Most pianists I know have cats. But why? They have such an uneven temperment. And they will jump on the piano, maybe get inside the piano, and surely get their fur all over the piano, inside and out.

But a dog obediently sits next to you and admiringly looks up to you. You can flub the piece completely, but the dog will still look at you and listen intently as though you were Horowitz playing. The cat would simply look at you briefly in disgust, maybe hiss briefly, then walk away and sulk or hide.

So why cats?

I think it's because cats are independent and so is a pianist in the sense that as a soloist the pianist works alone.

rada

btw...my cats are not allowed on my pianos...

I don't know why, but I play piano and have cats....
but... I could also have dogs, I just don't have dogs because the space they need.

I am a pianist and don't have a cat. Never have. I don't hate cats, just don't want them around.

I have a hound dog named Bubba. He likes to lie at my feet when I play.

Bubba don't like cats. When a stray cat comes around he chases it away.

Ohhhhh cats rock

All my four girls are pianists and allll looooovvvveeeee cats - like me... mine sleeps, my cat that is, 23 hours a day - easy as

Cats are individuals - want you when they want you and exclude you when they don't

Dogs are like babies and toddlers - constantly need to be reassessed for barking, poos in the yard lol and you can't just go away for days and leave a dog like you can a cat

Individuals I think....

Just to add, often, pianists are referred to as being introverted - they play for themselves, they are not in a group, they practice when suits them etc etc - cats are often associated with introverts... just a thought

Agreed with the cats are introverted comment!
Also I'm seriously convinced that my cats appreciate piano playing. They definitely don't sulk! They almost always sit in the room with me while I'm practicing. Sometimes they try to climb in my lap, which can become a problem, haha.

Well I certainly don't have any cats. And I don't really plan to anytime soon, either. Are you saying that all pianists are introverted? Because that's really not true at all for me. Sure, I practice by myself for and hour and a half or more each day, but that means I have 22 and a half to go be an extrovert.
Besides, I love it when my dogs come in and listen to me play. Until they start barking at the person walking outside.

because piano is like a lion and since it is enough to have in home one lion they just take miniature LOOOOOOOOOL because lions can only get on those of their kin

I have both cats and dogs, but I am definitely more of a cat person. I agree with the introvert comment, considering I am a totally introverted pianist. I love when my cats will sit down next to me on the bench and follow my fingers with their eyes! But then they kind of get in the way... (^..^)

I've often wondered this as well. There was an old lady in our neighborhood growing up that had a piano.....and about 17 cats. We called her the old scary cat lady. Those darned cats were always having kittens and crapping in my dads work boots. He hated them. Lol

On a side note, her house always smelled just like Dad's boots.....yuck!

I love when my cat lays on piano while I play. His tail swings almost as if he is setting the tempo for me.

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Very interesting thread. I kind of laughed at the comment above saying that pianists like cats because both are introverted. What a generalization! I consider myself to be an introvert and I have three dogs. I prefer dogs to cats because they strive to return the love and attention you give them, more so than cats in my experience. It is such a joy to come home after a quick errand and see all three dogs genuinely excited to see me again.
However, interestingly enough, two out of my three former teachers had two cats. The other had a dog. Maybe the OP does have a point...

Very interesting thread. I kind of laughed at the comment above saying that pianists like cats because both are introverted. What a generalization! I consider myself to be an introvert and I have three dogs. I prefer dogs to cats because they strive to return the love and attention you give them, more so than cats in my experience. It is such a joy to come home after a quick errand and see all three dogs genuinely excited to see me again.
However, interestingly enough, two out of my three former teachers had two cats. The other had a dog. Maybe the OP does have a point...

I got neither cats or dogs, but I always wondered how they would react when you play the piano...

I like cats also. But I play on my Yamaha EZ-200 keyboard.

I loathe cats. That is to say, wild cats - big and small - are glorious, but domestic cats about attractive a housepet as a goldfish. actually less. I quite like fishies.

Dog lover - and bad pianist. The other pianist who live here are all dog lovers and cat loathers, too. But fear not, we also discriminate when it comes to actual dog breeds. no ornamental fluffy yappers here. Just sensible, utilitarian working dogs.

Franz Scherbit loved kitties, and drew them in ink on his compositions.

I have three cats and only one pie-anna.

Kitten on the keys was probably written by a cat lover.

Cats > people.