When Fireball lies guard cat across the hallway I've learned on which side to squeeze past to avoid my feet being seized and gnawed on. Likewise, Fireball knows on which side to pass me when I'm on the floor, to avoid the delay of being petted when he has urgent avian murder business to attend to.

Because you know, that petting feels so good especially under the neck, and one gets all to purring, and might even forget about those birds.