[X4U] Finder question

[Ed Gould]

When I am in a folder and want to find a specific file, at the top of  
the folder is a window with a magnifying glass next to it.

Why is it when I type say "cat" the finder doesn't just look in the  
folder I am looking for and it assumes I want the entire system  
searched (when I do not). I find this incredibly a waste of time (to  
me) and really tries my patients as if I wanted to find it in the  
entire system I would either use spotlight or some other means?
Or is there a way to restrict it to only looking in the current folder?

The other part of this is that it starts searching before I am ready  
as I may have mistyped(as I often do) the file I am looking for. This  
wastes my time waiting for a response and frustrates me to no end.

Ed