Cat Behavior

Cat behavior can be entertaining, perplexing and sometimes downright annoying, but it's always fascinating. Come find out why your feline does what it does.

Cat Behavior for the Novice

If you've never had a feline before, you may find cat behavior perplexing, particularly if you are used to Dogs dogs, since many of the signals cats send mean the opposite of the same signal from a dog.

For instance, a gently waving tail on a dog is a sign of happiness; a vigorously lashing tail a sign of delirious rapture. If a cat's tail is gently waving, be warned - the cat is in stalking mode. And if it's lashing from side to side, the cat is mad and/or about to pounce.

Children can get into trouble by mistaking these cues, and many a child has gotten scratched by a ticked-off cat because they thought the lashing tail was a happy tail.

Kneading

Cats' kneading behavior has perplexed many people - they seem to be softening up a spot to lie down, yet often don't lie down, just continue working their paws as if kneading bread.

This is an instinctive cat behavior; when kittens knead their mother's tummy while nursing, it stimulates the flow of milk. That's not to say grown cats kneading are hungry or looking for milk - in weaned cats, it's just a comfort thing, like thumb-sucking in toddlers.

If a kneading cat keeps getting his claws stuck in the upholstery or bedding, it's time for a nail trim.

Purring

Purring is often seen as an external vocalization of a contented kitty. And it's certainly true that cats sitting in a zen meat loaf with paws all tucked in are often purring contentedly. Lap cats are noted purr-sters, some with a purr that can be heard across a room.

But cats also purr in stressful situations, such as at a vet's. So what is a purr? Physically, cats produce the purr by vibrating their throat in a certain way, but why? Mother cats purr when their kittens are nursing, nursing kittens purr, and house cats purr while being petted. Is it all just a reflex?

There's actually a lot of active science being pursued in cat purring right now. Some people feel that the purr is a way to induce calm in a stressed cat, a kind of mantra for their nerves.

The most interesting research shows that cats purr at a frequency that has already been shown to promote healing in broken bones, so another theory is that cats purr to heal themselves. This begs the question of why would a healthy cat purr. A number of people have produced 'healing CDs' that feature the sound of a cat's purr to promote healing in human ailments.

Rubbing

Cats rub on objects to mark them with their scent. This is a territory claiming cat behavior. If you have multiple cats, you can get into a competitive claiming cycle as each cat tries to claim you as their exclusive property. "My person." "No, MY person." "I said this was my person."

Scratching

Cats scratch, the conventional wisdom goes, to 'sharpen their claws'. This is true, in a manner of speaking, but not in the conventional sense. After all, wouldn't scratching with a sharp tool actually dull the point?

Cats' claws grow out over time, and flake off in scales, revealing the layer beneath, much like a snake sheds its skin. If you've had a cat for any length of time, you've probably discovered these 'nail clippings' in the carpet or upholstery. Scratching helps a cat loosen the oldest layer of claw so that it will fall off. It also exercises legs, neck and shoulder muscles, which is why cats prefer taller scratching posts, or scratching on the carpet.

If your cat's claws are too sharp, they will catch or snag on loose fabric, and dig in when the cat is sitting on laps, so keep them trimmed with a nail trimmer. See training kittens for advice on how to trim cat nails.

Conclusion

Now you know the motivation behind many common kinds of cat behavior. There are probably still at least one hundred other peculiarities you'd like to understand about your feline friend, but you probably never will. That's just part of the joy and adventure of sharing your life with a cat. Accept it and enjoy!

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