Cats communicate in a variety of ways, relying on their body language almost as much as their vocalizations—particularly when it comes to expressing their moods. Here’s how to interpret the signs she gives you with her voice, body, and attitude. You’ll soon learn her special vocabulary; and will be able to deal more effectively with communication highs and lows.
If you want to be in touch with your cat, you need to be able to understand what she is saying. Interestingly, domestic cats possess some highly distinct ways of communicating, which is not the case with their wild ancestors. It is believed that some sophistication has been derived from the different ways in which kittens communicate with their mothers.
When Kittens See And Hear
Newborn kittens are almost totally helpless at birth, because they are initially deaf and blind and unable to walk. A kitten that becomes separated from her littermates is able to crawl back because heat receptors on her face allow her to find the warmth generated by her littermates and their mother. Initially the mother will recognize her kittens by their scent only, but later she will be able to identify the individual calls of each kitten.
At about five days old the kitten’s eyes start to open. It appears that kittens born to first-time mothers may open their eyes at an earlier stage than those in litters of more experienced queens. This may bring with it a survival advantage, despite the fact that they still are not very mobile at this point. There are also other considerations that affect when a kitten’s eyes open, such as breed differences: larger, slower-maturing cats—such as Persians—may not be able to see until about 10 days. Bright surroundings may also delay this process.
A kitten’s sense of hearing begins to develop just shortly after its eyes open. Up to this stage the kittens may seem rather unresponsive, but from now on they will be able to hear your voice and will start responding to the sounds around them. At three weeks kittens become mobile and will then rapidly begin to investigate their surroundings.
Cats not only depend on sound to communicate, but also rely significantly on both body language and scent.
Young cats are often instinctively more playful than adults, because this is an ideal way for them to investigate and learn about their world.
The Scratching Post The Cat’s Love Call
It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish mating calls from caterwauling, especially because mating in cats is an aggressive act. Queens tend to screech even more loudly than during a fight when the tom withdraws his barbed penis from her body. The duration of the call is therefore often shorter, too.
Communicating With A Deaf Cat
Cats are generally far less afflicted with inherited and congenital problems than dogs; probably the most serious widespread problem that can crop up is congenital deafness in blue-eyed white cats. A deaf cat can adapt quite well to the disability, although it is more difficult to communicate with your pet if you cannot train her to recognize her name. However, you may be able to develop a sign language of sorts, beckoning your cat to come to you and tapping the sofa with your hand if you want her to jump up alongside you, for instance. It is important to think carefully before letting a deaf cat out to roam, because she will not be able to pick up the sounds of nearby traffic, which may have fatal consequences. There is also a risk that your cat could be caught unawares by a dog or even by another cat in the vicinity, and then she could be injured in a confrontation.
Cats have different dialects, and their vocalizations vary from country to country (in the same way as an East African parrot has a different accent to a West African parrot).
The sounds made by cats do differ significantly from breed to breed, in terms of emphasis and tone, similar to regional dialects, although their basic vocabulary is the same. Some breeds, such as Siamese, are instinctively more vocal than others, compared with a breed such as the Russian blue, which has a reputation for being a very quiet cat. Almost certainly within any group of cats, individuals will be able to recognize each other on the basis of their distinct vocalizations.
Even young kittens will purr, but be aware that it is not always a sign that all is well.
Purring
Purring is probably the most distinctive sound associated with cats, but it is unclear not only how this sound is made but also its exact meaning. Although purring is generally considered to be a sign of contentment, cats that are in serious pain may also purr, as well as very sick felines, so it is not always safe to assume that purring is a sign of happiness or good health.
Kittens can purr when just a week old, even before their eyes are open. This helps the family group to keep in touch—even in darkness, when the queen is suckling her offspring—because the mother will be able to hear her babies.
The sound of purring is also quiet, so predators would not be alerted to the presence of the queen and her offspring if they were in the wild. Purring also appears to be important for bonding in later life, with two cats that have grown up together purring readily in each other’s company. The sound also reinforces the bond between a cat and her owner. It may sometimes be used as a means of calming a potentially aggressive situation, with the weaker feline responding to the threat from another cat by purring as well as adopting a docile pose.
Cats are able to purr with their mouth closed, while the sound itself is a double note. A cat may sometimes be purring even though the sound is not audible. You can detect the purring notes by placing a finger gently around the underside of the throat to pick up the vibration, which is likely to gain in intensity as you pay greater attention to your pet.
Purring may seem to be a fairly constant sound, but in reality, if you watch your cat’s chest closely, you are likely to spot a short time lapse between when your cat breathes in and when she breathes out.
A Cat’s Tale How Your Cat Purrs
There are several theories to explain how a cat is able to make a purring sound. One suggests it has to do with the two folds in the cat’s larynx. The first fold is the true vocal chords; the second, often described as false vocal chords, may be responsible for the purring sound.
Another theory involves the circulatory system. The blood returning to the heart travels along the collecting vein known as the posterior vena cava. It has been suggested that purring could be related to the turbulence from blood passing through the relatively thin wall of this blood vessel as it nears the heart. The sound of this may then reverberate from the chest up to the head.
A cat can communicate by movements of its tail—and these may sometimes attract the attention of a kitten!
Meowing
The other sound associated with domestic cats is meowing; this is made similar to the manner in which we speak. It is achieved through the larynx, or voice box, which is located at the back of the throat at the top of the trachea, and through which air flows back and forth to the lungs. The vibration of the vocal chords consequently triggers the familiar meowing sound.
Hunting Sounds
Sometimes, if your cat is outdoors, you may suddenly hear an unusual clicking sound that is not loud but is quite determined. You are also likely to notice that the cat has dropped low to the ground, moving slowly forward with her tail held horizontal. This indicates that she is stalking prey. Mothers may use this very distinctive call to indicate to their offspring that they need to remain quiet at this stage so they won’t scarce off the prey. Female wildcats often have a much lower success rate in catching prey when they have their kittens with them.
The intensity of the sound made by a cat can be just as significant in meaning as the sound itself. Loud, more intense vocalizations often serve as a warning.
Caterwauling
Some calls that cats make can be quite alarming, particularly when they are about to fight. This often takes place at night, giving these sounds a ghostly air. These calls have become known as caterwauling. Unlike meowing, for example, the shrieks and wailing sounds are long lasting, and their intensity increases as the risk of actual conflict intensifies. Once the conflict begins, there is likely to be screeching, which is clearly the sound of an animal in pain. However, this call has another function; it is aimed at shocking the other cat into letting go, allowing the underdog either to strike back or retreat rapidly.
The Scratching Post A Lion’s Roar
Only small cats in the family Felidae are able to purr, unlike the larger members, such as the lion, which vocalize by roaring. The sounds uttered by cats vary in intensity, with the roar of the lion being the loudest sound made by any member of the family. It is equivalent to 114 decibels—comparable to the noise of a car horn. Smaller cats are not able to make such loud sounds because they have a bony hyoid apparatus, which anchors the larynx in place, rather than the looser arrangement of cartilage that is a feature of bigger cats. They also have a smaller chest and, therefore, a smaller lung capacity.
The vocalizations that cats make are influenced by a variety of factors, including their age, mood, and breed. It is not just the calls themselves that are significant for communication purposes, but also their intensity. If you ignore your cat when she wants attention, she is likely to react by calling more frequently and loudly.
Mewing
Young kittens are able to make a plaintive mewing sound when they are hungry or have lost touch with their mother or littermates. This is a distress call, intended to draw the female cat to her offspring, and it grows in both intensity and frequency if it is not answered quickly.
When a cat is seeking to communicate, she does not draw her lips back to expose her long canine teeth, as she does when she is in an aggressive mood.
Murmurs
Older cats can express themselves by a much wider variety of vocalizations, including a series of murmurs when they are relaxed. These are often audible if you are stroking your pet, who is curled up alongside you. The cat barely opens her mouth when uttering these sounds.
Meow
The more assertive “meow” is made when an adult cat is seeking attention. Your pet may want food, is hoping to be allowed into another part of the home, or simply desires attention from you. Meowing is usually accompanied by body language indicative of what is on your pet’s mind, whether curling around your legs hoping to be fed, or standing by a door, wanting to be let through to the other side. If ignored, your cat may persist in meowing for some time, with the sound intensifying as well. Certain breeds, such as the Orientals, naturally tend to have louder voices than others.
Meows are relatively brief calls, with the cat opening and closing her mouth clearly when making the sound, and they are often called vowel sounds for this reason. Sometimes, however, you may notice that your cat opens her mouth apparently intending to make a sound but seems to be struck dumb. This is probably a way of reinforcing meowing notes without becoming too assertive, and recognizing the dominance of the owner. Your cat now believes she has your attention.
Long Meow
In contrast, a more tense vocalization is likely to be evident when cats are communicating with each other. In this case the cat’s mouth tends to remain open, with the lips drawn back slightly to show the long, pointed canines. The calls themselves may not be particularly loud or aggressive, however, especially if the cats know each other well. These sounds must be interpreted along with your pet’s body language, to provide a clear indication of her mood.
Cats often look up at us when they vocalize because they are instinctively watching to see how we are reacting—it’s rather like having a conversation.
Yowl
In aggressive encounters the pitch of the cat’s vocalizations changes, becoming more intense and determined if the adversary will not back down. The purpose of these calls is simply to intimidate, and they are made as a direct threat to the other cat—or even dog or another animal—that is menacing it. As the calls become louder, the cat may also begin spitting as she hisses, which is a prelude to launching into an attack.
Besides vocalization, cats depend on body language to communicate, so you need to be able to read the signs to have a clear indication of what your cat is saying. Facial features, body posture, tail movements, the shape of the pupils, and even the position of the whiskers are all important indicators of your cat’s mood.
What Your Cat’s Posture Means
When relaxed, a cat will lie with her ears held in an upright position with her whiskers hanging down each side of her face, and her front feet folded in the direction of her body. The eyes are likely to be partially closed, with the pupils usually oval in shape. She may be purring and will raise her head and utter a friendly murmuring note if you stroke her head. Or she may simply curl up into a ball and fall asleep. Subsequently, particularly in a warm environment, she is likely to roll over and stretch out.
Cats will also roll over onto their backs when relaxed. This is a sign of trust, because in this position a cat will be very vulnerable. Even so, not all cats like being stroked on their bellies. They are more likely to allow you to stroke the chest area rather than the abdomen. If they dislike this experience, they will kick out with their hind legs as a deterrent.
As shown by her body language, with her tail carried high over the back, this particular cat is both relaxed and confident.
Your cat will like to jump up alongside you onto a sofa, often climbing onto the arm to achieve direct eye contact.
Cats will normally approach other cats head-on if they know them well, allowing them to rub the sides of their face against their own as a greeting. A cat usually greets a familiar person by attempting to stand briefly on her hind legs as a way of coming closer to the person’s face. If the person sits down, the cat will almost immediately leap up alongside. A mother cat who is returning to her kittens will lower her head, allowing her kittens to rub against the underside of her jaws.
A Cat’s Tale Territorial Marking
There are other clues to your cat’s presence outdoors that you may not be aware of unless you observe your pet closely. Many cats have a favorite scratching area—a fence post or the trunk of a tree or bush—that they use regularly to keep their claws sharp. The marks left behind also indicate to other cats in the area that this territory is occupied. There will be a scent left here, too, because sweat glands between the toes enable cats to deposit their own individual scent as they scratch the wood. The clues may escape us, but cats are very aware of other cats nearby. For cats this is important, because unexpected encounters can lead to fighting.
Kittens soon come to recognize the scent of their mother, which is transferred to them when she is grooming her litter.
Scent Marking And Communication
At times your cat will pursue you, entwining herself around your legs. This is obviously an effective way of attracting your attention, which your cat quickly learned as a kitten, but it also serves another purpose. Such behavior is a reflection of the solitary yet territorial nature of cats, which means they need to be able to communicate with each other over long distances. They have special scent glands on their body for this purpose, so by rubbing herself on your legs, your cat is depositing her scent. If you subsequently visit a friend who also has a cat, you may notice that she will be attracted to this area of your clothing, sniffing here to investigate your pet’s scent.
Your cat will not only confine herself to depositing its scent on your clothing, she will also behave in a similar fashion toward furniture, such as the legs of tables or chairs, always rubbing herself at the same height. Cats do this outdoors as well, depositing their scent on fence posts or other prominent areas, which cats can sniff as they pass. They will do this repeatedly because rain will wash away the odor. We cannot smell this particular scent—unlike the pungent urine of tomcats, which is a more noticeable territorial marker, particularly if there is another male cat in the neighborhood. Queens will tend to rely far less on their urine for scent-marking purposes, although it will draw nearby tomcats to them when they are ready to mate, because of the presence of chemical messengers known as pheromones.
These two cats are rather wary of each other, but the one on the right appears to be more assertive.
The Scratching Post Fighting Injuries
Injuries sustained in a fight may seem relatively superficial, perhaps comprising just a single bite. However, this one bite may create an abscess within a few days or could even necessitate the amputation of a leg if a joint was damaged. Cats have bacteria present within their mouths that are injected deep into the opponent’s tissue when they bite. The flesh above seals over afterward, creating ideal conditions for an infection to develop within the body.
Facing Threat
When a cat is wary, she will tend to keep her body very low, flattening her ears and drawing back her whiskers along the sides of her face. At this point the cat may be relatively quiet, but if she finds herself cornered, her behavior will change and she will become more assertive, trying to intimidate the other cat. She will stand up as tall as possible, using her size to intimidate, with her ears flattened but pulled back so if a fight ensues, they will not easily be seized and injured by the other cat. The whiskers in this case are raised, as well as the fur along the cat’s back—another means of trying to increase her height to deter her rival from attacking.
Vocalizations also play their part at this stage, with calls being used to intimidate. Usually the encounter is brief and the weaker feline will run off, pursued for a short distance by her opponent.
Read The Signs
Lying Down Although your cat will often go to sleep curled up in a ball, she will soon change position to lie on her side, especially in warm surroundings in front of a fire.
Curled Up on the Lap A younger cat will rest in this way, enjoying the attention, with her tail curled up alongside her body.
Begging This is not a natural posture for a cat, but your pet will learn to beg if she is rewarded with a tidbit. The position is intermediate between sitting and jumping up.
Backing Off
Because they are predators, cats are equipped with very sharp teeth and claws, so even the victor could be badly injured in a fight. When confronting an opponent, cats go through a series of actions to prevent conflict. For example, they tend to turn partly sideways toward the would-be opponent, which gives the option of running or fighting.
A cat will always try to position herself when threatened so that she has an escape route, rather than risk becoming trapped.
This tabby is displaying very obvious signs of nervousness, with ears flattened on the sides of her head and her tail carried low as she crouches down close to the ground.
It is not just facial features that help to indicate a cat’s mood, her tail is also significant. When at rest, the tail is usually curled up alongside the body. If a cat is alert and trying to attract your attention—seeking food, for example—she is likely to raise her tail and hold it vertically. When a cat is angry, she will lower her tail and move it from side to side, the movements increasing in intensity as she becomes more annoyed. When hunting, the tail is kept low and held out behind the body, quivering slightly at the tip—which may indicate concentration before the cat pounces.
You can tell a lot about your cat’s mood from her body posture. Based on the position of her ears and tail, this feline is rather nervous.
A cat’s eyes possess an almost hypnotic quality when seen close-up and can vary in color from amber to green through to shades of blue—depending partly on the breed and also the individual cat.
Look Into Her Eyes
The shape of the cat’s pupils can alter quite dramatically, depending not only on the lighting conditions but also on the cat’s mood. This is an aspect of body language that a cat cannot control instinctively, since it is mediated through the autonomic nervous system, which also controls those other parts of her body that may be involved in a conflict situation, such as her heart rate.
A cat that is very scared will have circular pupils, which effectively mask much of the color of her eyes. This also happens at night when the muscles of the iris are constricted to allow as much of the available light into the cat’s eyes as possible. When a cat is angry, her pupils contract to a narrow slit-like shape. This also occurs in bright daylight to shut out much of the light and prevent her from being blinded by sunlight.
Watch How She Uses Her Whiskers
Cats also use their whiskers in order to communicate. The whiskers are significantly thickened and modified hairs that possess a vital sensory function. For example, they enable cats to determine whether they can squeeze through a gap in a fence. The hairs on the sides of the face are the most evident, being split into four rows of three, with the top two rows able to move independently of the bottom two.
The cat’s whiskers not only assist the cat in finding her way around in the dark but also aid her hunting ability, detecting issues such as wind direction. Cats with damaged whiskers—which are fairly common in rex breeds because of the changes in the structure of the hair associated with these mutations—find it more difficult to kill prey effectively in the dark. The whiskers also impart information that guides the cat to the exact position of her prey. When you are playing with your cat, she may use her whiskers as she does when she is hunting, chasing a toy almost without stopping, having assessed that it can slip easily through a gap in furniture. Cats can move their whiskers freely, holding them against the face when sniffing, or extending them forward to estimate distance or direction.
What Her Pupils Say
Muscles in the eye control the diameter of the pupil, through which light passes to the retina at the back of the eye.
A cat’s pupils reduce to a very narrow, slit-like shape in bright light or if she is badly frightened.
Play is a good way of developing communication between you and your pet, and this is something that you should be able to do either in the home or outside. Young cats particularly are very playful by nature—in the wild, littermates play with each other as a way of developing their coordination.
Which Toys To Choose
There are a number of toys that you can purchase for your pet, and your choice will depend on the age and agility of your cat. Some toys are saturated with catnip oil, derived from catmint (Nepeta mussinii; see the feature box, right). This can have a strange effect on cats, with many felines attracted to the herb, particularly in its fresh state. Catmint is easy to cultivate in a garden, since it does not require special care. Cats that sniff and bite the leaves, or even simply rub against the plant, will later roll about on the ground, appearing relaxed and content. This is similar to the behavior of a queen when she is in estrus and therefore ready to mate.
Playing with your cat helps to build a bond between you, but your cat will prefer some toys to others.
Cats can display individual preferences when it comes to toys, and these can be influenced by your pet’s early experiences at home with you. A simple ball that your cat can chase over the floor and play with in your absence is often popular. Wind-up moving toys will need you to be present, however. Feathers on sticks can often encourage cats to sit up and play, but remember never to tease a cat when playing with her. For her to enjoy playing, a cat should always be allowed to have direct contact with her toy, rather than keeping the object well out of reach. Toys can also be incorporated into cat gyms, which provide an additional opportunity for cats to climb safely anywhere within the home.
The Scratching Post Catnip: The Feline Happy Herb
Cats’ attraction to catnip is unclear, but it is believed to be related to a chemical called nepetalactone, which is present in the plant catmint, from which catnip is derived. It has been suggested that nepetalactone is a sexual stimulant, but both neutered and intact cats respond to it, as do cats of both sexes.
What seems more likely is that the catmint induces a temporary state of relaxed euphoria, which lasts about 10 minutes. Although even large wildcats, such as tigers, may be affected by catnip in this way, it seems that young kittens under eight weeks old are more apt to avoid it. Most cats become susceptible to the effects of catnip only after the age of three months. What determines sensitivity is unclear, since not even all members of the same litter will be affected. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), although not as potent, causes similar symptoms. Conversely, there are some plants cats tend to avoid, such as rue (Ruta graveolens), an herb that has been used since Roman times to dissuade cats from digging in flower beds.
Outdoor Play
Outdoors, cats may pounce on leaves that are blowing around in the wind or chase after a small ball, attracted primarily by movement. Their natural curiosity can lead to problems, however, because they will pursue insects such as bees and wasps. This is part of the kitten’s learning process; once they have been stung, most cats remember to avoid such insects.
Indoor toys often emulate the insects, animals, and colors of nature, although it is probably the movement of wind-up toys or a scent of catnip oil that attracts the cat.
Cats probably do not associate the appearance of a toy mouse with their natural prey.
Always be alert to the possibility of communication problems developing, especially with a recently acquired older cat, whose background may be unknown. Bear in mind that a cat that is frightened needs reassurance, but she may also lash out at you in fear, so she will need to be handled with great caution.
A Cat’s Tale Child’s Play
Young children can easily provoke a cat into scratching or biting by playing too roughly, so supervise until they are old enough to treat your pet with respect.
When you are playing with your cat, do not allow her to bite or scratch in play, because this will teach her that such behavior is acceptable.
Coaxing a Frightened Cat
If you can train your cat to respond to your calls, you will be able to coax her out of danger. This can be helpful in scenarios such as the cat-up-the-tree, for instance. Cats may find themselves in this situation when they need to escape a dog in pursuit. To seek shelter, they scamper up the trunk of a tree but then will find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Although cats can use their claws to effectively run up a tree, they have to clamber down backward, and most are afraid to do so. If you have developed a strong bond with your cat, you may be able to provide the encouragement she needs in order to lure her down and avoid calling the fire department.
Cats will always try to position themselves with an escape route if threatened. The side-on approach may also make the cat look bigger.
Cats Who Hide
There will be times when the cat’s solitary nature wins over her desire to be companionable with you. Do not try to force your cat to sit with you if she clearly does not want to settle down and sit on your lap. This behavior is especially common in older cats, simply because their bodies are less flexible as they grow older and this in turn makes it much less comfortable to sit on you. Your pet is likely to indicate this by preferring instead to rest contentedly alongside you.
Dealing With Aggression Toward You
If your cat is seriously distressed or frightened, then she is likely to react aggressively, especially if you ignored the warning signs. Pain is probably the most common cause of cats striking unexpectedly at their owners. Should you fail to realize this, then your cat will scratch and may even bite you to stop you from hurting her.
Dealing With Reactions To Other Animals
Although cats tend to be much more solitary by nature than dogs, they can develop a close rapport not just with their owners, but also with other animals living in the home. However, they can also react very badly to other animals, either by becoming very aggressive or by hiding from them.
Cats And Cats
In the case of other cats, it is often very difficult to predict how two cats will take to each other, unless you start out with littermates or keep a kitten born to a female you already have. There is also a strong possibility that two kittens introduced to the home at the same stage will settle well together, even if they are not of the same breed. The hardest situation will be cases in which you already have one cat and decide to introduce another to the home. If your existing pet is a spayed female, she will be far more amenable to a newcomer than a cat that has not been neutered.
Domestic cats may be less quarrelsome than their wildcat ancestors, since maintaining a territory is no longer vital to obtain sufficient food for survival.
When you allow the cats to meet for the first time, do not immediately put them together because this will most likely lead to a violent reaction. Instead, allow them to meet on their own terms. Although this may be accompanied by some wary hissing as they stalk around each other, this is far less likely to result in displays of outright aggression. Stay in the background, and only intervene if fighting seems inevitable. Do not close the door to the room, because there will be no simple escape route if the newcomer is unexpectedly attacked by your established pet.
Reassert your existing cat’s dominance by not changing her routine; the newcomer will not be affected, but simply have to adapt to the existing state of affairs. Feed your new cat separately at first, which will both allow you to check that she is eating properly and ensure that the risk of conflict over food is reduced.
In time you may find that your cats become more friendly toward each other, which may take a couple of months or longer. Unfortunately, in some cases, this simply does not happen. The cats may not persistently fight; but they will simply avoid contact with each other at every opportunity.
Cats And Dogs
In spite of their popular image as rivals, cats and dogs can get along well and may even develop a close bond. This is especially true if you acquire a puppy and kitten at the same time.
Introducing a puppy to a home where there is already a cat is also likely to be reasonably straightforward and trouble-free, because cats do not regard the introduction of a dog as a challenge to their status. A puppy will learn to be respectful to a cat in much the same way that it will learn its place in the pack hierarchy. This is a key difference between cats and dogs, because dogs are social by nature. Some breeds, such as the Abyssinian, have a particular reputation for living well alongside dogs.
Unlikely friendships may develop between dogs and cats—although some breeds of dog, such as this golden retriever, are more tolerant than others.
Cats And Puppies
A cat can often be surprisingly tolerant of the attention of a young puppy, although if things become too frenetic, the cat may hiss and even warn the puppy by unsheathing her claws. This may sometimes create a scratch, but generally a cat will not bite her companion and the puppy soon learns acceptable boundaries. Supervise their play during the early stages, simply because there is a risk that your cat could scratch your dog’s eye, which is potentially serious, or a large dog might inadvertently injure a cat by rolling over her body.
Unfortunately, it is not always safe to allow your cat to roam freely, but you can train a young kitten to exercise on a harness attached to a leash, which will prevent her from running off.
Kittens And Dogs
It may be more difficult to introduce a young kitten when there is already an older dog present. Keep a close watch on them at first in case your dog chases and grabs the cat. The risk of this is higher in certain breeds, such as terriers and some hounds, which naturally hunt a variety of small game.
Cats And Small Animals
There may be other pets in your home that represent the cat’s natural prey, such as hamsters, mice, and small birds. Despite stories about cats striking up a close relationship with such pets, the cat’s innate hunting instincts leaves these creatures at serious risk of attack. It is therefore very important to keep other small pets in a part of the house from which your cat is excluded. You cannot watch your cat constantly, and the mere presence of a potential predator is likely to cause great distress to small mammals or birds, especially if your cat persists in trying to reach them. If your cat manages to catch another pet, deal with the injury immediately. Even if the bite does not appear serious, the cat’s mouth has bacteria that are likely to be introduced into the other animal’s body by the teeth, triggering the development of a possible fatal infection. Clean out the wound at once and always seek veterinary advice, because antibiotics may be advisable.
The Scratching Post Hunting At Home
Pet birds are especially vulnerable to cats when they are out of their quarters, simply because their flight will certainly attract attention. Domestic cats will hunt potential prey irrespective of whether or not they are hungry. In the wild, cats often kill more than they can eat at a single meal and will try to conceal the surplus for later—a behavior that is known to zoologists as caching.
Do not assume your cat has lost the keen hunting instincts of her ancestors. Cats can rapidly revert to a free-living lifestyle.
Protecting Garden Birds
Cats will most likely pursue wild birds in the spring, when they are nesting and more vulnerable to being caught. Young birds represent relatively easy targets once they leave the nest. Design your garden carefully to make it more difficult for your cat to reach nesting sites or feeders, and position nest boxes out of your cat’s reach—on the side of the building, for example. Pick a spot above a flowerbed with plenty of shrubs because most young birds leave the nest before they are able to fly well; if they flutter down into an area with no cover, they are vulnerable to predators. Protect birds that build open, cup-shaped nests in trees by attaching a wire framework around the base of the tree. This will make it much harder for a cat to reach the nest, because she will not be able to anchor her claws in the bark to climb. Landscape these wire hoops into the garden by training fast-growing climbing plants to twirl and entwine up them.
Aviaries can be protected with an ultrasonic device that emits high-frequency sounds inaudible to our ears but can be clearly heard by cats, deterring them from entering this area of the garden.
Positioning Bird Tables
Cats are ambush predators, so they are adept at hunting birds when they are feeding around a bird table. Position your bird table out in the open with good visibility all around. Make sure there is a clear line of flight down to and away from this feeding station so the birds will feel secure. Suspend hanging feeders well below tree branches so there is no risk of a cat catching the bird from above as it flies in to feed. If your cat still manages to catch a bird and you retrieve it alive, take it to a local animal hospital for treatment.
Protecting Fish In Ponds
In temperate areas fish in garden ponds are especially vulnerable to cats in early spring when the water temperature is still relatively cold and the fish are sluggish. They will also be more conspicuous at this time of year because aquatic vegetation dies back and the water is clear due to the lack of microscopic algae.
Fish in a garden pond are not entirely safe from cats, although most cats prefer to drink the water rather than trying to catch the pond’s occupants.
Cats are also likely to be attracted to a pond in early summer, when the fish are starting to spawn. Cover the pond with a net at these times, or place a fence made up of wire around the edge to keep the cat away. If a fish is caught, it may simply be left on the ground rather than being eaten, so if you discover it in time, you may be able to save its life. Quickly transfer the fish to an aquarium filled with dechlorinated water, changing this as needed to reduce the risk of a fungal infection, and only return it to the pond when it has fully recovered, with any obvious injury already healed.
Farm cats tend to make the most effective hunters, since kittens are taken on hunting trips by their mother. She will also bring back prey so they can learn to kill.
Frogs And Toads
Some cats may hunt other pond creatures, from insects to amphibians. Frogs are very vulnerable at spawning time because they congregate in the water in large groups. The female will be laden with spawn, making her less mobile, and may also have a male frog clasped to her back. Even minor damage to a frog’s skin is likely to be fatal, and it is difficult to protect amphibians because they are not as alert or responsive as birds; a bell on the cat’s collar will not provide an effective warning. The best protection is to screen off the garden near the pond. Leave the grass around the pond uncut once the tadpoles have become frogs, to provide more cover as they emerge from the water.
Toads And Your Cat
Conversely, your cat is at greater risk from the toad than the other way around. Toads have large swollen areas on the back of the head, called parotid glands, as well as other less evident glands on the skin. These combine to produce toxins over the surface of the amphibian’s skin that will lead to great discomfort if your cat catches a toad in her mouth. Almost instantly these toxins produce intense irritation, causing the cat to start foaming at the mouth, usually followed by a period of repeated vomiting. Encounters with toads are most common in warmer weather, typically around spawning time or after a period of rain has drawn amphibians from their hiding places.
The precise impact on the cat depends on the species of toad. The most deadly is the giant or marine toad (Bufo marinus), a native of Central and South America but introduced into various countries, including various southern U.S. states and parts of Australia. If your cat comes home distressed, displaying symptoms of toad poisoning, rinse out her mouth to flush the toxin out before more can be absorbed into the body. In areas where marine toads are present, seek immediate veterinary help. Although there is no specific antidote, various drugs can counter the poison, which may otherwise prove deadly.
Flying Insects
Colorful flying insects such as butterflies and bees represent an irresistible challenge to cats. Kittens, with their alert, playful natures, are most likely to seek prey of this type. This mirrors a similar situation in the wild, where invertebrates feature prominently in the diet of young cats because they tend to be easier to catch than other prey. Unfortunately, cats appear oblivious to the risk of chasing stinging insects such as bees. If your cat tries to swallow the insect and is stung at the back of the mouth or on the tongue, the throat may swell up dramatically, making it difficult for your cat to breathe. Take her to the vet as quickly as possible, trying to keep her airway open if necessary by pulling the tongue forward in the mouth, although your cat is unlikely to cooperate while you do this!
The Scratching Post Kittens And The Learning Process
Kittens are more likely to be injured, bitten or stung than older cats, largely because they do not appreciate the dangers that they can encounter outdoors. They also tend to explore their environment as part of the learning experience, investigating things that they have not seen before. Young cats usually learn quickly from bad experiences, and are less likely to repeat them in the future.
Younger cats allowed outside will often chase flying insects, such as butterflies and bees.
