Domestic Cat Behavior
“Cats were put into the world to disprove the dogma that all things were created to serve man.”
―Paul Gray
An oxymoron is a figure of speech wherein two words with opposite meanings are used in one sentence. A perfect example is ‘cats are domestic’. You need to have a rethink if you believe in domesticated cats. No one can own a cat, even though your cat may sometimes act like you own him, for the benefit of food or a treat.
For 9500 years, there has been a campaign to domesticate cats but cats are totally independent, proved by the fact that there hasn’t been any success. In a bid to understand cat behavior, there have been fables, stories, research and myths, but the behavior of cats remains a mystery. It is not entirely impossible though to understand your domestic cat. While there are common behavioral traits for cats which you can use as a guide to understand your cat, there are personalities that are unique to different cats.
Understanding Domestic Cat Behavior
Incessant Self Grooming: Given the fastidious nature of cats, they constantly groom themselves. If a cat is not looking for food or sleeping, most probably, he is grooming himself. Ever wonder why cats groom themselves so often? There are a number of reasons like pulling out remains stuck in their hair, lowering body temperature during warmer months, and straightening out matted fur. Cats can effectively clean all parts of their body except their face and head, thanks to the sharp papillae on their tongue and their very flexible spine. The cat wets his paws with his tongue and runs it over his face and head to clean them. For a healthy cat, grooming is natural but it can easily result in the formation of hairballs.
Purring: one of the most reassuring sounds in the world has to be the soft purr of a cat asleep on your laps. Kittens purr to tell their mothers they are ok and generally cats purr to communicate their feeling of happiness or contentment at that instant. A cat can also purr when it is in pain or scared, to calm itself or reassure itself. Cats in delivery may also purr to reduce the pain. Contrary to this amazing sound, cats may resort to spitting, hissing, growling, or meowing with their paws folded when they are in fear or threatened.
Sleeping: most cat owners ask why cats sleep so much. Depending on their diet, their countenance and their natural instinct, cats have varying sleep patterns. Cats with diets rich in proteins will not need to hunt for food and tend to sleep for longer hours. Cats that stay indoors will most sleep because of boredom. Cats do not sleep deeply, probably since they are retaining their ability to discern approaching preys or predators. Cats also do not sleep for long periods of time, they prefer short naps.
Cat Body Language: the body language of a cat is very intriguing. They can say a thousand words just by moving an eye, swishing their tail, moving their ear, or slight change in body posture. But if you are not sensitive to your cats’ body language, he may want to go out and you think he needs food, and you may end up taking him to the vet for not eating. A slightly quavering tail indicates your cat is in a happy or playful mood while a brushy or thrashing tail is an indication of annoyance or irritability. Blinking eyes, arching their backs or sprawling on their backs are other body languages of the cat which indicate comfort and ease, and they communicate their disgust by shaking their paws.
Understanding your cat’s behavior and thus avoiding cat behavior problems is essential when building a lifelong bond with your pet, hence the importance of understanding your cats sleep pattern and body language cannot be undermined.