Spooky Goose

I believe that cats understand the 5 love languages to a certain degree-

Acts of Service- They hunt and gather when they think their humans need some help, and they stand by when we're upset and shouldn't be alone.

Gifting- They offer material objects to bring us joy, I recently watched a video the other day of a cat who is OBSESSED with bringing bras to her owner, and another cat who finds random pieces of trash for his owners. In my opinon, this version of gift-giving is very different from hunting and gathering.

Quality Time- They want to know their owner is around, even if they aren't super close by.

Words of Affirmation- Purring, meowing, slow blinks

Physical Touch- Headbutts, kneading, snuggles, kisses

But, I read once that the way to know a cat TRULY loves you is by how well they tolerate you doing things that they really do not want you to do.

You really know you're in when a CAT lets you do something that is NOT their love language... ie) dressing them up in costumes for various occasions and holidays.

When I adopted my cat, Lucy, she was a rescue, she started as a stray on the street, was adopted, and then quite promptly brought back to a very high-kill shelter (these shelters are overflowing ,with very little resources, and will put down animals that are unlikely to be adopted quickly due to things like behavior, health, or even age), Finally she was fostered by a human she fell absolutely in love with- only to be kicked out of her new home by a new, aggressive cat.

The first time I met Lucy, she was under a bed, and refused to acknowledge me at all. But underneath her hard exterior, I could already tell she was just a sweet girl deserving of all of the love in the world, and the best food, toys, catnip, cat trees and water fountains money could buy.

Lucy entered my life with a lot of trauma, anxiety, and an obsession with routine. She would choose one place (my cupboard, my closet, on top of the fridge) and stay there all day long until I'd fallen asleep. Once I was safely unconscious she would join me in my bed for snuggles- only to ROCKET back off the moment I showed any signs of rising in the morning. She didn't like to be picked up, to meet new people or animals, or to have her feet, tummy, or tail touched at all.

In time, I trained her to trust that when I picked her up, I'd eventually put her back down, when new people came, they wouldn't take her away, and when I left the house- I'd always come back.

I knew I'd really earned her trust when our first Halloween rolled around. The first costume I ever bought her was quite daring on my part. It was a knitted taco- suit, and to get her in it I would have to hold her, squeeze it over her head, insert her legs through the holes AND finally velcro the straps around her tummy, a major no-touch zone.

The first step, picking her up, went well. We'd had enough practice and were both pretty confident with that.

The second step was getting her head through the taco costume. I decided to just go for it, slipping it over as I would with a small child. Again, this went surprisingly well, again I think due to my confidence.

I decided to just roll with it and take advantage of her good faith, I quickly and precisely slid her legs through the costume holes and reached the velcro around her tummy to secure the costume and, VOILA! SHE WAS IN IT ! We really did it ! I was so proud of myself, so proud of Lucy's trust in me and absolutely overjoyed that teamwork really did make the dream work- in this case.

I placed her down to see her walk as a little taco only for her to fumble, almost drunkenly, a few steps, and fall flat on her face.

I very promptly took the costume off and set her free, promising to buy much less complicated costumes for the rest of her Halloweens, a promise I have kept- even though I know that if I ever got randomly inspired, she'd go with it. She'd tolerate me, because she actually loves me, furrrrr real.