Guy: I want to fuck you real bad
Masha: No. No, no, no. First, I must bathe you in my dirty bathtub, play you the song of my people on my flute and then I must attach sequins to you to show you have passed the test.
Guy: (internally) Oh no, what I have I done...
Masha running a bath for one of her victims partners, is the equivelant of a teenage lad pulling out a guitar to play 'Wonderwall' for the girl he likes.
Your theory holds up until you got to "...and I will focus on here". If this is Linda's way of focussing on keeping a roof over their head in the meantime, I dread to think what it looks like when Linda loses her focus.
It doesn't think it's human, it's that they are territorial and they consider the house their territory - even moreso when its a house cat.
Their behaviour is nothing different to any other cat.