Cats love to defy convention. Just when we think we’ve figured them out,
they go ahead and come up with a new way out acting that utterly baffles us. Even if you’ve decided you
have a handle on some of the things cats do, you’ll learn something to contrary. Here are just a few
feline behaviors that you may not have previously understood.
Cats Purr When They’re Happy:
When people think of cats, they usually associate either a “meow” or a “purr” with the
sound they make. Most commonly, the belief goes that when a kitty is content, a purr will issue from
their throat. At this moment, we don’t really know why, exactly, cats do this. Part of the “cats purr
when happy” theory breaks down when reports come in of felines hit by cars still purring despite being
very seriously hurt. The current hypothesis goes that cats purr in order to signify to other cats that
their presence is needed, so food and affection make sense as that’s a kind way of telling everyone else,
“Hey, good stuff over here.”
Cats Meow Because That’s What Cats Do:
So we don’t know why they purr, but we at least know that they meow because that’s the
sound they’re supposed to make, right? Well, turns out the primary reason that cats meow is to
communicate with humans. They interact with us as we meow at them, so they meow back. Even more
manipulative, kittens can learn very early on to imitate the sound of a baby’s cry in order to get the
quickest and strongest reply from us. How crazy is that?
Cats Deliver “Presents” as Gifts:
A lot of loving cat owners will tell you of their experiences returning home, only to find
a dead animal laid upon their doorstep and a proud kitty standing before them. A lot of us have taken
this to be a sign of thanks, like a gift for taking care of our cats. This couldn’t be further from the
truth though. The actual reason we get these treats is not because our kitties want to thank us; they
just don’t think we possess the means to provide for us. By bringing home a dead rodent or snake, the
message is, “Alright, you’re incapable of doing this, so let me teach you like I’d teach a kitten.”
Personally, it still sounds kind of cool.
Cats Rub Their Faces On Us To Show Affection:
One of the greatest indicators we as cat owners jump to that proves our pets love us is
the classic face-rub technique. While there’s a definite love behind this action, the meaning isn’t
simply “I love you so much!” rather than “I claim you as my own, now let me rub my scent glands on you to
prove it.” A lot of times that cats rub up against you, or anything for that matter, is purely to mark
territory. Oh well, at least they care that we’re here. Better marked than left unaccounted
for.
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