Cats are incredibly beautiful, cunning and very smart animals. They have been living with humans for many centuries. It’s not for nothing that they often say that cats walk on their own. This is true! I'll tell you about it.
We have a cat named Bagheera, that's her full name. I often call her Bugs. She's beautiful. Black and fluffy, green eyes. All my friends and girlfriends like her. However, this is not what makes Bagheera so surprising. She is unusual in her willful disposition. She only eats special cat food and drinks water from a ladle in the bathroom. Doesn't recognize his bowl in the kitchen at all. She absolutely loves to relax outside and will not calm down until she is allowed out for a walk. On the street, Bagheera does not allow himself to be offended! If he sees a dog approaching, he arches his back, his tail like a pipe, and begins to hiss threateningly. Not a single dog dares to come close; everyone avoids her. Also our Bagheera is a heroine mother! She gave birth to kittens not long ago. They are very cute and awkward. Bagheera takes care of them: feeds them, washes them, looks after them. At first, the kittens lived on a chair on a special bedding, but later, when they grew a little older, I moved them to another place. But it was not there! Bagheera immediately moved them back to the chair! This happened more than once. I no longer argued with the restless cat-mother, I left them in my favorite place. Bagheera really doesn’t like it when we pick up the kittens; she immediately starts meowing anxiously and walking around. Naturally, we immediately return the kittens to their original place, because you cannot disturb the mother cat.
I adore Bagheera, without her it would be boring and uncomfortable at home. Our cat is a real member of the family, and we treat her as such, since “We are responsible for those we have tamed.”
What are cat habits?
Habits are actions inherent in animals. They can be funny, cute, or annoying to humans. Knowing why a cat does this, it is easier for the owner to understand its needs and intentions, to stop unwanted habits and actions, offering an alternative that satisfies natural instincts.
10 cat habits and what they mean
Each animal is an individual, with its own character, but cats have typical, common inclinations and habits:
- Claw massage
Being in blissful relaxation next to the owner, the purr releases its claws and begins to make special movements reminiscent of kneading dough. This process comes from childhood, when the kitten massaged her mammary gland while suckling her mother, stimulating the flow of milk.
Some scientists believe that the roots of the habit lie deeper; wild ancestors used similar movements to crush the grass before going to bed.
- Sucking
Do fur parts of clothing, soft toys, terry robes, and sheets cause an immediate sucking reaction in your pet? This means that the kitten was separated from its mother too early; it did not have enough time to realize this instinct. Such individuals often have problems with socialization, using the potty, and bursts of aggression.
The ideal age for moving to a new family is considered to be 2.5 – 3.5 months. By this time, the baby becomes independent, needs less care, attention, mother, and receives basic communication skills from her.
- Constantly licking yourself
Cats do not like foreign odors on their fur coat, so they constantly clean it. The desire to lick the fur can be provoked by someone else's touch, contact with another animal, a walk under the sofa and other secluded places in the apartment. Exercise after sleep and meals is considered mandatory.
- Butting
Be sure to read:
Why cats leave home to die: 5 reasons, where they go, how they behave before death
Touching your head to a person’s face is a manifestation of the highest measure of love. Do you want to make your pet happy? Make a reciprocal gesture, rub your cheek against the cat’s face, he will instantly understand that you love him too.
- The tail is a mood barometer
By its movements you can accurately understand the emotions of your pet. The tail is straight, the fur bristles - fear, tension, readiness to repel an attack. Half-raised, hitting the sides or moving with a large amplitude - irritation, desire to leave, avoid contact, a dangerous situation. A trembling tip indicates genuine interest; frequent, small movements are a signal of friendliness and delight.
- Hunting for hands, feet
Sudden attacks on a peacefully lying owner, attacks from around the corner - an invitation to play, the realization of hunting instincts. We must not forget that the cat is a predator, he needs to find a “victim” and win, defend the territory.
At a young age, kittens do not know how to control their strength; they often scratch painfully and bite while fiddling with a person’s hand. Toys will help solve the problem: special sticks with feathers, balls or ordinary paper on a string will keep your pet occupied.
- Love for water
Cats are attracted to water poured into cups, basins, buckets, dripping from faucets, and air conditioner pipes. They like to touch the liquid with their paw, catch drops with their tongue, and watch them. Maine Coons, Turkish Angoras, Bobtails and some other breeds have a weakness for bathing and readily swim.
- Evening racing
In nature, cats are nocturnal, preferring to sleep during the day. In the evening, domestic animals experience a burst of activity, a sudden surge of strength, and delight in the presence of people at home.
Active running, jumping, flirting with household members, and attacking other pets helps to neutralize a flurry of emotions. After 15-20 minutes the animal will calm down and will most likely visit the toilet for a “serious” matter.
- Lying on clean linen
Be sure to read:
The cat shows its tongue: physiological and pathological reasons, the opinion of veterinarians
A stack of freshly washed laundry is a real cat magnet. The whiter the more attractive. There is no scientific explanation for the habit, perhaps this is how animals control the quality of washing?
- Man licking
Love, acceptance, recognition as equals. Cats living in the same house often lick each other, showing affection, wanting to do something nice. An action directed at the owner is a signal of sincere sympathy.
In the top habits, most breeders and owners easily recognize their pets. This behavior is typical for 90% of cats living in the house. They tend to occupy empty boxes, sometimes much smaller in size than the squeezing body. The cats are happy to check the packages of those who come for tasty treats and play with empty plastic bags.
Essay “About a cat”
The school essay “About a Cat” describes the behavior and appearance of the author’s domestic cat.
A cat has been living in our house for several years now. Mom couldn’t pass by the small, hungry kitten meowing in fear in an abandoned wasteland. When they brought him into the apartment, he huddled close to his mother’s feet for a long time and constantly ate something greedily and could not get enough. We washed him, petted him and named him Zhora. After a few months, from a tattered and skinny kitten, he turned into a well-fed and very fluffy young cat.
Our Zhora turned out to be very handsome. He has a big fluffy tail that he proudly carries like a flag, and a gray-striped coat that is so soft and warm that it's nice to stick your frozen hands into after a walk in the cold. There is a large white collar on the cat's neck, and its paws are gentle and silent. Zhora often hugs me with these paws when she sees that I am upset about something.
If the day was bad and I'm sad, our cat comes to me. He looks at me for a long time, trying to look into my eyes and understand what happened to me. Then he pulls himself up towards me, trying to wrap his front paws around my neck to bury his wide wet nose in my neck. Zhora cannot speak, but his sincere sympathy warms me and I feel lighter and more cheerful.
But our cat is a big naughty boy and loves to play. It seems that there is no cat more curious than Zhorka. In the first months, he chewed all the wires and tore off all the wallpaper, later he bit off the tails and paws of my toys and ate my mother’s flowers on the windowsill, and yesterday, for example, he climbed into the trash can in the kitchen and refused to leave.
But we still love him very much. With him the house is lively and cheerful. Well, who else would bravely climb into the bathtub, trying to save me from the nasty water? Who will climb onto the closet and happily jump from there onto the shoulders of people passing by? Only our cat knows how to have fun like that.
When he gets tired of playing and being naughty, Zhora falls asleep sweetly in the most inappropriate places. And only by the hanging tail and hind legs can we guess that our cat dozed off in this corner. But a few hours will pass, and Zhora will again raise the ears of the whole house.
If a cat has done something very wrong, he knows how to ask for forgiveness. Zhora quietly creeps up and raises huge sad eyes at the man. Then he stands on his hind legs and folds his front legs, as if in prayer. This cunning man knows that his sad appearance will touch even the most indifferent person. And there’s nothing to say about us. All pranks and damaged things are immediately forgiven.
Our cat loves to eat delicious food and at any rustle coming from the kitchen, he flies like a shaggy fat bird. And sometimes, he is on duty at the kitchen door all day long. And for good reason. Everyone who comes into our kitchen cannot help but treat such a sad face. Therefore, he has long looked like a cheerful, but large and fluffy ball.
It's never boring with our cat. And if someone’s home is sad and gloomy, I always advise them to get themselves a funny and affectionate cat, like our Zhora.
Harmful cat habits
Not all cat habits are liked by owners; some habits create difficulties for people keeping a pet in an apartment:
Scratching furniture
Sharpening their claws is a natural need, this is how animals remove excess length and clean off the stratum corneum. It is necessary to install a scratching post and teach the cat to use it, strictly preventing attempts to tear up furniture, wallpaper, carpets, and floor coverings.
Tags
Sexually mature cats leave fragrant business cards on the corners of walls, legs of tables, and cabinets. This is how they indicate their right to territory and declare to females that they are ready to mate.
The acrid smell of the secretion is difficult to evaporate, absorbing into the surface. To avoid an unpleasant spirit in the house, to save yourself from unnecessary suffering, and the animal from illness, attempts to break free, it is recommended to castrate the cat. Especially if the owners do not plan to engage in breeding.
Eating out
Cats walking outside on their own can eat offerings from compassionate passers-by and food waste. Stale food causes poisoning, infectious diseases, indigestion, and vomiting. Particularly dangerous are the linings of “cathunters” stuffed with crushed glass and the points of fishing hooks.
Utility companies leave out poisonous food to kill rats, but cats can also fall prey to coumarin. It is necessary to feed your pet well before leaving, and it is better to prevent self-walking.
Be sure to read:
Why cats hiss: the main reasons, what to do, how to calm them down when they are aggressive towards a certain person
Even more essays on the topic: “About the cat”:
We have a cat living at home. As soon as he appeared, we named him Marquis for his beauty and proud disposition. But he did not want to respond to this name. But he liked the name Fluff. It suits him very well, because he is a Siberian breed and his fur is long, fluffy and soft, as if it were real fluff.
Nature painted Fluffy smoky gray, and her belly, paws and triangle on her face white. The tail is fluffy, like a fan. And he wears it proudly, like a flag.
He also uses his tail to express his mood: he tugs when he’s angry, hits grandma’s legs when they don’t let him eat, and quietly moves the tip when he’s happy.
Our cat is a little predator, so he caught all the mice in the basement of our two-story house. He is dexterous and smart. And how interesting he is, just a funny guy. Can jump over one leg, from chair to chair.
Fluff loves potatoes, meat, and fish very much. He knows no limits when it comes to food. And when he eats too many fish bones, his tummy starts to hurt. Mom then gives him injections. As soon as Fluff sees that she took the syringe, she immediately hides either under the closet or under the sofa.
And what a sweet tooth he is! Loves candies and chocolate. And also valerian. If someone smears a bottle with it, he chases it around the room.
Our cat is very affectionate. Loves to sit in your arms to be petted or brushed.
And my mother says that he is a real doctor, because he cures headaches better than pills.
We all love our real family member – Pushka.
Since childhood I wanted to have a cat. And finally, my dream came true - a kitten appeared at home. His name is Timofey, but for now for everyone he is Timosha, Timka, Timulka.
The kitten is purebred and requires special care. He will grow into a huge beautiful cat. In the meantime, he is small and, like all children, very cheerful. My kitten is white with gray spots. He has small paws with which he steps completely silently, especially if he is sneaking. He has small pink pads on his paws. They help him walk so quietly. In moments of danger, Timosha releases sharp claws and can scratch.
