A cat's behavior can be aloof or very loving, eccentric to boring, and all variations in between, also size, color, and appearance differences provide the reasons there are so many cat lovers in the world.

Every cat has his or her own character and peculiarities. Growing up with thirteen of them at once can therefore be quite entertaining and amusing. Pansy was one of our first cats and she was on the quieter side. She enjoyed spending time resting on our dictionaries and reference books.

My cats, Eric and Tinker, both have unique qualities. For instance, the clever Tinker could open a trash can by stepping on the push button and could play music on my guitar for hours. Eric was the comforting kitty, loyally by my side during uncomfortable times, although he wasn't always so good about making it to the bathroom.

An important thing for you to know about your cats behavior is what is "normal" for him or her. If he goes nuts running up and down the hallway every night at the same time it's probably one of his eccentricities. The same behavior in a cat that is normally more peaceful might be a clue that there is something disturbing her, which could be anything from not feeling well to resenting your Aunt Tillie's visit.

Stability and safety are important to cats - a sudden change in circumstances might cause typical unexpected cat behavior such as missing the litter box. Or, as was the case with one of mine, deciding out of nowhere that she no longer liked the litter we were using. Her only effective way to communicate this was by no longer using her box. Eventually we figured out what she was trying to get at and, after some trial and error, found out that what she wanted was torn-up newspaper. Everything has been fine since.

Generally speaking cats behavior, like humans, can be varied. If you are aware of which behavior is "normal" for your cat, it will be easier for you to pick up on behavioral variations that indicate something is wrong.

Cat behavior ranges from loving to distant, lazy to hyperactive, and shy to bold. This spectrum is normal, but if your cat is suddenly doing something unusual for her, it may signal a problem. Cats need to feel safe, and shifts in routine may cause unusual behavior. Changing the type of litterbox fill, for example, may result in a cat that refuses to use the litterbox at all. Realize that cats behavior is as varied as human behavior. Cat lovers need to know what's baseline "normal" for their cat to pick up on behavioral variations that are trying to tell them something.