Why Cats Are Cats: Feline Quirks Explained

Late to our homes

As compared to the tens of thousands of years dogs and humans have lived together, cats started living in human homes only with the invention of litter — so say, the middle of the last century. Before that, they lived within human cities, food storerooms and granaries where their food was abundant: mice, rats, small birds and insects.

That's why they need getting used to sights, sounds and even types of human being, and habituation is very, very important.

Why don't cats get along?

They are solitary animals — cats don't co-operate with other cats to hunt, raise their young or share other resources. They might amiably ignore each other if they live in a place with abundant food, but won't form inter-feline relations by playing with each other, or cuddling against the elements and so on.

One of the reasons why they do this is that their prey is very small — they don't need help to take it down and there isn't enough to share. In fact, by the time they are two years old, cats can't stand other cats.

Why male cats kill kittens

Tom cats have no role in the raising of the young. They just mate and leave, and in fact are known to kill and eat kittens — not out of competition for resources, but because they mistake them for prey. Female cats are known to kill and eat their young out of stress, or when environmental resources are dire.

Why don't kittens hunt mice, but cats do?

The prey drive in cats kicks in at about seven to eight months. Before that, they don't recognise a bird, hamster or mouse as food and will happily live alongside it. Also, if the bird or hamster is confident and goes up to the kitten, their brain will categorise it as a predator (since it is fearless enough to come up to the cat) and even get curious, or run away from it. While it may live peacefully with that bird or hamster, after eight months all specimens of those species are food.

Why do they perk up when anything moves?

Cats don't play as a social bonding behaviour; they practise the hunt sequence of stalk, pounce, kill, dissect and ingest. Play, all through adulthood, will solve most behavioural problems such as over-eating or excessive grooming. Cats hunt as play, so short bursts of 10 minutes of it, several times a day, is necessary for their well-being.

Why do they refuse the food they ate minutes before?

Their sense of smell is their first line of investigation, and the whiskers are a sense organ in themselves. If it smells unfamiliar, the cat will investigate further or leave it alone. Which is why they reject stale food. Cats can eat eight to 10 times a day, more if they are bored. The portions are small, and if you leave it out and it smells stale, she'll knock it off the table!

Why do they groom so much?

They spend about 20 per cent of their life grooming or washing themselves — this is to regulate themselves, ingest Vitamin D, clean out parasites, and stimulate glands at the root of the fur to secrete the oils that make it water-resistant.

If you feel your cat is grooming excessively, resulting in bald patches or red skin, seek out a feline behaviourist and a vet to address the underlying problems.

She asks for stomach rubs, and then bites!

The stomach up is a defensive position, not a submissive one in cats. The stomach is where the organ sack is — the first thing a predator would tear apart. Humans reaching out to this very vulnerable area makes the cat very defensive.

As there is no hierarchy in cats, there is no submission. This position is drawing all their weapons — the claws! A beloved cat may stretch out the belly as a sign of trust, but it is not an invitation to rub it.