Cats don’t like being cuddled? That’s a tall tale!
THE idea that cats are stressed by being stroked (Mail) would have been a great april Fool’s joke. Various cats have owned me since I was a child and, as any cat slave will know, they only do what they want to, when they want to do it. If a cat didn’t want to be stroked, it would walk away. Is a purring cat stressed out? I don’t think so. animals have some of the most wonderful expressions. I know when my cat is grumpy, ill, frightened or happy by his face. He can look as sour-faced as Victor Meldrew when his favourite food is not in the dish, but when he’s happy, the look of bliss is overwhelming. a cat will seek you out to be stroked, not run away — it’s part of their grooming and well-being. They can be solitary, but they can also be demanding in their attempts to attract your attention. I don’t know how Professor Daniel Mills qualified or in what field of expertise he claims to be proficient, but he knows diddly squat about the average moggy.
Mrs CARoLE HARRIS, Bridport, Dorset. PRoFESSoR Daniel Mills seems to have produced a somewhat flawed assessment of what cats like or dislike. Stroking a cat makes it unhappy? Quite the reverse is the case for my rescue cat: she loves being stroked. after a sad start to her life, with one not-so-careful owner and six months in a pet rescue centre, she’s now a very happy part of our household. She’ll nudge me for a cuddle and spends most of the night on our bed, purring when touched. I can always tell by her behaviour when she wants to be left alone. So there, professor, what do you make of that?
Mrs JENNIFER GALJAARD, Yeovil, Somerset.