“How do you understand cats?” is the timeless question of owners of these beautiful animals. If you’ve ever wondered why your pet sometimes behaves strangely, don’t be surprised – cat behavior and habits sometimes seem illogical to us.
Anyone who spends enough time with cats knows that our feline companions are pretty mysterious.
Today we would like to tell you what the experts think about this cat’s behavior. Meet John Bradshaw, author of Cat Sense (Basic Books, 2013).
Bradshaw is a visiting scholar at Bristol University’s School of Veterinary Sciences in England, where he studies the behavior and well-being of cats and dogs and their interactions with humans.
So here’s a list of 25 questions and answers about cat behavior and habits that he commented on social media.
And we, in turn, will try to recall the behavior of our pets – let’s remind ourselves that we live with 3 tails.
Read on for interesting facts and questions about cat behavior.
1.Is it true that cats are less domesticated than dogs? Do they become more domesticated over time?
It is proven that cats are many times more similar to their distant ancestors than dogs are to wolves. That is why dogs are considered to be tamer than cats.
Cats, on the other hand, as they got used to living around people, became more sociable with each other and much more receptive to people.
However, there is no evidence that they have changed more in the last few thousand years.
2.Can cats evolve to eat a wider variety of foods like dogs do?
Cats, like dogs, belong to the same group of mammals. The main diet of wild relatives of both species was mainly meat.
Recent DNA analyses confirm that dogs have produced more copies of the so-called amylase gene during their evolution.
It is this gene that is responsible for the enzyme that promotes the breakdown of starch. The presence of a significant number of copies of this gene made it possible for dogs to be more omnivorous.
The feline family has lost the genes encoding several key enzymes that produce vitamin A, prostaglandins, and taurine. Dogs and humans, on the other hand, still have the ability to synthesize these substances from plant-based precursors. However, cats must get them from meat.
To add other foods to their diet, cats will need to develop physiological traits that allow them to synthesize key nutrients from plant foods.
This ability has not been manifested in cats for 10 million years of evolution. Therefore, it is doubtful that it will spontaneously appear in our domestic cats just now.
3.Why do cats purr?
Cats purr because they have something to say. It roughly translates to “please don’t move and pay attention to me“.
Kittens purr to convince their mother cat to keep feeding them, and adult cats purr when they want to be petted.
The vibrations emitted by purring certainly have a calming effect on people.
Even sick cats can purr as if they are asking for help. That is why purring does not always mean “I’m fine”.
Some scientists claim that the vibrations from purring can help heal an injured cat.
Comment from Murmeo! Oops, we have a lot to say here. Our Abyssinian cat comes to us in the morning and starts purring hard, “Let’s chew, please.” That said, she shows up just as soon as we wake up, move, or talk.
Another cat comes in the evening when we have already gone to bed and gives us a 10-minute purring session. Naturally, the procedure must include obligatory petting.
4.How do cats purr?
Purring is an unusual vocalization created by shaking the vocal cords. That’s why cats can purr as they inhale and exhale.
Most wild cats can purr, including cheetahs. The exceptions are the big cats-lion, tiger, jaguar, and leopard – whose larynxes are modified so that they can only growl. You can read more about purring on Wikipedia.
5.Why do domestic cats have more purring options than wild cats?
It is said that domestic cats are much noisier than their wild relatives. However, the Asian jungle cat, for example, has sounds that are not in the repertoire of our domestic pets, something like “ow” and “bull-bull.”
Also, the characteristic sound of the domestic cat, the meow, is almost never heard in feral cat colonies except when mother cats are communicating with their kittens. There, feral cats watch each other’s comings and goings carefully, so they do not need to announce their presence by voice.
However, cats who live with people know that meowing is a good way to get our attention.
Our pets often find us burying our noses in a book or a screen. That’s why they meow, to get our attention.
Some pets develop a “personal language” of meowing that only their owners understand. And each “meow” in their vocabulary will mean something different – something the cat needs.
6.Do cats think of their owners as parents? Brothers and sisters? Friends?
When a cat rubs up against your legs, she greets you, thus showing her friendliness. At the same time, she lets you know that you are slightly superior to her.
When living in a home group, kittens rub their own mothers, females rub males, and small cats rub big ones. The opposite happens only rarely – the authority figure usually does not collapse.
Comment from Murmeo! Our young Abyssinian cat comes and rubs my feet quite often – I must be the “authority” for him.
7.How to make a cat love you?
Cats have a natural affection for those who feed, care for, and play with them. However, they do not always do so obviously.
Sometimes their trust is a little difficult to gain because some animals may simply be nervous or afraid of you.
One of the tricks to getting to know a cat is to let her come near you whenever she wants to. You can reward her with some goodies and let her go as soon as she wants. Believe me, every day she will come up to you more and more often.
However, don’t worry, we have a complete guide on how to introduce a cat to your family – we hope this helps you.
8.Why do cats sometimes suddenly bite and scratch the person who is petting them?
You may have missed the warning signs that the cat has had enough of your attention. Some pets may sometimes tire of your petting if you overdo it.
Flattened ears and a slight shuddering of the tail clearly indicate that they are tired of it. If you notice this behavior, you should stop petting it and leave it alone.
Comment from Murmeo! We have an interesting observation when one of our cats quite often gives a light bite while being petted. We think this is how she expresses her gratitude.
9.Can cats get jealous?
Some studies say that dogs can get jealous, and cats probably do too. For both species, jealousy is a momentary emotion they feel when they see another person, not them, getting attention.
Cats have a limited concept of time. They can learn to distinguish between different time intervals, but only when those intervals are limited to a few seconds. They may not be able to remember a decently distant past.
Comment from Murmeo! It’s hard to say, but we may have noticed some jealousy at feeding time, too. As a matter of fact, to avoid jealousy, if there is any goody, we make sure to call everyone and share it between the three of them.
10.Do cats remember different people or only those they see daily?
Scientists have not studied this feature directly, but cats probably forget other cats if they are separated for long periods of time.
I guess the same can be said for people.
Dogs, on the other hand, for whom people are much more important, can remember people by their scent for months, maybe even years.
Comment from Murmeo! One time we had a kitten that we had to give away to another family for a week. But when the kitten came back to us, her brother was very happy about it. The theory that they won’t forget you for at least seven days proved to be true.
11.Does coat color correspond to certain traits of a cat’s personality?
Cat owners may believe that their pet’s character can be predicted by the color of their coat. Although there is no proven fact that this assumption is correct.
It has been noted that on a local level, a very successful cat may produce many kittens that will look and behave just like him because of their shared genes. This explains why people have come to associate coat color with personality.
Although some breeds do have certain characteristic traits. Orientals, for example, are generally considered to be quite active. Exots, on the other hand, have a calmer personality.
Cats that are hybrids of domesticated and feral cats show much stronger breed traits. For example, Bengals, which are a cross between domestic cats and Asian leopard cats, are adventurous. And they only sleep half the time compared to the average house cat.
Comment from Murmeo! We have this pattern when all the blue Abyssinian kittens have a calmer character. All kittens of other colors – tear them off and throw them away (there is such a saying)! So this theory is also partially justified.
12.Why do cats bring their “catch” to humans?
Sometimes it’s very entertaining when our feline companions bring us “gifts.”
There is an explanation for this. Cats try to take their prey to their safe place before they eat it.
In fact, if that “safe” place is in the kitchen or in your bed, there’s your answer. Although, as soon as a cat sees their regular food in the kitchen or is distracted by a game, the prey immediately becomes uninteresting to them – they immediately leave their catch.
Comment from Murmeo! Our cats live at home, so there is basically nowhere for them to hunt. However, if a bug or a fly flies into the house, there is a full house. It ends up that, of course, the bug is caught and then eaten. We don’t get any prey.
13.Why do they knock items off tables and shelves?
It is believed that some cats are simply more clumsy than some of their relatives. And, naturally, our material possessions mean nothing to them.
Others, on the other hand, will throw objects over the edge just to get your attention.
At times they seem to do it for their own amusement. Or maybe it’s because they’ve realized it’s a game their owner enjoys.
Comment from Murmeo! At our place, it’s a normal story when all the things that are on the edge of the table are bound to be “dropped”. In fact, that’s why everything fragile, breakable, and delicate is already either broken or hidden away.
14.Do domestic cats suffer from not being able to go outside?
If a cat has lived indoors all its life, it probably doesn’t “lose” what it has never experienced.
Outdoor cats who find themselves locked up at one point, though, can become stressed.
Your pets should get plenty of active play to reduce stress – hunting with toy mice would be ideal entertainment.
Comment from Murmeo! It’s hard to say, our pets lead an indoor lifestyle. Although, we are 100% sure that if one of our “noble” breed cats went for walks, it would be a tragedy for her to be locked up.
15.Why do cats sometimes decide to run like crazy for no apparent reason?
Cats can get “upset” if they are bored or stressed. Or perhaps they have just seen a rival through the window.
Under such circumstances, the slightest movement of things, even a speck of dust caught in a beam of light, can make a cat run anywhere.
Regularly playing with your pet can help dissipate all that energy and relieve stress.
Comment from Murmeo! Very relevant to our Abyssinian. When he’s bored, it’s normal for him to run, jump on the closet, then go down and back up – it’s all in 2 minutes.
16.Why do cats like to climb into boxes, including ones that are too small?
Cats like to feel well-protected, especially when they are going to sleep. All sorts of cardboard boxes might just be perfect for their safe sleep.
But why some pets prefer boxes that are too small remains a mystery.
Comment from Murmeo! We immediately turn any box into a game, a house, a cot – very often into a double room…for two tails.
17.Why do cats climb to such heights that they are afraid to jump from?
Since cats’ claws are reversed, they are more useful for exactly climbing up the tree rather than coming down.
Did you know? The margay or long-tailed cat, which lives in trees, has double joints at the ankles and wrists. This gives it the ability to descend as well as to ascend just as easily.
It should be noted that if a cat gets into an extreme situation or is frightened, she can climb significantly higher than if she did so in a calm environment.
Cats only manage to get back down because they have a reflex that allows them to fall safely from quite high heights.
As they fall, they extend all four paws out to the sides so that a sort of parachute is created from the flabby skin on their stomachs. Then, a split second before they land, they push their feet down and arch their back, thus reducing the shock of landing.
18.Why do some cats go crazy for catnip and others don’t react at all?
The reaction to catnip is a definite mystery. Their behavior seems to consist of various random elements of play (hitting, claw grabbing), communication (face rubbing), and female sexual behavior (e.g. rolling over on their backs).
Many species of cats, including the lion, tiger, leopard, and lynx, have the same reaction to common grass. However, this reaction does not occur in all individuals of these species.
The reason is that this behavior is controlled by only one gene, which is present in only two-thirds of cats.
The reaction to catnip may simply be an established evolutionary coincidence.
Comment from Murmeo! It’s true, we once bought a catnip mouse and one of the cats completely ignored the smell. For the other two, though, the smell really took its toll – the mouse was played to “half a death”.
19.Why do cats lick and chew on plastic bags, power cords, and other non-food items?
Veterinarians have noted an unhealthy predilection for plastic in some cats. However, there is no convincing explanation.
There is a probability that cats try to relieve stress in this way. Adult cats of some breeds often suck, chew and eat tissue, especially hair, in response to stress.
Also, the habit of suckling can develop in kittens who are weaned too early from their mother cat. They may purr and massage the blanket with their front paws imagining that it is their mother.
Comment from Murmeo! Little kittens, of course, are great at playing with cords and cables and stuff. All of this was at one time, if possible, hidden. But as for the rustling pouches, playing with them happens regardless of age.
20.Why do cats tear out their hair?
There are two possible reasons for this behavior.
One is skin itching, possibly caused by fleas or other parasites, or allergies. The second reason for constantly pulling hairballs may be a sign of chronic psychological stress, perhaps due to conflict with another cat in the house or in the neighborhood.
21.Why do cat’s paws sometimes smell like chips?
It can be a common mild skin fungal infection similar to mycosis in humans. By the way, dogs can also be carriers of this fungus.
22.Why are domestic cats unable to go as long without food as their big brother’s cousins?
Water is an essential substance in the life of cats. All cats, large and small, can suffer from fatty liver disease without water.
In this case, fat excreted from other parts of the body accumulates in the liver and blocks its ability to perform critical functions, such as red blood cell processing.
This condition can occur as a result of cancer, diabetes, or kidney disease. Stress in your pet can also be a cause.
This problem is known to occur much more often in obese cats.
But in large cats (lion, tiger, cheetah) it is probably less common. After all, living in the wild, they are unlikely to be overweight.
23.Why are cats so finicky about food, litter boxes, and where they live?
Cats have greater dietary demands than dogs. At the same time, they are also often cautious about what they eat.
It should be remembered that analogous to their ancestors, cats could allow themselves to eat at any time they liked.
The situation with dogs, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. They descended from pack wolves, which, in order to grab their share, needed to eat their prey quickly.
Also, cats like to hide their feces, which would give away their disposition to both victims and predators. Hence their reluctance to go to a dirty litter box.
Cats are also known to be much more sensitive than dogs to any changes in their environment. The reason for this is that they are territorial animals who only feel safe in the place where they live.
This is why cats often try to return to their owner’s previous home in the first few weeks after moving.
Comment from Murmeo! Again, we have a personal observation about litter boxes. One of the cats buries her “stuff” so well that sometimes nothing is noticeable. Apparently, the backyard roots do make themselves felt after all.
Conversely, Abyssinian cats don’t know how to dig in. They rake something near the litter box with their paws and that’s the end of the story.
24.Why do cats twitch during sleep?
There is a scientific explanation for this. Going from light sleep to deep sleep, the cat usually stretches out and rolls over on its side. Brain patterns shift, coming closer together.
This state, called REM sleep, usually lasts only about six minutes, though in humans it lasts between 90 and 120 minutes. The twitching of whiskers and eyelids is a sure sign that your furry friend is dreaming of mice. This can be what is known as cat cramps in his sleep.
You can read all about cat sleep in our other article.
25.Will cats truly eat their dead owners in some situations?
If an animal is starving to death, then cats (like dogs) will eat whatever is at hand. And it’s nothing personal – just survival!
Comment from Murmeo! We hope it won’t come to that…
Let’s recap
It seemed to us that many of the statements of the famous author and connoisseur of the animal world really make sense. And our pets are a vivid example of this – their behavior and habits are sometimes explainable, but often remain a mystery. Try to understand their inner world!
Surely you too have your own observations regarding the mysterious behavior of your pets. It would be interesting to hear them and see how much they coincide with the opinion of the eminent author.
Murmeo link to the article: https://murmeo.com/en/fun-questions-about-cat-behavior/
