Parade Pets and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Being a cat parent, you become aware very quickly that these animals run on their own rules, and they're pretty independent. They don't mind playing on their own, they'll come for cuddles when they want them, and they'll ignore you when they don't. They also don't need an escort to get some fresh air outside. Actually, they're happy to use a cat flap, so they don't even need a human to open the door for them.