats on The Consult Room.
Because when we stop comparing cats to dogs and start understanding them for what they are, we become better guardians, and they enjoy better lives.
