Purring And Pondering: What Do Cats Think About All Day
As humans, our days tend to be busy, with no shortage of things to do. Even during our idle times we have plenty of thoughts with which to occupy our minds. How our friends and families are doing, whats going to happen on our favorite TV shows, the meaning of the universe the list goes on and on.
In contrast, cats may seem like they dont have a lot going on. When theyre not asleep theyre usually licking themselves, eating or staring off into space. They dont know about world issues or the latest media and they dont really have any responsibilities; the charmed life of a cat leaves it with seemingly little to think about.
What exactly goes on in the mind of a cat all day? Is it as blank as it sometimes seems to be or is there more to cat cognition than first meets the eye? Lets examine how cats think and find out what sorts of things occupy their thoughts.
What Do Cats Think About All Day
Do you ever sit at work and wonder what is my cat doing right now? What is she thinking about? If youre like most cat owners, you probably have! We all wish we were able to get into our pets brain and see what they really think. While there arent any magic tools that would allow that to happen, we have the next best thing advice and information from professional cat behaviorists! Well find out the answers to some of the cat-related questions youve likely wondered about but have been too afraid to ask.;
Fact: Cats Kiss With Their Eyes
Cats communicate with a slow blink, according to feline experts. With their own kind, it’s a peace sign, meant to put other felines at ease. Aimed at a human, this seductive blink shows affection, even love. People can return the love with a long gaze and slow blink to “blow a kiss” back in cat body language. The calming blink works on house cats, feral cats, and even tigers in the wild, according to behaviorist Roger Tabor.
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Fact: Early Bonding Key For Kitty
Some cats that are aloof or bite the hand that feeds them probably had no exposure to people in early life. Feline behavior experts say a kitten needs regular contact with people in the first seven weeks, or it may never bond with humans. Even five minutes a day in the early weeks will teach a kitten not to bite when the hand of a towering human lifts it off the ground.
Why Do Cats Hate Baths
It’s no mystery that most domestic cats dislike being in water, whether for a bath or a dip in a pool or lake. Most dogs, on the other hand, can’t get enough of it. But why is this?
Perhaps it’s because a cat’s fur takes longer to dry than a dog’s does, and cats don’t like being sopping wet while they wait to dry off, Kelley Bollen, director of behavior programs for the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, told Live Science in 2010.
Or maybe cats prefer to have all four feet on a solid surface and “do not appreciate the sensation of floating in the water,” she said.
Moreover, some dog breeds, including the Portuguese water dog and the Irish water spaniel, are bred to “work” in the water and have body types equipped for swimming.
In addition, most dogs are pleasantly introduced to water when they’re young, while cats are not, Suzanne Hetts, a wildlife biologist with Animal Behavior Associates in Colorado, told Live Science.;
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What Cats Really Think About Us
Cats think about their owners, too; thats for sure. However, dont expect it to be similar to how dogs think of humans in general, and their owners in particular. Cats have a very different set of behaviors that is very difficult to decipher, let alone comprehend. What is known is that the behaviors that we see in cats today can be easily traced back to their earlier experiences as kittens; more specifically, their interactions and relationships with their mothers and littermates.
We still have a long way to go in terms of understanding what cats think of us. What is sufficient for now is that they do think of us, not as humans, but as big mother cats.
Myth: Dogs See In Black And White
Not so, say canine researchers. Dogs are like red-green color blind humans. They;see dark blue, light blue, gray, light yellow, darker yellow , and very dark gray. They see the colors of the world as basically yellow, blue, and gray.;Dogs also see better in low light and can pick up the slightest movement — a trait that makes them good hunters. They probably do not see red, orange, or green, based on examination of the color-sensitive cone cells in canine retinas.
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Bean Bags Help Keep Your Cat Clean
Did you see your cat always wash their face and body using their tongue?;
Yes, cats love to live clean. They never allow the single dirt to stick their body, and they always clean their body.;
Therefore cats do not like to relax and sleep on dirty floor carpets. Thus, they always search for clean places to sleep.
Because of this behavior, cats like bean bags a lot. Rather than a cozy feel, bean bags provide a clean seat to lie down your cats. In addition, as a cat owner, you can easily clean cats pee on bean bags than floor carpets.;
Hence, try to select a waterproof bean bag that is easy to clean.
Myth: Licking Heals Dogs’ Wounds
There is no magic healing power in dog saliva, contrary to popular belief. Quite the opposite: mouth bacteria may cause an infection that delays healing. Dogs are also prone to compulsive licking, which can result in persistent sores, called acral lick dermatitis. The healing choice is usually an Elizabethan collar that blocks their tongue from reaching a sore until it’s completely healed.
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Dogs And Humans Are Very Similar And Have Lived Together A Long Time In A Way It Has Been Co
The cat that may be currently curled up on your sofa or glaring at you from its vantage point on top of the bookcase shares many of its instincts with that of its pre-domestic ancestors the desire to hunt, to patrol territory, guarding it from other cat; they are much closer to their old selves than dogs. Our taming of cats has only partly removed them from the wild.
Mostly, its just human misunderstanding of the species, says Karen Hiestand, a vet and trustee of International Cat Care. Dogs and humans are very similar and have lived together a long time. In a way it has been co-evolution. With cats, it is way more recent. They come from a solitary ancestor that isnt a social species.
The African wildcat we domesticated our housecats from, Felis lybica, tends to lead a solitary life, mostly meeting when it is time to mate. Cats are the only asocial animal thats been domesticated. Every other animal weve domesticated has a social bond with other members of its species.
When cats have their basic needs such as food and litter taken care of, they are more likely to seek out companionship
Given that cats are such an outlier among the animals we live with, its no wonder that we might have been getting their signals wrong.
Cat People: More Neurotic Than Dog People
It should come as no surprise that just as cats and dogs differ;so too do;the people who identify as their owners.;A now renowned 2010 study;by University of Texas psychologist Samuel Gosling and colleagues examined;personality traits of;people who label themselves dog people and cat people, among survey respondents in North America, the UK, Australia and other countries. They found that cat-lovers tended to be less cooperative, compassionate, and outgoing than those who dig dogs, and tended toward more anxiety and depression. Cat people were also found to be more artistic and intellectually curious than dog people.
Most of those findings held;up;in a;study of pet owners by Berkeleys;Delgado and Gretchen Reevy, professor at California State University, which will be published in the upcoming edition of the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. Their research also revealed that while cat and dog people seem to love their pets equally, cat people might have a slightly more anxious relationship with their pet than dog people, says Delgado. Maybe;that has something to do with the roaring conviction with which Quartzs cat people readers insist;their pets truly love them.
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They Are Really Good Mothers
Not only do mother cats nurse their kittens, but they also teach them to use the litter box, how to sharpen claws and whatnot. For dogs, this responsibility is upon the owners to teach puppies things. Not everybody might be able to afford the training assets, grooming tools and professional help needed for dogs.
Signs Your Dog Communicates With Cats
While observing their tails, ears, body postures, mouths and heads you will see that they are sending different messages. A tail wag of a;cat has a completely different message than a tail wag of a;dog. What can be even more remarkable is the notion that cats and dogs who live together may have the potential to read one another’s signals.
We can understand our dog’s thoughts and feelings by watching their bodies. When a dog holds their tail high, it signals aggression. The dog will flick the tail back and forth when about to attack. Unlike the cat, when the dog is relaxed and confident, the tail is relaxed also and extends out from behind. When dogs wag the tail to the right, that is sign of being friendly.;
A relaxed dog will have a slightly open mouth with their tongue hanging out. The dog will have the ears back when approachable. The ears are up when the dog is alert. We like to think of our dogs as affectionate. They stay near, snuggle, and give us comfort.
The cat holds their tail high when feeling confident. The high tail is sending a message the cat is feeling relaxed and confident. Not unlike the dog, when the tail is high and puffed out, it could be signaling the cat is about to become aggressive. The cat’s tail will be lower if the feline is feeling tense.;
Body Language
- Low noises
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A Bond Of Mutual Respect
This goes for communication, too.;Thanks to many millennias worth of dog gene-tweaking, humans have set the standard for what behaviors convey pet affection. In fact,;dogs;now automatically treat humans differently from how they treat other dogs, notes Bradshaw in this National Geographic interview.
Genetically speaking, though, cats come out of the box less programmed to socialize with humans than dogs do. In fact, they treat humans much as they treat other cats, says Bradshaw.
Scientists dont know for sure what behavior indicates affection for humans. But since cats havent been bred en masse to please, each is different enough from the next that the;repertoire;of physical and vocal communication they use to express affection also isnt standard. Cats also tend to be much less reliant on people than dogs are. They are good at taking care of themselvese.g.;hunting and cleaning themselvesand;will reject abusive owners.
What Do Cats Think Of Humans
We have been sharing our joys and sorrows with our cats for the past 9,500 years. And while we can say that we know them quite enough to predict their behaviors and temperaments, there is still one aspect of their being that has eluded us all this time: the inner workings of the feline brain. More to the point, all of us are also interested in knowing what our cats think of us so that we will also be able to fully comprehend what needs to be done to make our feline-loving lives a lot easier.
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Kittens Require Less Work Than Puppies
Both puppies and kittens require an incredible amount of time, energy, and attention. Between getting it comfortable in its new home, introducing it to its new diet, and starting some preliminary training, you may be a little bit sleep deprived during the first few weeks with your new pup or kitten.
Puppies, however, need ongoing training , but once kittens are weaned from their mothers and have learned the basics of using the litter box, they can be left at home unsupervised during the day.
Do you want to be extra safe? Put your kitty in a room where it can’t get into mischief while you’re gone. It’ll keep the kitty wrangled in one safe space and, due to its smaller size, it won’t be able to cause much damage from being contained.
Dogs Have A Better Relationship With Humans Than Cats Do
Dogs who have been domesticated for nearly 12,000 years are expected to have a better relationship with humans than do cats, who have been domesticated a scant 6000 years.
However, several studies have shown that cats develop affection towards their owners. But, this is related to the time and effort the cat owner invests in it, in terms of bonding. Moreover, there are also cats who have saved human lives.
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How Do Cats And Dogs Perceive The World
Humans tend to see the world first dogs smell it. For dogs , smell is the primary sense and the world is one aromatic buffet of informative scents. The nose of a dog is at least 10,000 times more powerful than your own it can sniff out storms before a whisper of rain is on the air, find cancer cells in our blood, or catch a familiar scent up to 20 kilometres away. We have bred dogs to help us hunt and now we train them for more modern jobs such as sniffing out bombs, drugs, even COVID. Squads of coronavirus-sniffing canines, for example, are already being trialled in some airports around the world .
Smell is such a minor sense for us its hard to appreciate what the world is like for them, Starling says. When a dog stops on a walk, its a little like checking social media, they will often sniff around to see who else has been there and leave behind a post of their own.
I dont have a backyard and so I dont have a dog at the moment. Perhaps as a cry for help, I have instead started taking my two cats for walks on leads. Most days we make it to the end of the street before turning for home. After a brief standoff, they usually waddle back, pausing perhaps to solicit some extra pats or cast one synchronised glare at the grey cat over the road.
Artist Nickolay Lamm consulted with vets to design this cats eye view of the world . Cats have much better night vision than a human . Credit:NICKOLAY LAMM
Just Like Dogs Cats Do A Lot Of Communication With Their Bodies Rather Than Through Sound
Even the domestication of cats itself is a spectrum. Feral strays often hide or flee from humans, behaving far more like their wild ancestors. In places such as the Mediterranean and Japan, colonies of community cats thrive in fishing villages, friendly enough to ingratiate themselves with locals who feed them. In Istanbul, for instance, the semi-stray cats are fed and looked after by locals, and have become part of the citys identity, even spawning a recent documentary film.
Then there are the cats that live with us, but even this subset is a spectrum; some keep a relative distance, while others positively thrive with human company.
So, if were wanting a strong bond with our cats, what should we be looking out for?
Just like dogs, cats do a lot of communication with their bodies rather than through sound. I think its a lot harder for people to read their body language compared to dogs, says Kristyn Vitale, a PhD researcher studying cat behaviour. Thats not necessarily the cats fault.
Slow blinking is a sign of affection from cats
The bad news for cats? They lack this muscle. As a result, cats stares can look cold and unfriendly, and two cats staring at each other can often be a prelude for fisticuffs. But a slow blinking stare one that your cat probably gives towards you from the other side of the room is something else entirely; its their way of expressing love. Even turning their heads to one side isnt necessarily disdain, but a sign of their relaxation.
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What Is A Puppy Cat
Theres a growing market for cats that act like dogs, and theres a name for these pets too, puppy cats. This name refers to specific breeds of domestic cats with behavioral patterns that are resemblant of dogs.
Although uncommon, these dog-like tendencies are considered within the scope of feline behavior and have been enhanced through selective breeding. Some of these behaviors include:
- Following their owner around from room-to-room.
- Craving constant acknowledgment and physical affection.
- Showing a lack of aggression towards unfamiliar cats in the neighborhood.
- Enjoying baths or swimming.
- No hesitation when walking with a collar and leash.
While these characteristics might seem appealing for owners interacting with their cats, problems can occur. Felines that are too trusting and friendly are vulnerable to unpredictable dogs, people, and situations. Thus, we recommend using a wearable device to help track and identify your cat shall your feline go missing.
Although these dog-like characteristics can appear regardless of breed, some breeds are more prone to these behaviors. You can find these cats through breeders or if youre lucky enough, through a rescue shelter. So, lets go over our list of the top ten cat breeds that act like dogs.