The Inner Life Of Cats

Our feline friends are mysterious—much more so than those other furry family members, as anyone who has spent time with cats knows.

Here, John Bradshaw, author of Cat Sense (Basic Books, 2013), responds to a number of queries regarding the many peculiarities of cats from Scientific American editors and Twitter users.

At the University of Bristol School of Veterinary Sciences in England, where he is a visiting fellow, Bradshaw conducts research on the well being and behavior of cats and dogs as well as their interactions with humans.

Why Are house cats more vocal than wild cats ?

Despite having fewer vocalizations than some other species, house cats are substantially noisier than feral cats.

For instance, the "ow" and the "gurgle," which are not in the repertoire of house cats, are two additional meows made by Asian jungle cats.Except occasionally when mother cats are speaking to their young, feral cat colonies rarely hear the distinctive meow of the house cat.

Feral cats don't need to shout their presence; they keep a close eye on each other's movements. However, domestic cats discover that meowing is an effective technique to grab our attention. Our pet cats frequently discover that we have our faces buried in a book or a screen, so they meow to get our attention.

Some animals establish a "secret language" of meows that only their owners can decipher and that each cat uses to communicate a different need.Additionally, some breeds, particularly the Siamese, are notoriously chatty.

How can you make a cat love you ?

Cats naturally feel affection for people who care for, play with, and feed them, albeit they don't always express it.Because some cats are just wary, winning their trust might be challenging.

One technique is to never force yourself on the cat; instead, let the cat come to you whenever it wants to.When the cat does approach, reward it with a few treats and let it to leave whenever it pleases.

Each time, you should discover that it arrives a little sooner and last a little longer.

Can cats get jealous?

Dogs can exhibit jealousy, according to research, so cats most likely do too.Both animals sense jealousy in the moment when they witness another individual receiving the attention they are craving; they do not remember feeling jealous after the incident has passed.

Cats, like dogs, have a limited understanding of time; they can only be taught to distinguish between various time intervals when these intervals are no longer than a few seconds.

They probably don't have the mental capacity to think back further.

Why do cats bring their catches to their owners?

Although it seems tempting, these kills are not intended to be presents from our feline friends. Before eating their prey, cats take them to a secure location.

If they find themselves in or close to the kitchen, they are immediately reminded that cat food is far sweeter than mice and give up their catch then and there .

Why do cats sometimes suddenly go crazy without apparent reason?

If they are bored or under stress, such as after seeing a rival cat through the window, cats can get highly frustrated .In these conditions, even the smallest movement, like a dust particle caught in a beam of light, can set them off.

Playing frequently might help dissipate excess energy and relieve stress.

Why do they chew their fur ?

There are two explanations that could explain this behavior.One is itchy skin, which may be brought on by an allergy or parasites like fleas.

However, repeated over-grooming in one spot or ripping out clumps of fur can also be symptoms of chronic stress, possibly as a result of a dispute with another cat living in the home or in the neighborhood.

Why do cat feet occasionally have a tortilla chip smell?

This smell is frequently the result of a small fungal skin infection that is prevalent and comparable to human athlete's foot.This mold may also be carried by dogs.