Cats are so commonplace that we scarcely look at what they do and why they do it, but cat behaviour is quite an interesting subject really, particularly for cat owners and animal lovers.
Cat behaviour is normally taken to refer to that of domestic cats, although they do share some characteristics with their larger wild relatives.
A cat's behaviour largely depends on whether it is a solitary cat or one of several in a household. Cats are usually solitary animals only coming together to mate, although they will usually co-exist with other cats in a house, particularly if they met when they were young or those that were introduced were young.
You may get problems of territorialism if you attempt to introduce an older cat into a house, where another cat has been living for a time. This is similar to large cats, which have their hunting ground that they patrol and delineate with urine and faeces every day. Male cats sometimes do this at home, much to the annoyance of their owners.
Rubbing has a comparable meaning. A cat rubs with scent glands on its face to mark something as its own, especially territory, which is all cats really worry about except food.
Kneading or knitting is another common mannerism in household cats, although it is not really well understood.
One suggestion goes that domestic cats stay juveniles, never really growing up, so kneading is reminiscent of kneading its mother's teats to encourage the flow milk. Others say that it is reminiscent of flattening grass to create a bed, but this does not seem to explain the ecstasy that cats seem to get from kneading.
We love to hear our cats purr because we perceive it as a sign of joy, but is it? Well, it probably is, but it probably comes from the fact that cats are born blind and, like most infants, pretty stupid, so the sound of mum purring probably attracts the kittens to her for a feed. The 'memory' of this happy event almost certainly triggers purring in adult cats.
When a cat arches its back, it is probably signalling to its assailant that it is bigger than they think it is. It is also an attack stance. With its back arched, a cat can rear up in order to claw a taller opponent, but it can also jump or run, whichever action is apposite. The hissing goes with arching to deter the antagonist.
Cats do not have a broad vocal range and, being nocturnal hunters, they have developed a sort of 'eye language'. For instance, if a cat is pleased, it's eyes dilate - a bit like when we look at their loved ones.
However, it also occurs in cats while they are hunting, which might mean either that they enjoy that activity or that they have to get as much light as possible to see by.
Cat behaviour is normally taken to refer to that of domestic cats, although they do share some characteristics with their larger wild relatives.
A cat's behaviour largely depends on whether it is a solitary cat or one of several in a household. Cats are usually solitary animals only coming together to mate, although they will usually co-exist with other cats in a house, particularly if they met when they were young or those that were introduced were young.
You may get problems of territorialism if you attempt to introduce an older cat into a house, where another cat has been living for a time. This is similar to large cats, which have their hunting ground that they patrol and delineate with urine and faeces every day. Male cats sometimes do this at home, much to the annoyance of their owners.
Rubbing has a comparable meaning. A cat rubs with scent glands on its face to mark something as its own, especially territory, which is all cats really worry about except food.
Kneading or knitting is another common mannerism in household cats, although it is not really well understood.
One suggestion goes that domestic cats stay juveniles, never really growing up, so kneading is reminiscent of kneading its mother's teats to encourage the flow milk. Others say that it is reminiscent of flattening grass to create a bed, but this does not seem to explain the ecstasy that cats seem to get from kneading.
We love to hear our cats purr because we perceive it as a sign of joy, but is it? Well, it probably is, but it probably comes from the fact that cats are born blind and, like most infants, pretty stupid, so the sound of mum purring probably attracts the kittens to her for a feed. The 'memory' of this happy event almost certainly triggers purring in adult cats.
When a cat arches its back, it is probably signalling to its assailant that it is bigger than they think it is. It is also an attack stance. With its back arched, a cat can rear up in order to claw a taller opponent, but it can also jump or run, whichever action is apposite. The hissing goes with arching to deter the antagonist.
Cats do not have a broad vocal range and, being nocturnal hunters, they have developed a sort of 'eye language'. For instance, if a cat is pleased, it's eyes dilate - a bit like when we look at their loved ones.
However, it also occurs in cats while they are hunting, which might mean either that they enjoy that activity or that they have to get as much light as possible to see by.
About the Author:
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a number of topics, but is now concerned with feline distemper vaccination. If you want to know more, please visit our website at Distemper Vaccines
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