6 cute cat habits and their unexpected explanations
Science claims that much that touches and touches us so much in the behavior of cats has a completely unexpected and often not very pleasant explanation for us.
Cats know a lot of ways to communicate, but when they want to tell us something like "I want to eat" or "stroke me", they usually meow.
Unlike one-dimensional dog barking, cat vocalizations can be adjusted in height, tone, volume, and the melodies they output are very diverse. Cats need this set of tools in order to better manipulate us and achieve what they want.
A scientific study has shown that people subconsciously distinguish between pleading meows and ordinary sounds made by cats in a variety of situations. The participants of the experiment, who were given to listen to recordings with meowing, said that cat requests sound more demanding and less pleasant than ordinary meowing. When cats beg for something, they produce sounds that resemble the crying of human children.
Further studies have indeed confirmed that when cats demand food or attention, their meowing frequency is close to baby crying. This is not a coincidence, but pure evil feline genius.
Cats instinctively tune their purring and meowing to a frequency that allows them to get what they want from their owners, and as quickly as possible. And we react to their commands like the most natural trained animals, and run to fulfill them. Not only because the sound itself acts on us as an irritant, but also because our natural instinct tells us to immediately feed a creature that sounds like our child, even if it is covered with fur and its name is Badger.
One of the advantages of the cat breed, unlike, for example, dogs or horses, is that its representatives are easily trained to leave their waste products in specially designated neat boxes, and therefore cat owners are spared the need to regularly walk their pets. In addition, cats instinctively bury what they have produced.
Contrary to popular opinion, such habits are not explained by manic, irresistible cleanliness. This is rather an evolutionary relic from the time when cats were not yet domesticated, and there are a lot of predators around, much more dangerous than a vacuum cleaner.
By burying their poop, cats hid a trail by which they could be found by enemies of the feline kind. But there was another reason: so they avoided the "challenge to the death fight" from other, stronger cats. Quite reasonable.
That is, the instillation of feces is a sign that the cat is afraid of another, larger animal. And if he defiantly left a pile in the most visible place (on the mat in front of the front door or on your bed) and did not bother to cover it — this, accordingly, should be considered as an act of aggression. This means that he considers himself in charge, you live on his territory and must obey his laws.
In the mysterious world of cat politics, a bunch is a smelly little flag that clearly marks the boundaries of cat territory. In the wild, such flags are left to be seen and smelled by other cats — a sign that this is the territory of a serious animal that will not joke.
When it comes to living in the same territory of a cat and a person, the same laws apply here. If he left his feces uncovered, it means that he considers himself the main one and you should cover up your good. Which is probably what you're doing.
It is very difficult to understand cats. These are not dogs that jump around expressing their delight when you return home or run away with their tails between their legs when you catch them in the act of eating waste from a trash can. Cats have developed an expression of almost arrogant indifference, which they wear constantly, regardless of their mood.
Nevertheless, any cat lover will testify that cats show their affection for a person when they purr and rub their muzzle or their whole body against his legs. It's like if your kitty in a fit of tenderness tried to hug you.
The problem is that such behavior of cats has nothing to do with their affection. It's just a way to claim you as my property.
Like many other animals, cats are equipped with pheromone-secreting glands, which were originally intended to communicate with other cats on such important issues as identification, sexual compatibility and territorial rights. The most important glands are located on the tail, sides and muzzle. When the cat rubs against your legs or we slip the muzzle under your hand, he tries to leave his odorous marks on you.
Sadly, what you probably took for cat hugs is actually more deserving of comparison with a prison tattoo. For other animals, this is a signal that you already have a master. Well, at the same time, a personal letter is attached to the message. The message stands for something like this: "The property of Masha's cat" and "A lonely, Siamese pussy of three years old will get acquainted with an uncastrated cat for spending time together."
Everyone who has ever watched a cat showdown is familiar with these most chilling sounds that these cute animals are only capable of making. In addition to the uterine "Mrrrooooooooo", a threatening hiss is also included in the mandatory program in such cases.
Scientists claim that when a cat presses its ears, bares its fangs and hisses, it depicts another animal that most predators try to avoid — a snake.
Cats, like many other representatives of the fauna world — from spiders to birds — instinctively use the acting abilities acquired in the process of evolution to protect themselves from enemy attacks. In a dangerous situation, the cat tries to mislead the enemy, and reincarnates into a creature that is more likely to scare him away.
Do you think your cat is very neat? Always washes and brings beauty…
Have you noticed how diligently he begins to lick himself after you have stroked him? Did you touch him with greasy hands or is he allergic to something?
No, that's not the point. He's just trying to get rid of your smell.
When he licks himself, he pulls his fur and thus stimulates the glands on the body, which begin to actively secrete enzymes. The cat starts to smell more by itself and gets rid of your terrible smell.
In addition, cat owners know what can happen if you bring a new person into the house. There is a high probability that the shoes, clothes and other things of the new tenant will be abundantly sprinkled with you know what. The same principle works here — the desire to destroy foreign odors on its territory.
Cats, in fact, are predators. Mice, birds and bare ankles are often the prey of one of the few species on the planet that hunt just for fun…
And therefore, many owners of cats from time to time have to accept not very pleasant gifts from their pets. A cat can put a bloody bird in your shoe and wait for you to start greedily eating the treats brought to you.
Most cat owners will confirm that even if the cat is completely sated with pollock, he still will not miss the pleasure of catching something that accidentally flies by - just like that.
And after the prey is in the claws, the cat will proudly present it to the one he recognizes as the main one — that is, to you. Absolutely logical. But that's only half the truth.
In fact, this half—eaten rat that you found on your pillow when you woke up is not so much a gift as a training maneuver. Cats consider it their duty to teach kittens and other family members how to hunt and forage properly.
It's just that your animal has noticed your complete lack of vital skills and inability to catch food on its own and is trying to teach you as its own kitten. That's all.