Cat Geometry and Personality

When searching for a kitten or cat to adopt, how can you tell if your selection will be a lap lounger, a shy cat, or an adventure seeker? Pedigreed (purebred) cats tend to have certain characteristic personality traits, though individuals within breeds may be very different. With the typical shelter cat, personality clues may be linked to the shape of the cats face. 

Kit Jenkins, program manager for Petsmart Charities, has spent more than 20 years studying the behavior of cats and dogs in animal shelters. She has developed a theory of cat face geometry, which is based on the fact that feline faces usually fall into one of three physical shapes: square, round and triangle. While noting that genetics and life experiences play major roles in how cats think and act, Jenkins contends that personality is also influenced by a cat's physical shape. Here's how she describes the various types.

SQUARE: Thes cats are big and solid with squasre faces and rectangular bodies. Think Maine Coon. Jenkins dubs them the "retrievers of the cat world."Eager to please, square cats tend to be affectionate and love to snuggle and give head-butts.

ROUND: These cats sport flat faces, large eyes, circular heads, and rounded bodies. Think Persian or Burmese. These types might be called the "lap dogs" of the feline world. They tend to be low-energy, easily frightened, submissive cats who gently display their affection to trusted family members.

TRIANGULAR: These are sleek, long, lanky cats that narrow at the nose. Think Siamese or Cornish Rex. Jenkins calls them "the herding dogs of the cat worlds." Triangle cats are curious, smart, athletic, and chatty, and they thrive on active households.

Jenkins has shared her personality theory with shelter workers, animal trainers, and behaviorists all over North America. Animal behaviorists and veterinarians say her observations serve as another tool in helping people find a cat who meets their lifestyle and personality. Although just a theory, Jenkins' observations have been published in a scientific journal.

Mr. Red knows that Maths is hardly ever a favorite subject in school, but thanks to this body-shape theory, he thinks that us humans have finally found a way to put geometry to a practical use.

*This theory was obtained from "The Cat Behavior Answer Book" by Arden Moore