Kevin Wade Johnson
Hug a Cat Humans get along so well with dogs because we're alike in so many ways, thanks to evolution. We're both cursorial hunters, chasing down our prey. We're both pack animals, forming societies, and hierarchies within them (alpha males, etc.). So we both understand the idea of someone being in charge and someone taking orders (ideally, the human is in charge of the dog, these days), we both like to go for walks or runs, and we like to be together. But dogs don't much grok hugs. Evolution explains why you're better off to hug a cat. Dogs are born to run, built to have all four legs on the ground, to hunt down their next meal. Putting your arms around one just holds them back. Cats, on the other hand, are as capable of climbing as our remote ancestors. Like our ancestors, that means sometimes cats need to be held, and those times are when very young. Kids or kittens, falling out of a tree can kill. So cats understand being held as we do, and can appreciate a hug. Scratch your dog's ears. Rub their belly. Ruffle their fur. But hugs are for cats. And kids, of course. I think we can all get our arms around that.
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