Are You Fluent In Feline?
With more
than 77 million cats in our homes – compared to some 65 million dogs – felines have nudged canines off their “best
friend” pedestal. Americans are simply smitten with kittens, and many of
us live with more than one feline companion at a time. With these stats, you’d
think we’d all be experts in cat behavior, but are we? See how well you
do on the following quiz:
1. A visiting dog startles your cat, which dives under the bed. When you peer under, kitty is against the wall – ears flat, tail wrapped around its body. It’s eyes look huge, the pupils fully dilated. Should
you reach to comfort it?
NO. This is a frightened cat. Frightened
cats should be left alone. A cat that looks like this may last out if you try
to touch it. Best to let it calm down and come out in its own time. (And put that visiting dog on a leach, so it can’t chase kitty again.)
2. Suddenly, your young cat leaps up and races around the house like
a crazy animal. On one “drive-by”, it grabs your ankle and wraps
itself around, kicks at your leg and leaps off, ears sideways, eyes wild. Is
something wrong?
Nothing
except youth and boredom. Try giving your companion more playtime or consider
a second cat to keep it company. You can also keep a water bottle handy to spritz
kitty if it grabs you on a mad dash.
3. After a nap on the couch, your cat stretches and scratches the
corner of the sofa, even though you have a perfectly good scratching post in the back room.
Is it being spiteful?
It’s
being a cat – nothing to do with spite. Where cats scratch is like real
estate: It’s all about location!
The primary purpose of scratching (or rubbing) seems to be to mark territory, so cats will scratch near favorite or
important places. If you want your cat to use his post, put it near a best-loved
napping spot, and you may have better luck.
4. When your orange tabby lies on its back like a happy puppy, it
seems to invite a belly rub. Should you give it one?
Cats
generally do not enjoy belly rubs. They often will tolerate some tummy touches,
only to end them quickly with a grab of your arm and/or a warning wrist bite. If
you are in the mood to commune with your cat, softly invite it over for a pat. If
it declines, leave it alone.
5. Sitting in your lap, your cat purrs and kneads your leg. You notice it drooling a little. Is it
hungry?
When
kittens nurse from their mothers, they knead her belly to help bring down more milk.
During those first few weeks, the link between kneading action, food and utter contentment is made. From that time forward, whenever cats knead, they drool and purr.
So a kneading cat is usually a happy – if a little messy – one. (Cats
also may purr when hurt or afraid. Some say it is self-soothing; others think
it may have healing benefits.)
Cats
communicate with us eloquently once we understand what they are trying to say. Learning
their language enriches our lives and lets us see across the species divide into another world.
Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson are noted animal trainers and the authors of “Good Owners, Great Cats.”
