OMG, that face!

What a cutie.  She looks very loving.

He looks so soft.

Thank you.  She's a sweetie, but she does not want to be held. She wants all the loving and petting she can get, but she wants to stay on the floor while you pet her.  She flops down in front of us and begs to be petted.

Take what you can get. Cats are independent.  Dogs fight for attention.  Mine push others out of the way for a head pat or a hug.

Thank.  Contrary to Mandy, he wanted to be held -- as you can see in the photo.  He was always happiest when he was being cuddled just as you see in the photo.  Yeah.  He had soft fur and was a pleasure to hold on one's lap.  A very loving cat

I've always heard how independent cats are.  I'm not saying Mandy and George Frederick were dependent.  They weren't.  They were indoor cats, so we were around them all the time.  George Frederick wanted to be in the same room we were in -- or my wife was in.  He wanted to be close.   He had us trained to pet him or hold him on command -- and his little kitty pocket watch was amazingly accurate at suppertime. 

Mandy's not quite as interested in being where we are, but she wants her loving and also has us trained to respond to her demands -- and they are very clear.  With both cats, the training is or was  mutual.  They learn our habits and respond accordingly.   I've never seen the independence people talk about.  I've always seen close, mutual relationships in which both parties were active and involved participants.

You did mention both on the other forum.

I know cats can be trained. I’ve never done it.

They're surprisingly trainable.  They do a lot of it themselves as a response to their humans habits.  The other day the cleaning ladies (and man) had the vacuums going in the room off the family room.  Mandy, like most cats, is terrified of vacuums.  She was on her chair with her heating pad beginning to get panicky.  At my desk, I said "come over here Mandy and hide under Daddy's feet."  And she did!  I don't think it was what I said; I think it was because that appeared to be a good place to hide -- between my left foot and the board which holds the desk up.  She knew that I was going to stay there and provide her with a shelter -- she responded to a human's habit.  And she stayed there until they finished in the bedroom and I could take her there. 

Dogs learn to take hand signals.  They respond to a repeated human pattern.  It's pretty much the same.  Dogs have larger brains, so they can take in more, but it would surprise you to see how responsive Mandy is to my habits.  George Frederick was even more so.  As was Merlin.  Merlin knew before I did what I was going to do next and would meet me there.  They are just as aware of their people as dogs.  Their behaviors are just not as complex because of the smaller brain.