Cats’ behavioral knowledge will often organize some explanations of the meaning expressed by common behaviors of cats. However, sometimes, some common behaviors in cats may also express other meanings... gnawing on claws, snoring, stretching... may...
Cats’ behavioral knowledge will often organize some explanations of the meaning expressed by common behaviors of cats.
However, sometimes, some common behaviors in cats may also express other meanings...
gnawing on claws, snoring, stretching... may also express negative emotions?
Does the cat sleep freely or pretend to be asleep nervously?
...
Today I will share 8 examples of "common behaviors in cats express different meanings". The most common reason for gnawing at the claws is of course simply combing hair.
In addition to eating and sleeping, cats use 50% of their wakefulness time to sort out themselves.
And on faces, ears, etc. that cannot be cleaned by the tongue, cats will use their clean claws to clean their faces.
But
A situation you may ignore: displacement behavior is that some cats in fear, anxiety or high pressure will adjust their mentality by combing their hair.
Just as some people bite their nails when they are nervous, combing their hair is an unconscious distraction behavior for cats.
Researchers speculate that licking touch may cause direct chemical or neural impulses to the brain, and cats can use this nerve regulation to relieve stress and achieve a self-comfortable effect.
02
When you enter the house, the cat lies down - rolls around - and turns over for you?
Of course, it is because of comfort and trusting you.
The belly is a fragile part of a cat. Only when the environment and people are determined to be "safe and trustworthy" will the cat expose its belly;
Of course, in extremely special circumstances, when the cat is suppressed by another cat, it will also express "absolute surrender" by exposing its belly.
But
Don't understand "a belly that expresses trust in you" as "invite you to touch your belly"!
Although some cats will agree (and enjoy) their owners touch their belly, most cats will directly put their mouths on their hands!
Picture from: thedodo
Because this will disappoint the cat's trust in you, just like some babies "can only see but not touch".
03
False sleep
This is a still picture
The average daily sleep time of adult cats is 12 to 14 hours, and the sleep time of young and elderly cats is even 20 hours!
Unlike the two-legged beasts who "slept for 8 hours in one breath and then woke up to work for 16 hours", cats have the "sleep, wake up" mode (wake up for 26 minutes + sleep 78 minutes + wake up for 26 minutes + sleep 78 minutes...).
Of course, not every 78 minutes is spent sleeping soundly, among which, about 9/10, are all light sleeping, or "fake sleeping".
But
Don't ignore another situation: freeze response, that is, when the cat is in a state of extreme stress and fear that he is judged to be unable to escape, he will also close his eyes and show the illusion of "sleeping" to deceive himself, but in fact, his body and spirit are "wake" and are preparing to "escape at any time".
The backstage received a question from the parents, "Why is my cat very well-behaved when he goes to the hospital, and he closes his eyes and sleeps motionlessly..."
A cat who is so nervous that he "sleeps":
The ears turn to both sides, collect information, and the front paws are not holding hands, but exerting force on the forelimbs and exposed abdomen/leg muscles, ready to escape, and his tail is tightly attached to his body, afraid of licking the hair on his belly, most of the time, of course, it is ordinary combing the hair~
But don't ignore it: psychological hair loss. This is caused by environmental pressure, family of many cats and other reasons, and hair loss caused by cats' mental anxiety, and excessive licking.
How to judge?
Healthy cats can lick their hair more than 800 times a day.
Therefore, in addition to combining the number of lickings, we must also observe whether the excessive licking is fixed, check whether there is "allar alopecia areata", etc., and conduct a comprehensive analysis.
05
The motivation for claws is familiar to most parents:
mark the territory. The glands between cats' toes secrete a unique odor containing pheromones. When grinding the claws, release the scent and save it in the claw marks, thereby telling "This is mine."
Prune nails. Grind off the old cuticle on the outside of the nails to reveal the newly grown nails.
But sometimes, grinding your nails may also express less pleasant emotions to relieve your mood.
Cats even use claw grinding to divert embarrassment, such as when they fail to fight, or fall from the cat climbing frame...
Some cats will also run to grind their claws when their owners are about to go out or just go home, after being fed the medicine... and relax.
In fact, whether you are happy or unhappy, angry or a little nervous, cats will relieve themselves by grinding their claws. But when it comes to stress and tension, the owner needs to pay special attention.
06
Stretch
Sometimes cats lean forward and stretch like they do in yoga. Stretching the body can allow oxygen to be supplied to the brain first, and then quickly spread throughout the body, achieving the effect of "waking up the brain".
But
, like grinding the claws, stretching is sometimes to "force the mood to make it comfortable" and divert embarrassment or stress. In other words, some cases of stretching are also the cats expressing stress and negative emotions..
In families, wild or shelters, the scenes that are easier to see are:
Two cats are facing each other in a anxious manner, and a cat next to it begins to stretch;
The meal is on, and the cat bowls are placed very close, or the number of cat bowls is smaller than the number of cats. The disadvantaged cats in the group will also stretch and wait aside.
So, when parents see the cat stretching, they should pay more attention to making judgments.
07
Of course, in most cases, it means expressing a very strong sense of satisfaction~~
However, when cats go to a strange pet hospital, beg for food with hungry eyes, have broken bones or are injured and lying down, some cats will also purr.
Researchers believe this is a way for cats to express "express weakness and pray". Although the frequency of snoring changes when the expression is satisfied (mostly 25-150Hz when satisfied; most 220-520Hz when the expression is weak), the difference is not particularly obvious in the human ear.
08
Bite people
When the cat and the humans are so happy, the cat suddenly turned around and bit you lightly? (Some cats cannot control the strength and will bite out a shallow embossment, but they will not bite until they are willing to let go)
Passing by the cat, the cat suddenly jumped out and hugged your ankle and took a small mouthful?
Lying in the quilt with the cat. After licking its own hair, the cat will also take a bite at you?
Although sometimes, cats bite people to express dissatisfaction.
But the above situations are usually expressed: Cat loves you!
However, if the language is not clear or the social education in childhood is not in place, the cat uses a not very correct way of expression.
In this case, please guide me more.
Just like when we are nervous, our hands do not itch, we will also do irrelevant finger-picking actions...
Some common behaviors of cats may also express different meanings.
However, as long as we observe more and pay more attention to the cat's chirping, facial expressions, and behavioral changes, we and the cat will always be in harmony~
