Domestic cats remain opportunistic, even stealing food although they no longer need to catch their own prey. Although some behavior is instinctive, more infantile traits are a result of their dependency on us. Understanding why your cat behaves in a particular way is not only interesting, it will improve communication with your pet, and strengthen the bond between you. Being aware of your cat’s normal behavior also enables you to spot if there is something wrong at an early stage.
Avoiding Your Glare
Cats are sensitive, and can quickly pick up on their owner’s moods and their tone of voice. As a result, your pet will soon realize if you are displeased, and will seek to avoid your gaze. This is because staring directly at another cat in a potential conflict situation is perceived as a challenge, so your cat is instinctively deflecting your anger by looking elsewhere.
B
Being Sick
Vomiting is normally caused by a fur ball in the stomach. The cat’s tongue has backward pointing projections, called papillae, which give it a rough surface. As the cat grooms itself, this “natural brush” will remove loose fur from the coat but the cat may find it difficult to remove the hairs, so they are often swallowed. They can form a solid pad in the stomach, known either as a fur ball or hairball. The first signs of this obstruction may be a change in your pet’s appetite because the mass of fur in her stomach restricts how much she can eat at any one time. Whereas she may have eaten a reasonable amount of food at each meal, she now picks at her food, eating only a small amount but returning to eat more. You may think she has become bored with what is offered, but if you take the food bowl away, your cat will pester you for more food and will seem constantly hungry.
A laxative to help free the blockage may solve this problem. The traditional treatment is to add about 1 tsp. (5 ml) of mineral oil (also known as liquid paraffin), which is sold in drugstores, to the cat’s food for two days. If this fails, an operation to remove the blockage may be necessary.
If you know your cat is susceptible to fur balls, be sure to groom her every day—especially during molting season—to ensure that she does not have an opportunity to swallow loose hairs. You can also try switching to a commercial cat food mixtures containing ingredients to help prevent fur balls from forming.
If you notice that your cat is eating grass, it is usually a sign that she is about to be sick. Occasionally, vomiting is a sign of a build-up of intestinal worms, with the grass acting as an emetic. If you think your cat may have worms, you will need to give her a worming tablet to clear them from her system. Worming tablets are available from pet supply stores or from your vet.
Cats can also be sick as the result of an infection, so if your pet looks generally ill and is vomiting, arrange to take her to your vet without delay, so an appropriate treatment can be given.
See also: Grass Eating.
Birth
If your cat is about to give birth, she may appear restless, refuse to eat, meow a great deal, or pace up and down. All this is normal behavior and is no cause for alarm. A healthy cat is unlikely to have any problems during delivery and it is important that you interfere as little as possible. Call your vet if your cat bleeds excessively—more than 2 tsp. (10 ml)—if the contractions go on for more than an hour with no kitten being delivered, or if a kitten is partially delivered but then appears to become stuck.
After delivery, the mother will probably not eat or drink for a day or two, but after that she will need constant access to her usual food and fresh, clean water. Contact your vet if she appears to be lethargic, fails to eat or drink after a few days, has a fever, or ignores her kittens.
Do not handle the kittens for the first week, but after the second week they should be picked up regularly so they will learn to socialize with humans properly.
Kittens will feed around three times an hour at first, but if they cry constantly and appear hungry, the mother may not be producing enough milk. Contact your vet for advice on hand-feeding.
See also: Disappearing Kittens.
C
Clawing
Many cats have an unfortunate habit of digging their claws into the cover of a chair and even your lap before sitting down. This is likely to damage the chair cover or your clothing, and be painful too, because your cat flexes its paws as she does so, curling her claws round as a result. Such behavior stems from kittenhood, with these movements used by the kitten to express milk from its mother’s teat. As a result, it can be difficult to correct effectively. You may have to rely on a wrap thrown over the chair or your lap to minimize the risk of injury or damage.
Some North American owners resort to having their cats declawed, which involves an operation called onychectomy. This procedure is not permitted in many countries such as the United Kingdom, because it is regarded as imposing a constraint on the cat’s natural behavior. Cats that have lost their claws may not be able to groom themselves as effectively, or climb to escape danger or defend themselves in a fight if they are in danger outdoors. This surgery is usually something that is carried out for an owner’s convenience, rather than aiding their pet.
See also: Scratching Furniture; Scratching You.
Crying
Cats’ eyes are bathed in a special tear fluid to keep the surfaces moist, and there is a drainage hole in each eye that carries excess fluid out of the eyes. If your cat is very tolerant, you may be able to spot these by rolling down one of her lower eyelids slightly. It is a tiny opening, located a short distance away from the nose. The fluid that flows through here enters the nasolacrimal duct and passes down into the nose.
In the case of cats with relatively flat faces, such as Persian longhairs, these ducts can become distorted and obstruct the flow of the tear fluid. It then runs out of the eye directly, making it look as if your cat is crying. The situation often becomes worse in cold weather, simply because the outflow of tear fluid is greater at this stage. Aside from wiping away the tear deposits where they form below each eye, the only long-term solution may be for your vet to operate to improve the drainage from the eyes.
D
Dashing Around
Cats that spend much of their time indoors will occasionally launch into sudden, wild dashes around the home, especially in the case of young felines. These may be a way of burning off surplus energy, mimicking how cats often sprint after prey outdoors. You may even be able to predict when your cat is likely to behave this way. This behavior may stem from a game of chase, particularly if your cat becomes bored. Such behavior rarely causes any harm, provided your cat does not knock over any household items. You may find that as your cat grows older, she is less inclined to behave this way. Beware of trying to handle her while she is in this mood though, because you could easily end up getting a bad scratch.
A Cat’s Tale Upwardly Mobile
Certain breeds—particularly Siamese and the Orientals—will not only dash madly about on the ground but may also try to climb the window drapes. They often cause considerable damage with their claws, so try to keep drapes out of their reach.
Digging
Cats that roam outdoors will usually seek out different areas of their territory to deposit their feces, which, unlike their larger wild relatives, they will bury in the ground. Therefore, not surprisingly, they are generally on the lookout for soft earth that will make this job easier. Freshly dug soil is especially appealing to them. This can be very irritating to gardeners though, because it often results in newly planted bulbs or young plants being dug up.
This behavior can create ill feelings with your neighbors, although there is little that you can do to prevent your cat from roaming and behaving in this way if she is outdoors, unless you erect a cat-proof fence around your garden. These are now available from pet supply companies, and are often advertised in cat magazines or through the Internet; they will help to keep your pet safe from traffic, too.
If you are determined to keep your cat out of your flower beds, then after digging you will probably need to cover the area with plastic bird netting. There are also various treatments that you can sprinkle around the perimeter of the bed, which may help to deter your pet from entering this area. However, often their effectiveness is seriously reduced when it rains, and not all work well in the first place either—although they should not harm your pet in any event.
If there is a particular area that you want to deter your cat from walking across on a regular basis, try planting the herb known as rue (Ruta graveolens) in this area. It is an ancient means of deterring cats, recommended by Roman writers.
Disappearing Kittens
Young cats are very vulnerable to predators, so a female cat in the wild usually has several locations where she can move her kittens, carrying each one gently in her mouth by the scruff of the neck between locations. Be careful if your queen has kittens in the home. She may seek to move them outdoors, particularly if she feels insecure. This is why it is important for younger members of the family not to disturb her unnecessarily, especially while the kittens are still very young, because this can be upsetting for the mother.
Dribbling
Cats may dribble after being treated with a flea powder that has stimulated a flow of saliva, but the most common reason for this behavior is an underlying dental problem. In close proximity, you may notice that your cat’s breath has an unpleasant odor. If you watch her eat—particularly if you are feeding her dry food—you may see that she nibbles it rather cautiously because of an underlying pain associated with her teeth. You may need to have your cat’s teeth treated by your vet to resolve this problem. You can try to prevent dental problems by brushing your cat’s teeth—if she will let you—using a specially-formulated pet toothpaste and brush, available from pet supply stores. Never use human toothpaste, which has ingredients that can upset a cat’s stomach.
A Cat’s Tale On The Move
A female cat with kittens can be very determined to move her litter. Do not assume that she will only try to use the door—if this is closed, she may decide to carry the kittens through an open window. Be sure the room she is in is safe and secure, and watch for any sign of the mother being uneasy.
Drinking Behavior
Water is very important for cats, particularly those eating dry food, because they receive much less fluid as part of their normal food intake compared with cats fed wet food. Your cat should always have access to a bowl of fresh water, but often cats can be seemingly perverse, and you may notice that your pet walks past the water bowl, and goes outside to drink from a puddle or a garden pond. It might be that she simply prefers the taste of standing water, although cats do not usually avoid water fresh from the tap. Clearly though, it will be much better if she drinks water indoors because of the risk that she may consume polluted water elsewhere.
It will be even more hazardous for her health if your cat can gain access to antifreeze, which is used to prevent the water in car radiators from freezing in cold weather. Even though it contains a potentially deadly chemical called ethylene glycol, cats will readily drink antifreeze. Vomiting is an early sign of most types of poisoning, along with increased thirst—and there are likely to be several neurological signs, too. The main damage from antifreeze occurs in the kidneys however, and it is very important to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible, to help your pet survive.
See also: Being Sick.
F
Fear Of Water
There is a widespread belief that all cats dislike water, but some wild cats will often enter water to hunt. Many domestic cats may stick a paw in a pond in hopes of catching a fish or frog, while the Turkish Van readily swims. Cats that are used to going in water from an early age have no fear of it, but if you suddenly have to try to bathe an older cat, you can face a surprising problem, when your normally docile pet begins spitting and scratching. Cats rarely need bathing though, compared to dogs, because they do not develop a distinctive body odor. Modern methods of preventive parasite control of parasites, such as for fleas, mean that bathing is likely to be unnecessary.
Show cats may sometimes need to be bathed however, so it is useful to accustom kittens to this experience. Try to reassure your pet as much as possible by standing your kitten in a bowl that contains a small amount of tepid water. Ladle the water out onto your cat’s legs first, moving up to the sides of her body, and then gently move up toward the back. As you approach the cat’s head, take particular care not to let water run down over the face because this may be very upsetting for your pet. If you need to clean this part of the body, it is usually better to do it with an old washcloth, just wiping it over your pet’s head.
Always seek to reassure your pet, and if she becomes very distressed, do not continue. Try again several weeks later, when your cat may be more relaxed. If you persist, a bad experience may stay with her for life, making it difficult to bathe her again in the future. Gentle persuasion is the best way forward. Afterward, wrap her in a towel, and dry off her coat. Be very careful if you decide to use a hair dryer. Keep it on a cool setting so it will not be uncomfortable for your pet. Even so, many cats simply dislike the noise of a hair dryer at close quarters, and will try to run away, so you may have to be patient with your pet.
G
Grass Eating
Sometimes cats will eat grass, especially relatively long but not very coarse stems. This may mimic the way cats in the wild eat the stomach contents of their vegetarian prey, but it also adds fiber to your pet’s diet. Eating grass may also serve as a natural remedy to help the cat vomit up a fur ball, or intestinal worms.
Although grass is not essential to your cat’s well-being, you should offer it to see if she wants to eat it. If you have a house cat, it is very easy to provide a fresh supply of grass by growing it on a windowsill. Simply place this in an area where your cat likes to sit, so she can nibble at it. Keep it adequately watered, and you will find that it lasts for some weeks, particularly if you cut it back with scissors, if necessary, to encourage fresh growth.
H
Hunting
Cats will hunt instinctively, but they need to learn how to kill prey effectively. Female cats frequently bring live, but maimed, prey back for their offspring to kill for this reason. Most pet cats, especially purebreds, have not learned how to do this, so they appear to torment their prey rather than killing it quickly. An experienced cat relies on her sharp canine teeth to inflict a deadly bite on her prey, normally in the neck region.
The fact that a cat hunts does not necessarily mean that she is hungry. In a garden setting, most cats are forced to hunt birds, rather than rodents which are their preferred prey and easier for them to catch. Young cats tend to be the most active hunters; they lose interest in hunting once the prey becomes harder to catch as they grow older and less agile.
Unfortunately, it can be hard to deter a cat from hunting, other than by fitting your pet with a safe, elasticated collar with a bell attached. Most cats soon adapt to this however, and move stealthily to avoid ringing the bell until the last moment—so the benefits to the local wildlife population are only temporary. Cats will also hunt amphibians, and while frogs may be a relatively easy target, the impact of catching a toad can be much more severe. Toads are protected by toxic skin secretions that are likely to cause your pet to start foaming at the mouth.
L
Licking
A female cat will lick her kittens from birth, while older cats that know each other well will also groom each other in this fashion when they are relaxed. Some cats respond to their owner’s attention in this way, usually licking a hand when you have been making a fuss of your pet. Not all cats behave this way though, but if your cat does, you will notice the very rough surface of the cat’s tongue on your skin. This is caused by tiny projections, known as papillae, which enable a cat to rasp meat off a bone, and pull any loose hair out of its coat.
Unfortunately it is very hard for a cat to spit out the hair that is caught in its mouth, so it is likely to be swallowed and lead to the formation of a fur ball in the stomach. This can cause a partial blockage, as well as reducing the volume of the stomach so that the cat starts to pick at its food because it cannot swallow large amounts.
Some cats will groom themselves excessively when they are under stress and feel threatened. Excessive licking can also be an indication of a food intolerance or allergy. In this case, try switching to a different diet, but do so gradually because not all cats will readily switch foods. Slowly increase the percentage of new food while reducing the amount of the cat’s previous food over the course of a couple of weeks.
It is possible to obtain special hypoallergenic foods from some pet supply stores or a vet. These usually contain sources of protein such as duck or venison, rather than beef or chicken. If the symptoms improve, it is likely that the source of the problem was in your cat’s diet.
See also: Being Sick.
Dental problems, such as loose teeth, may make eating painful and have an adverse effect on your pet’s appetite—particularly in older cats. Fur balls can also turn a cat with a healthy appetite into a fussy eater.
Loss Of Appetite
There are a number of possible reasons for a cat to lose its appetite. The most common is illness. This may be a generalized infection, or possibly a problem localized to the mouth, such as painful teeth. The cat’s third eyelid, at the corner of the eye, is often linked with illness. It appears as a pink membrane that extends over the surface of the eyeball from the corner. This occurs because the cat’s body uses some of the fat surrounding the eyeballs in the absence of food, causing the eyes to sink back into their sockets. In any event, a veterinary checkup is recommended under these circumstances.
A sudden change in food may also impact your cat’s appetite. This is why it is important to mix foods together, rather than switching rapidly, especially from wet food to dry food, which will be less palatable for a cat. In addition, if your cat has just suffered from an upset stomach, she is unlikely to eat the same food as before. A new food will help rekindle her appetite, and then you can go back to the previous type of food after about two months; by this time the cat’s initial reluctance to eat it will have faded again.
Occasionally, environmental factors may impact your cat’s appetite, too. A severe shock can sometimes have this effect, such as after a thunderstorm storm or fireworks, or following a fight. Changes in the cat’s surroundings may also cause your pet to lose her appetite. This often happens, for example, if you have had builders creating a lot of noise, or introduced another cat or a dog to your home. Loss of appetite for these reasons will be temporary though, and can often be overcome by placing your cat in a quiet part of the home on her own, along with her food.
M
Messy Feeding Habits
It is always a good idea to break up the contents of a can of cat food with a knife into small pieces. This will encourage your pet to eat it in her bowl, rather than dragging it out onto the floor. Fresh food also should be cut into easy bite-sized pieces for the same reason. As an additional precaution, you may want to add a mat beneath, which will make it easy to mop up any food spills. You are unlikely to have this problem with dry food, simply because the kibbles form small pieces that your cat can pick up and swallow easily.
Cats behave this way because of the size of the food. They do not use the incisor teeth at the front of the mouth to nibble off small pieces. Instead, they have to rely on the carnassial teeth, which are located almost midway along their jaws for this purpose. This also means that they have to pull a large piece of food out of the food bowl, so they can hold it in this part of their jaws and slice it into smaller pieces which they can then swallow.
N
Noisy Cats
Some cat breeds are much more vocal than others; Siamese and related Oriental breeds are the most vocal. The loud calls made by female cats in search of mates are much louder, and sound eerie after dark. The most ear-piercing calls are uttered by queens after mating however, when the tom cat withdraws from the female’s body. This is because of the pain caused by the barbs on the tip of his penis, which rub against the walls of her vagina.
It is an essential and unavoidable part of the breeding cycle, because it is this pain that triggers the ovulation of the female, resulting in the release of eggs from her ovaries. Queens do not have a fixed breeding cycle. As solitary animals, they will only ovulate after mating, which increases the chances that they will become pregnant as a result.
The female’s scream at this stage also serves as a warning to her partner—he needs to move away quickly, or she will lash out aggressively toward him. The effect of this trauma is temporary, because a queen may mate with several partners over the course of a single night, and may ultimately give birth to kittens sired by different toms in the same litter as a result.
P
Posturing
It is not unusual for cats to arch their backs when they are under threat, moving sideways. This is a way to intimidate their rival, without launching into a overtly aggressive response. The aim is to appear larger and fiercer and encourage their would-be opponent to back down. This type of behavior is usually accompanied by hissing and spitting. The cat also draws back its lips to reveal sharp canine teeth to reinforce its message.
There will be a number of other signs that indicate your cat’s moods. Look at her ears. If they are upright, but pointing slightly forward, this is a sign that she is relaxed and confident. But if she is nervous, she will draw her ears back slightly, although they will still be raised. When a cat is hissing angrily, the ears are held further back, and flattened. If a fight breaks out, the ears are clamped tightly on the sides of the head, so they will be less exposed to injury. Nevertheless, it is common for toms who fight regularly to have torn and damaged ears.
A cat’s pupils are not just affected by the prevailing light conditions, narrowing down to a slit in bright light, but they also change in respect of its mood. At rest, a cat’s pupils are normally round, but in an aggressive situation, they are likely to become significantly smaller.
R
Rolling Over
Young kittens will often roll over on their backs because this is a usual posture for periods of play with their littermates. Older cats may be much more reluctant to behave this way because they feel vulnerable in this position.
Your cat may roll over and then once you start stroking her chest and her belly, she may suddenly and unexpectedly kick out with her hind legs and scratch your hand unless you pull it away very quickly. She may also leap up quickly and withdraw from you.
Although this is very distressing, you need to respect your cat’s limits in this case. When she rolls over again in this manner, simply restrict yourself to stroking her chest, rather than moving down her abdomen, because this is less likely to trigger such a violent reaction. On the other hand, if she is used to being stroked this way since kittenhood, you will probably not encounter this problem anyway.
S
Scratching Furniture
Cats scratch furniture for two reasons. First, they need to keep their front claws sharp, and scratching on a wooden surface is useful for this purpose. Second, scratching provides a form of exercise, helping to tone up the body, while it also serves as a territorial marker. The indelible impressions left by a cat’s claws are a visual sign of its territorial claim, as is the scent from glands on its feet that is left at the same time.
To deter your cat from behaving this way toward your furniture, it is a good idea to invest in a scratching post. If you gently rub your cat’s front paws down the post, she will soon recognize its purpose. You should also protect any areas of furniture that your cat may be inclined to scratch. This may also include the arms of sofas, rather than just the bare wood of chairs.
Scratching You
Cats are capable of inflicting very painful wounds with their claws. This can make them very difficult to handle, especially in the case of larger breeds, because they can use their hind legs very effectively. In order to avoid this problem, it is very important to accustom a young cat to being picked up regularly. This can be achieved more easily at this stage, while your cat is still relatively small because larger breeds, such as the Maine coon, can be a handful to lift up.
The most important thing to do to make your cat feel secure when she is picked up, is to be sure that you always support her hindquarters. Otherwise, if these hang down, you are likely to find that she will struggle, and this will cause her to lash out with her claws and scratch you. The simplest way to support your cat is to use your right hand to support her chest, and tuck her body in against yours if you are carrying her. When you put her down again, bend down to put her back on the ground, rather than encouraging her to jump down, as she could end up caught in your clothing as a result.
Children are often at the greatest risk of being scratched by a cat, simply because they may have difficulty in picking up the cat properly, and supporting its weight. Always teach your children how to pick up a pet properly to minimize this risk, although try to discourage them from doing so when you are not around. You also need to stress that a cat must not be teased during a game, or handled roughly, because this may cause her to lash out with her claws.
You are most likely to be scratched if you need to restrain your cat closely in order to give her a tablet, for example. Again, it is important to teach your cat to allow you to open her mouth from an early age, so that she will be less likely to be frightened by this experience once she grows older. Always sit your cat down on a level surface at a convenient height when you need to open her mouth, and if you are uncertain about how she will react, it may be advisable to wrap her in a thick blanket or towel. It will then be much harder for her to use her claws to scratch you. If she is frightened she may wriggle ferociously, but if she does break free she will be less likely to scratch you. However, it will be very difficult to approach her for a time afterward.
More worrisome, however, is the way some cats will lash out with no warning, in a nonconfrontational situation, even when you are simply petting her. Be wary if you are making a fuss of a cat that you do not know well, just in case she lashes out suddenly and unexpectedly. It may be that you touched a painful area of her body, possibly where she might have been bitten recently in a fight. Alternatively, perhaps you moved your hand too quickly, which she then misinterpreted as an aggressive gesture. The cat may also recall being handled roughly in the past, particularly if it has been held by the scruff of its neck at any stage.
Try to recall which part of your pet’s body you were stroking when you were attacked. You may want to see cautiously whether it evokes a similar response again, in which case, even if you cannot identify the cause, you can avoid the risk area in the future.
Unfortunately, there are a few cats, typically felines that are relatively high strung, that will react this way for no obvious reason and without warning. There is little point in scolding your pet, because this will not have a lasting effect, and may only weaken the bond between you over the long term. Never react by hitting your cat if she does suddenly lash out and scratch your hand. This will cause her to become fearful of your hand rather than correcting the problem.
Self-Grooming
Cats are actually very fastidious about cleaning themselves. They have a regular grooming ritual, which is why you will need to clean your pet’s coat if it has been soiled. Otherwise, cats are at risk of being poisoned if they lick their coat and ingest a substance contaminating their fur. This can lead to painful blistering of the tongue or more general signs of poisoning, such as a sudden difficulty in breathing, which can lead to collapse and death. Cats like to lie in warm spots, and may choose to lie on a driveway, for example, where there may be oil deposits. If you suspect poisoning, you need to contact your vet immediately for advice. The most appropriate treatment depends very much on the substance that has been swallowed.
A Cat’s Tale Hair Markers
Cats also often shed any loose fur as they move through their territory. When they squeeze through a gap, some strands of hair can be left behind on fencing or bushes. This will indicate to other cats in the area that they have passed through—in the same way as scent marking.
Grooming is an instinctive behavior in cats, but they will also use it for what is known as displacement activity. If your cat is nervous or feels threatened, but is not sure how to react, she is likely to begin a grooming ritual. The only difference in this case is that it is likely to be carried out more rapidly than normal, reflecting the tension that she is feeling. It is a pacifying gesture, with your cat trying to convey an impression that everything is normal, and indicate that she is relaxed, although in reality this is not the case.
In this situation, a cat is most likely to be concentrating on grooming her face with her front paws. The reason for this is simple—not only does it mean that she can avoid eye control, which could be perceived as a threat, but it also ensures that if necessary, she will be able to run off easily. If she was lying down, grooming the coat on the sides of her body, then this would not be possible and it would place her at a serious disadvantage if she was suddenly attacked.
There is evidence that some cats may even overgroom themselves because they are more nervous than usual. This is unlikely to cause any serious harm, but you should try to deal with the problem. Bach Flower Remedies sometimes prove useful.
The cat’s grooming ritual is not carried out for vanity though. It is essential to your pet’s wellbeing, and you are likely to notice that your cat grooms herself more when the weather is hot. This is quite usual, simply because cats cannot sweat to lose their body heat, the way that we do. Instead the cat leaves saliva on its fur. This utilizes body heat as it evaporates and keeps the body cooler as a result. In cold weather, licking the coat is also valuable, because this flattens the hair and forms a barrier. This traps warm air next to the skin and helps to maintain the cat’s body temperature and keep her warm.
Cats start by cleaning the area around their face, before moving behind their ears, using their paws for this purpose. All cats follow a similar method of grooming, working back along their body with the tail always being groomed last. They groom areas of the body that they can reach directly, such as their underparts, by licking with their tongue, and this can leave them at risk of fur balls. Loose hair is pulled out and sticks to the surface of the tongue with the risk that it will then be swallowed, and ultimately accumulate in the stomach.
See also: Being Sick.
Shaking Of The Head
Always be suspicious if your cat starts shaking her head, particularly if she starts pawing at the ears. It may be that she has a foreign body in the ear canal but, more commonly, this behavior is a sign of an ear infection, which will require veterinary treatment. Infections of this type can result from bacteria, fungi, ear mites, or a combination of all three, and it is important to determine the cause at the outset.
Sleeping Strangely
Cats sleep for relatively long periods each day, and studies of their sleep patterns reveal that like us, when they first fall asleep they enter a phase known as light sleep—usually being curled up at this stage. After as long as half an hour, the cat will then relax and may shift position, sometimes stretching out, and moving from a light phase of sleep—when your pet is most easily awoken—through to a deep sleep pattern. This is known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, because of the way in which the eyes, although closed, start to move.
A more obvious indicator of REM sleep is the way in which a cat starts to twitch during this phase. This behavior is quite normal, with periods of this type lasting for about six minutes on average. It is followed by another period of light sleep, until the cat wakes up again. Your cat may be dreaming during these periods, absorbing information about her environment, just as we do in deep sleep. It is not a sign of epilepsy or any other underlying health problem.
Do not worry if your cat sleeps at a funny angle, even lying partly over the edge of a chair. Cats often prefer to sleep in small, confined spaces, as reflected in the past by ships’ cats, which would frequently seek out hidden nooks as sleeping areas on voyages. This also corresponds to the small, snug dens favored by their wild ancestors.
Soiling Indoors
There are several behavioral and medical reasons that may underlie a breakdown in cleanliness on the part of your pet in the home. Cats actually use both their urine and feces for communication purposes, particularly in terms of asserting territorial claims. So it is not surprising that the introduction of a new cat to your home alongside your existing pet may lead to a breakdown in housecleanliness. It can be a difficult problem to overcome, but the best thing to do is to clean up using a descenting preparation that will remove all trace of the scent, so that hopefully, your cat will not be drawn back to the area again.
In the case of an older cat, it may simply be that she has difficulty getting into her litter box easily. A design that provides more straightforward access is to be recommended, because this may help to overcome the problem. If it persists, it may be worthwhile to have your cat checked by your vet to ensure that there is not a more serious underlying medical problem.
If you have recently moved to a new home, your cat may soil around the house to mask out traces of a previous cat that may have lived there. It is a good idea to have any furnishings, especially carpeting, cleaned beforehand to eliminate all traces of the former feline occupant’s scent. Curtains that reach down to ground level should also be cleaned for this reason.
Be sure to place the litter box for your cat in a quiet and yet easily accessible part of your new home. It is important to direct your cat’s attention to this area, especially if she was previously allowed to roam freely outdoors and is not used to using a litter box. Otherwise, she may soil around the home. Most cats will use a litter box almost instinctively, but there are also sprays that you can use to attract your cat to this area.
Avoid placing the litter box close to your cat’s food and water, because it may then be ignored. Although there are special scoops that allow you to clean the litter, bear in mind that a cat will bypass a dirty litter box, and choose a site elsewhere in the home, so it may be better simply to discard the soiled cat litter and box lining.
See also: Spraying.
Spraying
Cats of both sexes may spray, but this behavior is more commonly associated with tom cats. They are especially inclined to use their urine as a territorial marker, and this helps explain why they need to be neutered if they are be kept in the home. Their urine is particularly pungent and a tom will spray regularly to reinforce his territorial claims, both in and out of the home. Urine is very important for cats for communication purposes. The urine of unneutered queens contains pheromones, which are chemical attractants. These draw male cats from a wide area, who home in on the scent to find a would-be mate. Otherwise the naturally solitary nature of cats would cause difficulties in locating a mate.
A Cat’s Tale Keep To The Path!
Cats will often spray prominent landmarks such as tree stumps or fence posts adjacent to the traditional paths that neighboring cats use to cross the backyard. This serves as a warning to all strangers that the territory is occupied.
When cleaning up after a cat that has urinated indoors, it is very important to use a product that not only cleans, but also removes all trace of the scent—just like rain washes away a cat’s scent outdoors. Otherwise your cat is likely to return to the spot and spray again to reinforce its scent. Special products for this purpose are available from pet stores, but the real solution is to have your pet neutered. Females will sometimes spray too, although they are less inclined to do so, compared with males.
Standing Up
Some cats get into the habit of standing up against you—using your legs for support—when they want to greet you, rather than just rubbing against your legs. This reflects how cats normally greet each other by rubbing their noses together. It is actually a manifestation of a behavior seen in kittens. They reach up to acknowledge their mother when she comes back, and she will put her head down toward her offspring. If you sit down immediately after coming in, your cat is most likely to leap up onto the arm of the chair alongside you to be closer to your face.
Some cats also learn to beg, in a similar way to dogs, in search of a tidbit. They can soon become conditioned to behave this way if you respond. It is not necessarily a good idea though, because not only will you be pestered for food at every meal by your cat, but this could easily result in her becoming overweight quickly.
Stealing Food
It is common for cats to leap up onto work surfaces, such as counters or tables, if they can smell tasty food. Even wrapping meat or fish in packaging will not prevent your cat from being able to smell its presence. But generally they prefer fresh-cooked food, which may give off a stronger odor. Some cats even manage to paw open the door of the refrigerator and help themselves to food after watching you.
The risk of stealing will be greater if you use canned food, and store the uneaten portion of the can in the refrigerator, because it tends to focus your cat’s attention on the refrigerator as a source of food. If this happens, the best solution to keep your food safe is to invest in a refrigerator lock. There is no risk that your cat will become aggressive if she does manage to steal raw meat, although feeding a cat raw meat is definitely not recommended, because of the risk of acquiring harmful bacteria such as salmonella.
As a general safety rule, always try to exclude your cat from the kitchen when cooking. Don’t be inclined to give your pet a tidbit at this stage because you will soon be accompanied by an eager companion hoping for something to eat whenever you are cooking. This may actually be dangerous, especially when you are carrying hot food from the oven to the work surface. You could end up scalding both your pet and yourself badly under these circumstances if you drop the food.
A cat may also be at risk of burning herself if she leaps up onto the stove, which is another reason why it so important to keep her away from the kitchen while cooking. Also avoid leaving food out where it could attract your cat. There is nothing worse than preparing a special meal for guests, only to find that your cat has helped herself to the main course, such as a cooked salmon, before you sit down to eat at the table. Be aware of where your cat is in the home when you are setting the table, and as an additional precaution, keep chairs tucked in under the table. Otherwise, it will be very easy for your cat to jump up and check what is on the table.
Sucking Wool
This can easily develop into a serious behavior problem; its origins trace back to kittenhood. Wool is more likely to be a problem than other materials because it is soft and strands can be pulled back easily. It also contains a natural oil, called lanolin. A young cat will start pawing with each front foot in turn at the wool. It then starts to suck on several strands, ultimately focusing on a strand that has begun to work loose.
This behavior mimics the way a kitten will gently paw at a teat to encourage milk flow; the strand of wool has a texture similar to a nipple. Not only does this become a habitual problem, but a cat can start to swallow strands of wool, which can create an obstruction in the digestive tract, just like a fur ball.
Wool-sucking is especially common in orphaned kittens, presumably because they were denied close contact with their mother. But it is nowhere near as common in those that were fostered, rather than reared by hand. It is also most likely to be encountered in kittens that were weaned at a relatively early age. There is also a breed predisposition, with the problem being especially prevalent in Siamese. Although cats often lose interest in wool-sucking as they mature, it can become a lifelong worry in some cases.
As a result, it is important to avoid using wool of any kind as bedding for young kittens and to discourage your pet from sucking at your woolen clothing while sitting on your lap. Also, do not leave woolen clothes around in places such as a chair, where they could easily attract your cat’s attention. It is virtually impossible to cure wool sucking if you allow this to develop into a habit, so it is vital to prevent the problem.
T
Teeth Chattering
Cats often behave this way when they are feeling frustrated, particularly when they are sitting on a windowsill and can see a bird on a bush outside, but cannot reach it because of the glass. It is not a sign that your pet is cold.
Tracking Prey
Cats hunt by relying primarily on their acute senses of sight and sound to locate prey, as well as scent. It is not unusual for a cat to move its head slightly from side to side, after it has stalked undetected within reach of its prey. This marks a final assessment before the cat launches into a strike. Its binocular vision (see page 89) allows the cat to jump with great precision. Moving her head slightly beforehand gives the clearest picture of where the prey is located.
With the increase in traffic on the roads, more cats are involved in accidents, so there is a higher risk that you will be confronted with this situation. Even if your pet is not involved, it is still a distressing experience.
The first step is to remove the cat from further danger and try to confine her securely. Even though she may know you well, she will be in severe shock and may act abnormally. Try to reassure her by speaking quietly in a calm way, and move slowly so as not to alarm her.
Dealing With Shock
Adrenaline will be surging through the victim’s body because of the shock and pain, so she may be aggressive and will not take kindly to being handled. If she is up and able to move it is a good sign, although it offers no guarantee that there are no internal injuries. One of the biggest risks is internal hemorrhaging—perhaps as a result of a ruptured spleen, which causes blood to seep into the abdominal cavity. The color of the cat’s gums can provide an indicator of internal bleeding, although shock means that the gums are likely to be pale rather than their typical pinkish shade. There is little point trying to assess the injuries yourself, because this will only distress her further and there will be little that you can do. You may notice areas of damaged skin, but it is possible to overcome very severe injuries with skin grafts. You need to get your pet to the vet urgently for further treatment.
Handling Your Cat
Find a pair of thick gardening gloves, so you can transfer the cat to her cat carrier without being badly scratched or bitten. Whether or not your cat is conscious after an accident, try to keep her body horizontal when you lift her. A torn diaphragm is a very common injury in cats that have been involved in road traffic accidents. The diaphragm acts as a partition between the chest and abdomen, but if it is torn, the body organs can slip through with potentially serious consequences.
Your vet will conduct a series of tests to assess the state of your cat’s injuries, and give treatment as necessary. This may mean that your pet will be incapacitated for some time and you may have to nurse her for several weeks. Try to stick to a familiar routine as much as possible. Cats sometimes lose confidence after an accident, and spending time with your pet at this stage can be crucial in aiding her to recover quickly.
Helping Her Recovery
If your cat’s neck is sore, she may be more willing to feed from your outstretched hand, rather than bending down to the food bowl. Raising the food bowl and the water container off the floor slightly may also help. Your cat cannot be left to wander unsupervised outdoors if she has been badly injured so you will need to buy a litter box. Even if you already have one, you may need a more straightforward design, because an injured cat may have difficulty in clambering into a covered litter box.
Regular grooming sessions are important, especially if she cannot groom herself effectively. Watch your pet carefully to discover her limitations—it may not necessarily just be a matter of keeping her coat in good condition, you may also need to clean her ears. Do not poke these with anything, just use a damp (not wet) cotton ball to wipe around the exposed inner surface of the ear. You may want to clean around the mouth as well, especially if the fur is soiled with wet food. If your cat is immobilized for any length of time, keep an eye on her claws. If they are not worn down, they will start to curl over at the tip, which will make walking difficult and painful—especially if the claws dig into her toes.
There can be long-term consequences after a road accident—a fractured hip may make it difficult for a queen to give birth without a caesarean section, for instance. Check with your vet to see if he or she anticipates any such difficulties. Cats generally display remarkable powers of recovery, but do not assume that your pet will learn from an unpleasant experience. In areas where traffic is busy and a cat is allowed outdoors, she may be involved in more than one accident during her lifetime—which can easily be curtailed as a consequence.
