WOW!! Hobby, I'm speechless after reading yr post today hehehe:-)I need to spend some mins composing my thoughts before responding to yr post...
I think I'm talking abt the image of cat (in human imagination) rather than cats in real life. I admit cats in real life have some flaws (although some cats are really well-behaved).
I quote : "..type happy enough to use someone to stroke them & make them purr, but with no real loyalty to anyone or anything but themselves.

I don't think cat lacks loyalty. They just do not want to be attached to humans/their peers too much IMO. Cats have selfish side too but so are all living beings. Some dogs are not that loyal too. I think cats do care, but perhaps they love to be alone more than dogs??
The concept of Australian mateship?Umm.. I've read some Henry Lawson stories and i think they talk a lot abt mateship..sounds like a great concept to me but i heard that it can exclude/discriminate against people of different skin colours and gender preferences :-)