A veterinarian in Portland, Maine, has developed a temperament sorter for cats, called the Feline Temperament Type Sorter. It consists of a 64-question questionnaire and accompanying analysis. Very cool. It’s creator, Debra Given, is also in the process of creating a cat-themed tarot deck and she has associated the 16 different temperaments with a major arcana card (the card images on the informational pages for each type are not from her deck but rather are from the Tarot for Cats deck).
I did the online questionnaire for my cat and thought it was very funny that the tarot card that accompanies his apparent type, BSDV (Bold Social Defiant Vocal), is the Hierophant…which just happens to be my favourite card and also just happens to be associated with Taurus, my sign. Now, that may just point to flaws in the questionnaire — some of the questions were difficult to answer because either neither of the answers fit or both fit — or flaws in the questinnaire-answerer, namely me, as I may have been putting some of my own Taurean impressions into the anwers. I’d thought that maybe he was actually more of a BADV since I think he’s a little less social than a BSDV would indicate but he’s definitely not aloof — he’s a cuddle bunny around me, though less social around others (especially if they come bearing other cats). Having read through the various types, I’m thinking he’s really a CSDV (Cautious Social Defiant Vocal), which is associated with the Empress.
A veterinary visit with a CSDV cat may be particularly stressful for all concerned. Vocal defiance brings out the worst in people. Veterinary staff members who are partial to dogs hate to see this cat on the schedule. Often even the most cat savvy vets and techs can not calm a defiant, vocal cat whose cautious nature causes him to feel reactive and defensive as soon as he leaves his home territory. Owners who have built a loving relationship with a CSDV cat feel as though they have betrayed a trust. No one feels good when examination and treatment result in a loud melee.
Oh yeah, that’s my baby. Definitely.
Life Begins at 41...or maybe 43 