# Cat Proximity **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 3, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968 "2008-03-03T23:17:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/1 "2008-03-03T23:17:18Z")
Like I said, [Cat Proximity](http://xkcd.com/231/). Enough said. This thread is not a poke at anyone who’s cat thread happens to be on the front page at the moment, by the way. I just saw this cartoon today and thought it was funny. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/2 "2008-03-04T00:48:40Z")
See, I never say that. I say “There’s the kitty!” instead. I figure they probably know they’re cats, but they don’t seem aware of their surroundings. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/3 "2008-03-04T00:53:00Z")
I usually say, “Hello, widdle kitty.” I take for granted that they know they’re a kitty. What I find I can offer them is acknowledgement of their widdleness. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/4 "2008-03-04T03:10:46Z")
[I beat you to it about a year ago.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=411554)😛 (And for those who are reading that web comic for the first time, here’s a helpful hint: almost all the comics have “mouse overs,” so when you’re done reading the comic, put the pointer over the comic for a little one liner/added joke. It’s best to know this now _before_ you read all the archives, or else you’ll have to go back to every one.) ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/5 "2008-03-04T03:55:24Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] I usually say, “Hello, widdle kitty.” I take for granted that they know they’re a kitty. What I find I can offer them is acknowledgement of their widdleness. [/QUOTE] I do not need to remind my kitties of widdling. They can widdle on their own just fine, thank you very much. And I don’t want to suggest that they might widdle outside their witter boxes. I have to admit that I do sometimes scoop up the smallest cat, flip her upside down, and tell her that she’s an itty bitty kitty, with iiiiittttty bitty kitty titties. No, I say “You’re a KITTY!” because my cats frequently seem to think that they are not cats at all, and need to be reminded that they don’t have thumbs. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/6 "2008-03-04T06:01:11Z")
I must admit that I always say “Hey, Kitty Cat!” when I meet a new cat… Joe ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/7 "2008-03-04T06:22:10Z")
I usually squeal ‘KITTY!!’ I do it for dogs too (well, with the appropriate noun change) And if XKCD would put that on a shirt, I’d so buy it. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/8 "2008-03-04T06:30:03Z")
[QUOTE=Silver Tyger Girl] I do it for dogs too (well, with the appropriate noun change) [/QUOTE] I call all dogs smaller than a fox terrier “cats.” That’s obviously what their owners _really_ wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/9 "2008-03-04T16:10:25Z")
[Amira and the rose](http://www.flickr.com/photos/zyada/387570018/in/pool-sdmb_meets_flickr) Because every thread about cats needs at least one cat picture! ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/10 "2008-03-04T21:52:51Z")
[QUOTE=Zyada] Because every thread about cats needs at least one cat picture! [/QUOTE] This Thread Is Not About Cats. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/11 "2008-03-04T22:18:10Z")
We say, alternately, “Look at the fattles!” or “Who’s a good ones?” ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/12 "2008-03-04T22:44:57Z")
[QUOTE=bouv] [I beat you to it about a year ago.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=411554)😛 [/QUOTE] [Ditto, yet not so long ago.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=448438) ETA: It’s still one of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buckler_of_Swashing)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/13 "2008-03-05T07:44:24Z")
I printed this one off (and typed in the mouseover text) the day it appeared and still have it stuck on our fridge because it’s just so damn appropriate for our house. I have a crush on the author of xkcd. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/14 "2008-03-05T08:30:00Z")
While I generally say, “KITTY KITTY!!” in a voice appropriate for tiny infants, my SO says, “Look, a Catshark!” We have a furry terror whose name is Parker. But his species is clearly Catshark. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/15 "2008-03-05T17:07:40Z")
[QUOTE=Zyada] [Amira and the rose](http://www.flickr.com/photos/zyada/387570018/in/pool-sdmb_meets_flickr) Because every thread about cats needs at least one cat picture! [/QUOTE] Gorgeous! I have that comic taped up on my office door. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/16 "2008-03-05T17:14:32Z")
Correction. The appropriate exclamation is “Who’s a pretty kitty? Whozzat? Whozzat?”, eventually degrading into incoherent high-pitched noises of admiration. Why yes, my cats are perfectly well adjusted. Why do you ask? ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-proximity/439968/17 "2008-03-05T20:50:01Z")
Just this morning, walking my kid to school and me to work, I said “Well hel_lo_ gorgeous.” My nine Y/o rolled her eyes, the total stranger smirked. And, although it was a very pwetty puthycat, it wasn’t really worth channelling Barbara Streisand in public. :smack: