DECODING THE 7 COMMON CAT BEHAVIOURS
Cats- mysterious, elegant and proud. The Cat Language is unique and different from most pets. It might seem strange for a stranger when they hear a cat can even bite you when they are too happy, or when they wag their tails like dogs, they are angry, unlike the dogs who wag their tails in happiness.
Hi, I’m Sunaina and I am a cat expert. I have grown up with cats since I was a kid, and their behaviour has always been a topic of interest for me! If you have just adopted a cat (or if you’re planning to adopt one), then this is the perfect blog for you to clear your doubts.
Here I have decoded a list of 7 most asked questions regarding what your cat is wanting to say to you and about his/her peculiar behaviours.
1. Why the pupils of my cat’s eyes dilate?
2. Why does my cat purr?
3. Why is a cat panting?
4. Why does my cat keep scratching everywhere?
5. Why is my cat making a groaning sound?
6. Why my cat wags its tail like a dog?
7. Why does my cat knead on me sometimes?
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Why the pupils of my cat’s eyes dilate: — While scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, all of us have come across pictures or videos of cats in which their eyes shine like big black marbles! This is because of the dilation of the pupil of the eye. These mysteriously awe-filled eyes are usually caused due to 3 primary reasons:
- When they are excited — For example, they are playing or you might have just surprised your lazy cat with a big fat balloon.
2. When the surrounding is dark or there’s very little light — Just like how our pupils dilate in the dark, cats’ eyes perform the same mechanism to allow more light to enter into their eyes to see. However, unlike human’s round cornea, cats have slit cornea which lets the pupil dilate more. It is also during this time that their eyes shine with radiating green fluorescent light (due to tapetum lucidium) which makes us go all “Awwee!!”
3. When they have sensed danger –Much like big cats in the wild, our domestic felines are territorial animals. When they sense danger, their eyes dilate. This usually happens when an intruder, for example, the neighbour’s cat or dog might enter your lawn, or a person (a stranger to your cat) enters the house.
P.S. This fact can also be taken as an indication of how much cats love their own private space. Suppose, one day your friend who is a stranger to the cats sits on or near his/her favourite napping spot on the couch, you’ll notice them, slowly coming near the stranger with big black eyes, smelling intensely. Or, cats of course, mostly unpredictable, might just sit far away from the spot, judging with eyes like the black nebula.
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Why does my cat purr? —
Purring of cats is extremely common. No doubt, this sweet gesture of theirs makes us love them and adore them so much more. Purrs is indicative that your feline friend is happy and they are feeling secure, loved and adored. They trust you and believe you’ll protect them and take care of them. So, if your cat purrs loudly while you’re petting or scratching them, CONGRATS! You are “The Chosen One” (Blessed by the paw!) Also, my cat purrs to butter me up when she’s hungry for some treats. Be careful, cats can make you fall for them in an instant with purrs, bops and large awe-filled eyes!
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Why does my cat pant ? — The reason why cats pant, is quite a debatable topic. While you might see some absolutely healthy cats panting after a hard play session, you’ll also see some obese and unhealthy cats pant even when they are not doing anything. Panting occurs when one is low on energy and is out of breath. If you feed your cat high-quality healthy cat food, and he/she is active, then there’s less chance of them panting after playing like a maniac for an hour.
But sometimes even a healthy and fit cat who isn’t much active might fall short of energy after playing for a long time. Cats can also breathe heavily if the temperature is too high. A quick aid at that instant would be provind your cat clean water to drink and provide them cool air. Sadly, our fluffy friends cannot speak human. So, it is advisable to visit a vet. What if there’s a silent disease lurking in the inside of your kitty? Touchwood, I hope not.
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Why my cat keeps scratching everywhere- Cats loovvee to scratch!! Many people think cats scratch because they want to mark their territory. Well, this is also among one of the reasons behind this behaviour. The nails keep growing even after their teeth stop growing at a certain age. While their nails grow, the new growing keratin and the old worn-out keratin spawn an itchy feeling. To overcome this, cats scratch their nails. Also, in their growth stage, kittens like to bite and chew on stuff for the tingling sensation of their growing canines.
Another point why cats scratch is because, just as I mentioned they are territorial animals, they like to mark their territory by scratching or kneading as their scent glands are present in their paws.
They might also scratch when they are hyped. For example, while playing, when it’s eating time, or when your cat needs their own space but feels irritated because you’re showering them with your affection hehe!
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Why cats groan sometimes?- Cats groaning does not mean anything but anger, exasperation or resentment. When two male cats fight for territory or mating partners, they groan. Apparently the louder the groan, the more powerful they are. Sometimes you might find a female cat or even a kitten groaning, this might happen when they feel that someone is intruding their territory or when someone is about to take away the “prey” they have hunted down. It’s really funny though to see kittens groan holding a rubber ball or anything they are supposed to play with, as their “prey”. How cute!
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Why does a cat wag its tail like a dog?- Cats wag their tails when they feel irritated or angry. Unlike dogs, it has nothing to do with happiness. A cat throwing its tail vigourously on the ground specifies that he/she is angry and its better to keep away from them and not to disturb them. The same reason goes for big cats too.
DID YOU KNOW? A misreported reasearch had spread the rumours that petting or stroking your cat can cause stress. Thankfully, a Nat Geo report cleared the doubt stating its completely fine to pet your fluffy buddy and it does not cause them stress at all. Sometimes when sitting ideally, a cat might be lost in its own world, or might be noticing something minute very carefully. If you pick up your cat at that instant, they might wag their tails feeling disturbed.
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Why does my cat knead on me sometimes? — Often you’ll see kittens kneading on their mother’s tummy to enhance the flow of the milk. When a cat kneads, you’ll often notice that they purr. This shows they are feeling adored and loved. If your cat kneads on your tummy or thighs, congratulations!! Your cat definitely loves you and feels protected when they are with you.
Conclusion:
Yes, cats can be judgy sometimes with eyes that penetrate right through your soul while you’re exercising or singing. But cats are just as sensitive as dogs, they just don’t show it.
On a personal note, I and my mother feel like each pet (cats, dogs, birds, fish, any pet) has their own individual and distinct personality just like a human. Instead of generalizing the cat’s behaviour, I suggest spending some time with your beloved cat. Get to know each other well and soon you’ll realise all the meows spoken by your cats are no different than human words. Your cat will no longer be an animal/pet; he/she will become your best friend.
Bye! Take Care & Have a Great Cat-day ahead!
