Cats are wonderful company, but sometimes their behavior can leave us confused. We looked for answers to 10 weird behaviors in cats to better understand your magical pets.
1. They “Chat” With The Birds
When they see a bird through a window, cats often start making a sound similar to gnashing their teeth. Cat behavior experts aren’t 100 percent sure why cats do this, but they assume they’re expressing frustration that way because they can’t go out and catch a bird.
Others think that quick jaw movements are actually part of the instinct by which cats prepare their muscles for the act of killing prey.
2. They Rub Their Face And Chin Against People
Cats do this to those they are close to. Because cats have olfactory glands on their chins doing this they share facial pheromones with you!
With this sympathetic action, the cat greets its owner and gives him the knowledge to trust him and to feel safe. If your cat doesn’t “scrape” your face and chin about you, you don’t have to worry – he may simply not be the type for such behavior.
3. They Bring You “Gifts”
Cats like to brag about their catch by bringing a dead mouse, bird or insect in front of the owner. Behaviorists have several theories as to why they do this. One is that a cat mimics the behavior of its mother who brought dead prey while she was a kitten.
Your predator may want to share its prey with you to thank you for feeding it, or it may want to share its successful hunt with you and let you know that it considers you its friend. This is specific for wild cats to take the excess food that they do not need to other members of their colony, especially to young and breastfeeding mothers. In other words, your cat may want to help you have enough to eat.
It is important not to punish a cat when it brings you prey because such behavior is part of its nature.
As pets, cats can be very attached to their owner, and contrary to popular belief, they really love their people. Bringing caught prey is just one example!
Anxiety occurs in cats that are left alone for too long.
“If you want to prevent your cat from bringing you birds, then your cat should be in the house at dawn and dusk!”
Dr. Maria Gerasimova
4. They Chew Plastic And Other Unusual Things
Plastic, dirt, carpet, wire, woolen blankets – if your cat chews on such items, she may be suffering from a condition known as stings that can occur in cats as a result of indigestion or anxiety.
Just as people bite their nails or curl their hair with their finger when they are nervous, cats bite on non-food items when they feel anxious.
Be careful if your cat starts behaving like this because chewing objects can damage her right and digestive system. If your pet persistently chews on objects like this, you should take her to the vet.
5. They Knead You With Their Paws
Cats often knead their owners with their paws, that is, they rhythmically press as if they are massaging you. Cats do this as a sign of contentment and happiness, they try to ease the feeling of anxiety or they want to mark you with their scent because they have olfactory glands on their paws.
This instinctive behavior occurs soon after birth when kittens mix their mothers ’mammary glands to stimulate milk flow.
6. They Like To Lie In Boxes (And Other Cramped Spaces)
Your cat has a choice of various spacious places where she can lie, but still chooses the most cramped spaces, such as a cardboard box or sink. And this is nothing unusual. Cats feel safer in small spaces. In the wild, cats need to be quiet and hidden in order to survive, and sleeping in the middle of open spaces makes them more exposed to larger predators.
On the other hand, hiding in a hole makes it difficult for predators to find them. So, the next time you find your cat sleeping in a cramped box, you can be sure he is feeling comfortable.
Cats are fascinating animals! They have been living with us, people, for about 10,000 years, and yet they still retain most of the traits of their wild ancestor in their behavior and appearance.
7. They Look At You
Because of the cat’s eyes not taking your eyes off you you may feel uncomfortable, but don’t worry, the cat is not trying to control your mind. She’s probably trying to get your attention to give her food. If she’s not interested in food, maybe she just wants to know what you’re doing.
Of all the carnivores, cats are the most talkative! They communicate in different voices, and we humans understand them, encouraging us to cuddle and feed them when they “cry like babies”.
Cats quickly learn our behaviors and words that are important from their perspective. For example, they know that opening a refrigerator or rustling a bag means food. In addition, with positive encouragement, i.e. rewarding, cats can be trained.
8. They Ignore You
One time your cat’s eyes are glued to you, and the next she completely ignores you. Just like humans, cats sometimes want to be alone. When your cat shows you by his behavior that he needs space, let her go alone.
She will feel safer with you because she will know that you respect that need of hers. By giving her time to spend alone, the cat will later feel the need to look for you and be in your company.
9. They Moan At Night
Crying meows in the late hours can be a sign that a cat needs to hunt rodents and insects. Her attempts to catch prey can result in meowing out of excitement, or if she failed to catch prey, out of frustration.
If you provide your cat with enough games and activities during the day, she will expend excess energy and you will suppress her need to hunt.
Never use a laser to play with a cat! If your cat is older and often moans at night, take her to the vet as it could be a more serious health problem.
10. They Imitate Baby Cries
According to the University of Sussex, UK, hungry cats will get the attention of their owners by imitating the cries of human babies.
Their meowing matches the frequency of a human infant in need and therefore subconsciously catches the attention of unsuspecting owners. It’s no wonder we feel like slaves to our cats sometimes!
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