1. Pets are a test. I earned my wife’s attention by paying as much attention to her five cats as I did to her (until we started necking, then I gently removed them until she locked them in their room).
2. Cats, even more than dogs, sense your fear. The first meeting is often a game of chicken. You win that round and the game is over. They don’t acknowledge your superiority, but you earn their begrudging respect.
3. Cats know you’re the competition for their parent’s attention. You lose if you join the competition.

Full disclosure: I grew up with cats and a father who hated them. So I learned the rules of the game.