Having a favorite cat

Just wondering: Am I the only person who feels guilty about having a favorite cat?

My favorite is Boots. I had wanted a tuxedo kitten for the longest time, and when he finally popped up on Craigslist, all 1.5 lbs of him at 8 weeks old, I knew he was the one. The "foster" home was just a mile and a half down the road from me, so I immediately got into the car and drove to pick him up. It was love at first sight (for me anyway. He hissed for a week or two whenever I walked into the room. )

Kramer is a great cat. He's most people's dream cat: quiet, sleepy and most of all loving. He likes nothing more than to be on your chest or lap, purring and headbutting and getting skritches. But I don't feel like he's my baby, you know? I got him when he was a year old, and I agreed to take him mainly because my stepsister was going to shelter him otherwise, not because I loved him. In fact, I'd never met him before the day I got him.

Boots, on the other hand, is just as attached to me, but in different ways. He likes a little more space, doesn't give headbutts very often, and only rarely likes to sleep directly on top of you. However, he does follow me from room to room, and usually wants to "help" with what I'm doing. And he always sleeps near me.

I don't know. Maybe I sound stupid, but I feel guilty sometimes for not loving Kramer as much as I do Boots, especially since he seems to need it more. I know I'm already doing a great thing for Kramer just by keeping him out of the shelter, but sometimes I think he deserves a meowmy who ADORES him like I do Boots, not just one who merely likes him.

What do y'all think? Do you have a favorite cat? Do you worry sometimes that one of your cats doesn't get enough attention?

Even if you didn't have a favorite, you would be the favorite of some cat.

Cats bond to a person, usually. Dottie picked out Punkin at the shelter, but he is definitely "my" cat. I picked out Sterling, but he's definitely Dottie's cat.

I adore all of my kitties in different ways but love them all none-the-less. For instance, Fred is a gushy love bug and I adore him for that. Riley is a grumpy old man, but I love his grumpiness and the funny dynamic he brings to the house. Claire is special because of all the work we have put in to her and just getting a sweet cry and chance to pet her is super special. Bogey is our old guy that gives us unconditional love, even though we've only had him 2 1/2 years....he has a sweet, adoring look in his eyes when he stares at me. Simon is a pain in the ass on a good day but the moment when he climbs in my lap, makes biscuits and purrs nonstop is truly special.

They are all unique and I love each of them uniquely.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

Even if you didn't have a favorite, you would be the favorite of some cat.

Cats bond to a person, usually. Dottie picked out Punkin at the shelter, but he definitely "my" cat. I picked out Sterling, but he's definitely Dottie's cat.

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Completly agree with this, I picked flash and she's Deffinatly blaines kitty and Blaine picked sooty and hes ma boy

Flash runs to Blaine when she hears him its so cute to watch where as sooty just won't leave my side unless he's curled up with flash

I love Buddy and I loved Sami but they are not my cats. Parker is. He comes to me. He lets me hold him and reassure him. He sleeps with me and he cries for me when I am not in sight. He knows he is MY cat and I know he is MY baby boy.

I do feel badly about loving him more, its just that if/when one of us moves, we will be taking our own cats, so I try not to bond too much with Buddy. Its hard though because he loves to cuddle on my chest and rub his mouth all over my face.

I do feel slightly guilty because McGee is my favorite. He's such a cuddlebutt and I can clip his claws and apply Revolution without having it be a circus act.

I do love Cosette very much, but she is so skittish! She gets more affectionate as time goes on, but trying to clip her claws or put on Revolution or medicate her is a circus act. Still, all she has to do is chirp at me and all is well.

I know what you mean, I have the strongest bond with Panda, Chip and Bailey, the three boys I bottle fed from birth. Panda actually gets separation anxiety when I leave and will cry at the door for a little bit, but he is so happy when I come home. I love all of my cats though just in different ways. There is Lily who I found skin and bones and barely alive, as an 8 week old kitten, I nursed her back to health and as soon as she felt better and she started being active she started hiding and not wanting human attention. She lives under my bed most of the time, but she will come out at feeding time and let you pet her then, but other than that she is pretty skittish. She has come a ways from the cat who ran just at the sight of you and never ate unless you were out of the room. I'm sure it will still take a lot of time before she really comes around. So I love her, but in a much different way than I love my boys.

I swear the only reason my cats like me is because Im the one who feeds them and gives treats. Other than that they all lay with DF first. Now the dog is MINE! But in the house we have had two favorites. Fatman and when he passed away it was like ripping a giant hole in the house and our hearts. Now we have Croc who is literally a Fatman in the making from stealing food to his personality so he has become the favorite and hands down is dfs cat....just like Fatman was. The girls are a bit more bonded with me than with DF but not much. Abby is closest to me out of all the cats but only cuz I 'save' her from Tubbs antics.

I've switched back and forth between Wesley and Buttercup as favorites.

Buttercup was shy at first and Wesley was the super love bug non-stop, so it was a no-brainer that Wesley was my fav. He's still a rascal and is more entertaining than Buttercup in his antics, but Buttercup did a 180 and is the super love bug now. I can't lean back on the couch without her flopping right on top of me with her feet dangling on each side of my torso and wiggling and purring to be pet and she's always trying to groom me and rub up on my legs and if she's laying down and I walk up and talk to her she flops halfway on her back while curled up looking at me upside down requesting a belly rub heh.

I don't mind it, keeps em competitive! May the best kitty win.

We only have the one inside Kitty, Kairi, and he's bonded to me, since I'm home with him all the time. He does adore my middle son though, who has a way with any animal.

The outside cat (actually belonging to my neighbor) comes running every time my front door opens. He loves my kids, but rolls over and purrs with ecstasy when my daughter comes outside to play with him.

I do have favorites, though I love them all. Princeton is my big cuddle bear and yet not too demanding of attention, I love that. And Chyna, I feel like her protector since the others will often pick on her because she is not as social with them, since she is older (10 today) she has a special spot on top of my desk with a memory foam bed and so that I can keep an eye on her. Then of course the newest addition, I can't help but dote over him, he's the baby and he's always wrapped around my neck purring . Then there are the outside cats... my ferals, I do favor Pocus over Hocus just because Pocus will let me handle him and he will even rub his face on me now. And then Momma Kitty, just because she has been so hard to win over and now she loves me (on her terms of course!).... The one I feel most guilty that he doesn't get enough attention is Ryley... he is so pesty with his attention seeking and no matter what he sinks his claw tips through into you as he tries to love you... and he is non-stop with his neediness... it just gets annoying at times, but I'd never get rid of him.

I love both of my cats equally... Though sometimes for different reasons!

Though I do have a favorite at the shelter I volunteer at. He's an old boy and so shy! He has the sweetest personality and face

My hand raised baby is my favorite. He came very close to dying a couple days into being raised(no explanation from vets when asked when he was older) He had horrible issues with urinary infections/crystals and hes been healed of that and then diabetes and he not had a high sugar reading or needed insulin in months.

A few others also have a special spot. and then I have a few who are out there but you know what-they get along well with the other cats so I can't say much. All my cats have something that sets them apart.

I love both of mine equally in different ways. Speck is gentle...I adopted him from the shelter and he's a mommy's boy. He isn't a cuddler, he's a loner, but he's a joy just the same. Daisy is a wild child...she was a semi-feral adult stray and has never completely lost her old ways. But she's fun. She follows me around and is constantly into something. Speck has the best purrsonality and Daisy is the life of the party.

I love all of the RugCats, but well, Mollipop is my baby. I was hurting so much from losing Banshee and when the receptionist placed Molli in my arms, she just sat there and stared right into my eyes. She knew....she just knew how badly I needed her. And then she crawled up my neck and bit my ear. Even the doctor started to laugh and he said that she had chosen her mama. I went down to the hospital to see her three times a week from then on until she was able to come home. The doctor actually called me a week ahead of time and told me to come down and get her....she was so used to me visiting with her that around 6:00 or so she would start fussing for me; she and I had bonded that well. I brought her home and the rest is history. Mollipop is my darling baby girl.

She's not a lap kitty, but she needs to be in the same room; wherever I'm at, she's right there with me. She sleeps with me every night. When Tabby first came and started to sleep in bed with us, Molli started to sleep on the outside of the bed, facing the door. But after about a month or so, she decided that her place was in the center of the bed, nestled in my left arm again. And that's where she sleeps now. All night long. If I awaken to use the bathroom, she comes with me....evidently she thinks that I don't know how to pee by myself!

I love all seven of our kids. But Molli is my baby.

I take good care of all my cats . Well at least I think so .

But I would say my favorite cat is Shadow. She is just my shadow, sweet girl, and all around great cat.

Please note, this is the cat that scratched, bit, and attached anyone I tried to adopt her out to. This is also the cat that tried to KILL all my other cats when they where younger.

So like MrBlanche said, some cats pick us , that is what Shadow did with me . That might be why I her so very very much.

Maybe, I am a real nut case for loving her huh ?

Aww.... I'm sure that guilt is like a parent feeling guilty for having a favorite child, or a teacher feeling guilty for having a favorite student. It's pretty natural, I think!

Fortunately, I don't face that problem. Whichever cat I'm hanging with, playing with, napping with, is sleeping under my arm or on my head, that I'm petting or brushing is my favorite at that moment. I love them all so very much, and all for very different reasons.

I will say Billy loves me the most. That cat really loves me.

Chumley, being our most recent rescue - also our oldest feral at the time of rescue - having faced SUCH a hard time, and so many health challenges - Chumley's happiness, right now, delights me so much.

Of course, Lazlo is battling cancer, so seeing him be happy and doing everything a kitty should do, and seeing him feeling so well - it makes my heart sing, and sometimes feel like it's going to burst.

But of the 8, there isn't one that is always a favorite.

Edited to add: of the four regulars outside in the feral colony, Little Dot IS my favorite. Baloo and Little Dot are the only approachable ones. And I love Baloo - but Little Dot is just the cutest, funniest, sweetest little thing!

Originally Posted by LDG

Chumley, being our most recent rescue - also our oldest feral at the time of rescue - having faced SUCH a hard time, and so many health challenges - Chumley's happiness, right now, delights me so much!

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That is so delightful to hear

I really do not have a favorite. Gosh, they are all so very special to me in different ways. I will say that Presley is the biggest love bug of them all. He is very cuddly and affectionate. But that, to me, doesn't make a cat more lovable over another. Pipsqueak is my shadow, he follows and monitors me all day long. Perla is my little angel, no doubt about that. Perkins is my sweet little man and is quite shy, I adore him. Walden is very loving and is quite special to me. He really knows when I need a kiss or love bite. And Wendall, well, he loves to be on the same room with me and always hopes for a treat. That kitty would do anything for food. I am training him to do tricks, he is so food motivated.

I just LOVE all of my cats, pretty much the same. They delightfully entertaining and the joy of my life