The weather has been quite warm lately 🌄
and I’ve noticed an unusually high number of cats around my apartment complex.
They run away at the sound of footsteps, observe from a distance, or approach and rub against you when you sit down.

Let’s take a closer look at some other cat behaviors and the reasons behind them.

 

1. Nocturnal Nature

I once stayed over at a friend’s place who lives with three cats.

Throughout the night, they ran around and played with each other, keeping me, a light sleeper, awake all night. 🙄

Cats are naturally nocturnal, meaning they sleep during the day and are active at night.

This instinct remains even when they are raised in a household.

Additionally, as a result of evolving to be nocturnal, cats have poor light perception but rely on their senses of hearing, smell, and touch to navigate and hunt in the dark.

 

2. Defensive Instincts

Cats have a natural instinct to be defensive, which is why they can be litter-trained from a very young age. 👍

Cats often exhibit defensive behaviors for survival.

They tend to flee or hide, and if approached too quickly, they might use their claws to defend themselves.

It's best to let the cat approach you first.

If a confrontation occurs, they might puff up their bodies, make loud noises, or widen their eyes and raise their ears in preparation for defense.

When encountering a cat, it’s important to approach cautiously.

 

3. Temperature Regulation

Grooming serves various purposes, such as masking scent or establishing hierarchy.

Additionally, due to their inability to regulate body temperature effectively, cats use saliva evaporation to cool down.

Cats lack well-developed sweat glands and cannot pant like dogs to regulate their temperature.

Instead, they groom themselves or engage in "cat washing" to cool down through the evaporation of saliva.

In the wild, they would lay on cooler surfaces to lower their body temperature.

Therefore, in hot weather, providing a cool mat for them to rest on is better than using air conditioning or fans. 😉

 

4. Hunting

Hunting play is essential for cats. While it was necessary for survival, it is also an activity they inherently enjoy.

Sometimes, a cat might bring a caught insect or mouse to their caregiver as a gift.

This behavior reflects their pride in their hunting skills and their desire to share with their caregiver.

Cats also enjoy high places, which offer a broad and clear view necessary for tracking and hunting prey.

 

5. Vocalizations, Chattering, and Purring

I love watching cats sit by the window, observing the outside world. 💚

Sometimes, they make unusual sounds, known as chattering.

Chattering is closely related to hunting, mimicking the sounds of birds or small animals they observe outside.

This behavior might be an attempt to deceive prey or an expression of excitement.

It could also indicate dental issues or serve as a sigh-like sound.

Purring, which helps soothe humans, is a sound cats make to signal that they are non-threatening and want to be friends.

During mating, males use this sound to reassure females. 😊

 

While studying feline behavior, I remembered a cat I met on a trip who presented its rear to me, a sign of trust. 💕

Reflecting on this, I realized that cats, often perceived as aloof and independent, have another side that shows their trust and affection.

Learning about these behaviors has been enlightening.

I hope this information has been helpful for those living with cats, and I look forward to sharing more in future posts. 😊

 

 

Have a great day with the DUZ!