To this day, cats still have strong ancient instincts: for example, they hide when they are sick
2023. November 10 - Photos: Getty Images Hungary
2023. November 10 - Photos: Getty Images Hungary
You've probably seen a cat behaving in a certain way and your eyebrows shot up to the middle of your forehead. Many people are confused by such strange behavior patterns, especially when logic seems to elude them from afar. But everything has an explanation.
In order to be able to provide the best conditions for your pet, it is worth understanding these strange behaviors driven by the cat’s ancient instinct. We will help you with this today, stay with us!
The day is over for you, at 8 o’clock in the evening. You plan to sneak onto the sofa to watch your favorite series after dinner, or read in bed with another mug of hot tea, the cat goes completely crazy. It lurks, prowls, sneaks, and pounces on anything that moves. It tempts you to play, jumps on you, grabs your hair. Then calms down from one moment to the next. And in the morning, when you’re trying to squeeze the last few minutes out of the sweet hours of sleep, it all starts all over again.
We have already heard the mean-spirited comments which are state: of course, they know when to be inappropriate, that’s just the way they are! No way about that! Contrary to popular belief, cats are not nocturnal creatures, but crepuscular animals. This means that their most active periods are at dusk and dawn. It’s a small consolation, but you have to learn to live with it. From there, see that your pet is healthy and full of energy, which is all an owner could ask for.
Cats protect their territory from threats. They are also territorial animals, like parrots or dogs. That is why the stereotype that the cats are attached to the house and not to the person may have developed. There is some truth in this, but it does not completely cover the reality. The latest research already proves that cats prefer time spent with their favorite person rather than toys and food. At the same time, it is important to know that the house play a much more important role in their lives than in dogs. Dogs are also territorial animals, but in many cases this territory is concentrated in the place where the owner is.
If the cat rubs against visitors, furniture and family members, it marks it with its scent. t means that it considers these objects and people as its own, and its competitors must also feel this.
These mustachioed little hunters are one of the most successful and efficient predators in the animal kingdom. Yes, even though they can spend 18 hours a day napping. Since indoor cats are rarely able to exercise this instinct on their own, it is very important that you play with them a lot of games that guarantee that their murder mittens don’t get rusty.
If your cat can go out and regularly brings you gifts, consider it the greatest possible honor. You provide it with food and safe housing, and in return it will bring you gifts and groom you with its rough little tongue. If it approaches you like this, you can be sure that you have a close bond.
If your cat seems to regularly hide under the sofa, in the wardrobe, in the laundry basket and in various impossibly small and tight places, this is a natural phenomenon. The smaller the space, the more likely it is to keep the kittens’ precious warmth and safety from attack.
They also hide when they feel sick or injured. This technique gave them the opportunity in the wilderness to regenerate undisturbed before having to face the outside world again. In general, this is a completely normal phenomenon. However if you notice that your cat spends more time hiding from you than with you, it is definitely worth taking it to the vet.
Everyone probably knows that cats fall on their feet when they fall or are dropped. But this statement also raises some questions.
In scientific language, the device that guarantees maneuvering in the air and accurate landing is called a gyroscope. In cats, this is located in the ears. Even the long tail supports the operation of this small structure. Nothing proves the genius of the cat-gyroscope better than the story of Sabrina from New York. This cat fell from a height of thirty-two floors. After the vet treated her collapsed lung and a few broken teeth, she was able to return home two days later.
Sabrina’s story also got researchers thinking. Experiments were carried out on more than a hundred cats with surprising results. From a height of two, or a maximum of seven floors, the cats really fell onto their feet. But above that, the arrival was rather on their bellies. They were positioned in the same way as parachutists while falling in the air.
Of course, this technique also has its advantages and disadvantages. Disadvantages include a collapsed lung, other internal organ trauma or broken ribs, but the chance of a broken leg is minimized. In the animal world, if you can walk away from the scene of an accident or conflict on your own two feet, you have more chances to regenerate your possible injuries in a secluded place. (Here is another connection between instincts. An apex predator is being built before our eyes!)
If we want to describe very simply what happens during such a fall, we can do it like this. At first the body falls faster and faster due to gravity, until it reaches a height of about five floors. Then it reaches its constant top speed. At this point, our furry friend is in free fall. So it is no longer accelerating or feeling the pull of gravity.
The researchers therefore believe that Felis catus, falling from a height of two or seven floors, does not have enough time to reach top speed. So it only has the opportunity to prepare for the impact with its legs. However, when falling more than seven stories, as soon as they reach terminal velocity, they relax their bodies and the parachute autopilot program is activated. So the conclusion is that although they don’t always land on their feet, they can also survive falling from incredibly high places.
One of the most interesting things we learned about cats is that it is not necessary to train them to use the litter, because they instinctively use it. In fact, most cats cover the evidence thoroughly. This is because cats in the wild had to hide their tracks so that other predators wouldn’t find them. This way, even at home, they quickly find a place where they can remain somewhat hidden, while the telltale signs can be covered. So this is why especially important that the toileting conditions are in order, as this makes it feel safe.
Their rough, sandpaper-like texture tongues allows them to get rid of excess fur and dirt. Most hairs that enter the digestive tract pass through it without any problems. However, if for some reason it remains in the stomach, it sticks together and forms hairballs that the cat then coughs up. This is a completely natural phenomenon. Most cats manage this situation without problems, while others need special food to reduce shedding. If your pet has long hair, regular brushing is also very important. You can also bring it to the groomer if this requires too much time and energy from you.
We admit that it is a trying feeling to get over it when the cat sharpens its claws on the furniture, but you should not be punished it for it. Scratching is an instinctive action that is created to sharpen the claws and stretch the extremely elastic and flexible body.
If you don’t have a scratcher at home, definitely get one! If you have one, but your cat doesn’t use it, then it’s worth examining it according to these aspects. Is it tall enough to stretch on? Is it stable enough so that the cat doesn’t have to worry about falling over? If you think these are fine, but it still doesn’t use it, you might want to try catnip orpheromone spray to make it more attractive.
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