Also:

I was a cat mommy for almost 10 years before I gave birth to my son.  As he grew from an infant to a toddler, and then to a preschooler, I couldn’t help but notice all the similarities between my two “kids.” 

My husband thought it’d be fun to get pictures of the two of them dong the same things, so every time I’d catch them behaving alike, I’d run and get the camera.  Here are 12 of my favorite ways that cats and little kids are alike. 

1.  They both like to play in cardboard boxes

Parents learn soon enough that when they buy a new toy, more often than not their little ones prefer the packaging to the actual gift.  Set down a cardboard box in front of a little kid and in seconds, it will be transformed into an imaginary car, boat or fort.  Set that same box down in front of the cat, and it becomes the perfect hiding place for a game of hide-and-seek. 

Of course the cat’s butt is sticking out, but we’ll pretend not to see it just like how we pretend not to see little feet poking out from behind the drapes. 

2.  They don’t chew their food and sometimes eat too fast

Cats are carnivores so they’re supposed to tear and swallow their food.  However, my cat sometimes eats so fast that he vomits.  The first time he threw up, I was worried that he was ill.  It turned out that Furball was just eating too fast.  How did I know this?  Well, let’s just say that dogs aren’t the only animals who will eat their own vomit. 

Fortunately, as my son got older, he learned to slow down and chew.  I can’t say the same for the cat. 

3.  They like to lie in the middle of the hallway where you’re walking

Have you ever noticed that your cat likes to weave between your legs and always happens to lie down smack in the middle of the path where you walk?  Same thing with little kids! 

Aside from using their bodies as an obstacle course, kids also do their best to stop you from walking by scattering toys all over the floor for you to avoid.  If that doesn’t work, they’ll try the "leg hug" just like cats do. 

4.  They both love looking out the window

It’s a big world out there and it’s absolutely fascinating for cats and kids to stare out the window to see what’s going on.  Maybe it’s a bird, a squirrel or the gardener with the leaf blower.  It’s amazing how gazing out a window can hold a short attention span for a surprisingly long time. 

5.  They both like climbing on the couch

Cats love to climb and so do little kids.  For unknown reasons, a standard living room couch is the nirvana of climbing academies.  It must seem like a multi-sensory activity area for a cat to jump, nap and scratch (but hopefully not scratch). 

Kids also see the couch as their home jungle gym and trampoline.  And, just like cats, kids want to climb as high as possible and they don’t listen when you tell them to get down. 

6.  They fight over each other’s toys

Who knew a simple step stool could be the source of interspecies sibling rivalry?  So many tantrums were thrown because the cat was sitting on the stool first.  Poor Furball got chased off a few times.  I was also surprised when Furball chose the middle of the train set to be his favorite place to hang out. 

7.  They like to squeeze themselves into tiny spaces

Show me a tiny little shelf that’s empty and I’ll show you that it’s not empty because when you turned your head for a second, the cat jumped into it.  Then, a few minutes later, you’ll point out that the shelf is empty, but no, it isn’t.  Now, the kid is hiding in it. 

8.  They like running around naked

Ever try to dress up a cat?  Most cats won’t put up with costumes or froofy outfits.  They like being au naturel.  Same with kids! 

I’d tell my little boy to get dressed and 30 minutes later, it would be really quiet in his room.  I’d go to check up on him and he’d be happily sitting on the floor completely naked just playing with toys. 

9.  They both like sitting in suitcases

Suitcases seem to hold the same mystique as cardboard boxes.  Set one down in the middle of room and almost instantly, the cat or the kid will be sitting on top of it or in it.  Just remember to check inside the suitcase before you zip it up, because it’s a great hiding place. 

10.  They’re both fascinated by computer screens

Animal videos are the favorite genre in my home.  My kid is fascinated by them and so is Furball.  The only difference is that the cat gets freaked out by them, especially the videos of polar bears. 

11.  Their parents love sharing stories about them

Parents will shamelessly use any excuse to share "charming stories" about their kids and kitties.  If they can show off a bunch of pictures too, even better! 

About Holly Tse: Holly Tse is a green cat expert, lifelong environmentalist and the creator of Green Little Cat, a blog on eco-friendly living for cats and cat lovers.  Practicing Taoist and Dragon Spirit Guide who has experienced more than nine past lives and can bend reality at will.  Totally into alternative healing, but her Achilles’ heel is reality TV cooking shows.  As a Canadian expat, she uses an American spell checker for her Catster articles.