Our feline friends are mysterious—much more so than those other furry family members, as anyone who has spent time with cats knows. Here, John Bradshaw, author of Cat Sense (Basic Books, 2013),The Inner Life of Cats responds to a number of queries regarding the many peculiarities of cats from Scientific American editors and Twitter users. At the University of Bristol School of Veterinary Sciences in England, where he is a visiting fellow, Bradshaw conducts research on the wellbeing and behavior of cats and dogs as well as their interactions with humans.
Are cats less domesticated than dogs? Are they becoming more domesticated over time?
Dogs are in that sense the more domesticated of the two species, although cats are much more close to their wild progenitors than dogs are to wolves. There is no indication that cats have changed much more than that during the past several thousand years, though they did get more social with one another and far more accepting of people as they acclimated to coexisting with humans.
Will cats, which require meat, eventually evolve to eat a broader array of foods as dogs do?
As members of the Carnivora order of mammals, cats and dogs mostly consumed meat when they were in the wild. According to recent DNA investigations, dogs have evolved to have more copies of the so-called amylase gene, which produces an enzyme that aids in the breakdown of starch. Dogs may now consume a wider variety of foods because to having more copies of this gene. The Felidae family of cats, in contrast, lost the genes encoding a number of important enzymes early in the course of its evolution, including those responsible for producing vitamin A, prostaglandins, and the amino acid taurine. Cats must consume meat in order to receive these chemicals, whereas dogs (and humans) can create them from plant-based precursors. Cats would need to change their diet in order to They have developed physiological characteristics that enable them to produce these and other essential elements from plant sources. Since this ability has not developed over the 10 million years of felid evolution, it is doubtful that it will do so in modern domestic cats on its own.
Why do cats purr?
Cats purr because they have something to say, which roughly translated is “please keep still and pay attention to me.” Kittens purr to persuade their mothers to keep on nursing them, and pet cats purr when they want to be stroked. The vibrations emanating from the purr certainly have a calming effect on people. Yet sick cats will also purr as a cry for help. So purring doesn’t always mean “I’m happy.” Some researchers have claimed that the vibrations from purring might help heal bone damage in an injured cat.
How do they purr?
The Inner Life of Cats
The purr is a unique vocalization that cats and humans make by rattling their vocal cords together rather than vibrating them by pushing air through them as they do for all of their other vocalizations. Cats can purr when they are breathing in and out because of this. The cheetah and the majority of wildcat species have purring voices. The large cats—lion, tiger, jaguar, and leopard—are the exceptions, as their vocal boxes have been changed to allow them to roar.
Why do house cats have so many vocalizations compared with wildcats?
The Inner Life of Cats Despite having fewer vocalizations than some other species, house cats are substantially noisier than feral cats. For instance, the “how” and the “gurgle,” which are not in the repertoire of house cats, are two additional meows made by Asian jungle cats. Except sporadically when mother cats are speaking to their young, wild cat colonies rarely hear the distinctive meow of house cats. Feral cats don’t need to shout their presence; they keep a close eye on each other’s movements. But cats who live with people discover that meowing works well to grab our attention. Our pet cats frequently notice that we have our faces buried in a book or a screen, so they meow to get our attention to give them credit. Some animals establish a “secret language” of meows that only their owners can decipher and that each cat uses to communicate a different need. Additionally, some breeds, particularly the Siamese, are known for being talkative.
Do cats think of their owners as parents? Siblings? Friends?
Cats greet us by rubbing around our legs, indicating that they think of us as nice but also slightly superior to them. When living in a family group, females rub on males, smaller cats rub on bigger cats, and kittens rub on their mothers. Rarely does the opposite occur, indicating a little power imbalance in any of these interactions The Inner Life of Cats .
How can you get a cat to love you?
Cats inherently feel affection for people who care for, play with, and feed them, albeit they don’t always express it. Because some cats are just wary, winning their trust might be challenging. One technique is to never force yourself on the cat; instead, let the cat come to you whenever it wants to. When the cat does approach, give it a few treats and let little sooner, and stays for a little longer, each time.
Why do cats sometimes suddenly bite or scratch the person who is petting them?
You have probably missed the warning signs that the cat has had enough. Some cats, even if they enjoy being petted, also tire of it very quickly. Flattened ears and a slight twitching of the tail can signal that they have had their fill. If you have such a cat, try breaking off from stroking it every few seconds and allowing it to move away if it wants to.
Can cats get jealous?
The Inner Life of Cats Dogs can exhibit jealousy, according to research, so cats most likely do too. Both animals sense jealousy in the moment when they witness another person receiving the attention they are craving; they do not remember feeling jealous after the incident has passed. Cats, like dogs, have a limited understanding of time; they can only be taught to distinguish between various time intervals when these intervals are no longer than a few seconds. They probably don’t have the mental capacity to think back further.
Do cats remember different people or just the people they see on a daily basis?
Scientists have not specifically looked into this characteristic, but since cats seem to forget other cats after being apart for a while, it is likely that people also exhibit this behavior. Dogs can recall humans by their scent for months, if not years, despite humans being considerably more significant to them.
Do coat colors and patterns correspond to certain personality traits in cats?
Cat owners frequently think that their pet’s personality can be predicted by the color of their cat’s coat, although there is no proof of this. Locally, a really successful male can have a lot of kittens that look like him and act like him due to their shared DNA, which may help to explain why people have come to correlate personality with coat color. The primary breed kinds of pedigree cats do have distinctive personalities: the so-called oriental breeds tend to be especially active, while the exotics are more laid-back. Wildcat and domestic cat hybrid cats have considerably more pronounced breed-specific personality features. For instance, Bengal cats, a hybrid of domestic cats and Asian leopard cats, are notoriously adventurous and only sleep for about an hour at a time half the time that a typical domestic cat does.
Why do cats bring their kills to their humans?
Although it seems tempting, these deaths are not intended to be gifts from our feline friends. Before eating their prey, cats take them to a secure location. If they find themselves in or close to the kitchen, they are immediately reminded that cat food is far sweeter than mice and give up their catch then and then.
Why do they knock objects off tables and shelves?
Simply said, some cats are more clumsy than others, and material things have no significance to them. To attract their owner’s attention, some people may intentionally bat stuff over the edge. Sometimes they appear to be doing it for their own amusement or because they have discovered that their owner appears to like playing this particular game.
Do indoor cats suffer from not being able to go outside?
If a cat has lived indoors all its life, it probably doesn’t “miss” what it has never experienced. Outdoor cats that are suddenly confined do get stressed, however. All indoor cats should be given plenty of stimulation—hunting games using prey-like toys are ideal.
Why do cats sometimes suddenly decide to run around like crazy for no apparent reason?
Simply put, some cats are more clumsy than others, and they don’t care about monetary things. To draw the attention of their owner, some people may intentionally bat objects over the edge. Sometimes they appear to be doing it for their own amusement or because they have discovered that this is a pastime that their owner appears to love.
The Inner Life of Cats
Why do cats love to climb into boxes, including ones that seem too small?
Cats want to feel safe, especially when they plan to sleep, and cardboard boxes can provide for a comfortable snooze. But it’s unclear why some people seem to prefer boxes that are too tiny to those that are just right.
Why do cats climb to heights that they are subsequently afraid to jump down from?
Cats are far more useful for sprinting up trees than for climbing down since their claws point backward. (The margay, a South American cat that lives in trees, has double-jointed ankles and wrists that make it possible for it to descend and ascend with equal ease.) Cats who are inexperienced or scared could jump higher than they should. However, they typically are able to descend because they have a reflex that allows them to fall safely, even from relatively great heights. All four of their legs are extended sideways, and their belly’s loose skin acts as a sort of parachute. To lessen the impact of landing, they push their feet downward and arch their backs just before touching the earth.
Why do some cats go crazy for catnip and others show no response at all?
The catnip response is a bit mysterious since it consists of disparate play behaviors (pouncing, gripping with the claws), social behaviors (cheek rubbing), and female sexual behavior (rolling onto the back, for example). This response to the herb is shared by several cat species, including lion, tiger, leopard, and lynx. Due to the response being governed by a single gene that only around two thirds of cats carry (see “Catnip’s Magic,” below), not every member of these species exhibits it. However, there is no proof to imply that cats who disregard catnip are lacking in play, socialization, or sex. It’s possible that the catnip response is just an accident of evolution.
Why do cats lick and chew plastic bags, power cords, and other nonfood items?
Veterinarians have noted an unhealthy taste for plastics in some cats but have never convincingly explained it. Cats may be trying to alleviate stress. Among oriental cat breeds, adults commonly suck, chew, and eat fabrics, especially wool, in response to stress. Also, kittens of all kinds that are weaned too early may develop the habit of suckling on a blanket, usually purring and kneading with their front paws at the same time, as if the blanket were their mother.
Why do they chew their fur?
There are two explanations that could explain this behavior. One is scratchy skin, which may be brought on by an allergy or parasites like fleas. However, repeated over-grooming in one area or ripping out clumps of fur can also be symptoms of chronic stress, possibly as a result of a dispute with another cat living in the home or in the neighborhood.
Why do cat feet sometimes smell like tortilla chips?
All cats, large and little, can develop fatty liver disease, a condition in which the liver accumulates fat generated by other organs and is unable to perform essential tasks like recycling red blood cells. This condition can be brought on by cancer, diabetes, or kidney disease, but it can also be brought on by the cat going for extended periods without eating (stress is a common cause in pet cats). It manifests itself much more quickly in overweight cats, thus big cat species are probably less prone to experience it because they are less likely to be overweight when living in the wild.
Why are cats so finicky about food and their litter boxes? Why are they so sensitive to any change in routine?
Cats must be careful with what they eat since they have much stricter nutritional needs than dogs. Additionally, because they were lone hunters, their forefathers could afford to eat whenever they wanted. Dogs, on the other hand, are descendants of wolves that hunted in packs and developed to eat quickly in order to get their part of the kill. Cats avoid using a dirty litter box because they prefer to conceal their excrement, which would otherwise reveal their location to both prey and predators. Due to their territorial nature and reliance on their home surroundings for security, cats are significantly more sensitive to environmental changes than dogs are. That’s why cats frequently attempt to return to their owner’s previous home in the first few weeks following a house move.
Will cats really consume their deceased owners in some situations?
If they are literally dying of hunger, cats (and dogs) will eat anything available. I’m sure that they don’t mean to cause offense!
CATNIP’S MAGIC
Have you ever questioned why some cats behave strangely after being around catnip? They exhibit behaviors akin to female cats in heat, including as rubbing their bodies and heads against the herb, jumping, rolling around, vocalizing, and salivating. After around 10 minutes of this response, the cat becomes resistant to catnip’s effects for about 30 minutes. Approximately 70% of cats display this behavior when exposed to catnip, while it doesn’t affect kittens until they’re about six months old and starting to develop sexual maturity.
The plant Nepeta cataria and other Nepeta species, which are members of the mint family, have a volatile oil in their stems and leaves that cause the genetically vulnerable cats to react. Nepetalactone, the oil’s chemical name, appears to attach to proteins that activate sensory neurons when it enters the cat’s nasal tissue. In turn, these nerve cells cause neurons in the olfactory bulb of the brain to respond. These neurons then project to a number of areas of the brain, including the amygdala (two neuronal clusters deep in the temporal lobes that mediate emotional responses to stimuli) and the hypothalamus (the brain’s “master gland”), which is known to play a role in regulating everything from hunger to emotions.
To promote the sexual-like response, the brain modifies hormone levels via the pituitary gland. To put it another way, the cat reacts to the oil as though it were a cat’s pheromone. Catnip is thought to be fully safe and non-addictive for cats. Rafaela Turner
The Inner Life of Cats
