Cat behavior edit
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Cat behavior edit
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Cat behavior is generally the behaviors and habits of domestic cats, as well as their body language and communication. How a cat behaves may vary among breeds and individual cats. Many common behaviors include hunting techniques and reactions to certain events as well as interactions with humans and other animals, such as dogs. Communication can vary greatly depending on a cat's temperament. In a family with multiple cats, social position can also effect behavior patterns with others. A cat's eating patterns can also vary depending on the owner's choice of food or eating times/quantities. In the case of a family having two or more cats, one cat may become dominant among other cats.
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Cats rely strongly on body language to communicate.
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This behavior is used primarily to claim ownership of something, although unlike male cats, female cats do not usually spray. Some neutered females may spray to mimic males, but do not have enough scent to mark. Once male cats are neutered the scent rubbing or spraying will, in most cases, decrease or stop. Some male cats continue to spray if not neutered early enough.
Cats, compared to many other mammals, have a unique courting style. The first step in courtship is the female coming into season, or 'heat'. Male cats will be able to smell a female cat in heat miles away and will therefore be seeking her out. Males will fight mercilessly for the right to be the first to mate with the female. After the dominant male has left, the less dominant males will then each mate with the female in turn. It is therefore possible that even if a male cat loses first breeding rights, he can still be the father. This is also the reason that a litter of kittens can have two or sometimes even three fathers.
The righting reflex is the ability for cats to land on their feet with little or no injury. They can do this more easily than other animals due to their flexible spine and lack of a collar bone. Cats also use vision and/or their vestibular apparatus to help tell which way to turn. They then can stretch themselves out and relax their muscles. Cats do not always land unharmed. They can break bones or die from excessive falls. 2
Cats are obligate carnivores, and can survive without vegetation. Felines in the wild will usually hunt smaller mammals regularly throughout the day to keep themselves nourished. Domestic cats, however, are used to a relaxed lifestyle and, therefore, will eat even smaller amounts, but more regularly. Because of this, the domestic cat's intestinal tract is longer due to the lack of need to digest quicklycitation needed. Many cats will find and chew small quantities of long grass but this is not for its nutritional value, it is a purely mechanical function. The eating of grass triggers a regurgitation reflex to help expel indigestable matter, like hairballs & the bones of its prey.
Cats scratch at the ground around food to cover it, for three reasons. First it makes the food less visible to others, reducing its chances of being taken. Second it keeps insects off the food, and third by excluding sun and air circulation it slows the food's drying out. With too much covering the food it will tend to mold, with not enough it will dry. Thus the covering behaviour varies according to the condition of the food, with food sometimes being well covered, sometimes lightly, and sometimes left uncovered.
Kittens are naturally scared of people at first, but if handled and well cared for in the first 16 weeks, they will develop trust in the humans who care for them. For the ability to relate to other humans, kittens also need to be socialized at an early age, which consists of meeting a variety of humans and other domestic animals.
It is a challenge to socialize an adult feral cat. Socialized grown up feral cats tend to trust only those people they have learned over time can be trusted, and can be very fearful around strangers.
Cats can be extremely friendly companions. The strength of the cat-human bond usually depends on the human behaviour, whether the human is always gentle and considerate, takes time for affection when the cat wants and knows when to stop when the cat grows tired of it, responds to the cat's needs and wants, and appreciates the cat. The formula for a successful relationship thus has much in common with human to human relationships.
Some people regard cats as sneaky, shy, or aloof animals. Cats have an inherent distrust for predator species such as humans, and often seek to minimize any contact with people they do not perceive as trustworthy. Feline shyness and aggression around people with cat social skills is often a result of lack of socialization, abuse or neglect. Cats relate to humans differently than more social animals, enjoying some time on their own each day as well as time with humans.
Cats have a strong 'escape' instinct. Attempts to corner, capture or herd a cat can thus provoke powerful fear-based escape behavior. Socialization greatly reduces the number of humans that a cat will respond to in this way. Socialization is a process of learning that many humans can be trusted.