Category Archives: Cat Behavior
Panting Is Bad
Dogs pant up to 300 times a minute to cool themselves, but if you see your cat panting it may be a medical emergency — and your alarmbells should be ringing. While sometimes it can just be from extreme anxiety, it can also be a sign of respiratory or cardiovascular problems, warranting an immediate call to the veterinarian.
So what do you do if you see your cat panting?
Exactly, call your vet.
Resources
abcnews.go.com
Picture by maastrichtaktueel.nl
How to Prevent a Finicky Cat
When your cat is a kitten, it might be a good idea to feed her different kind of foods so your kitty will experience different textures and flavors of food. Just as people typically stick with the toothpaste they start with as youngsters, cats who are only exposed to one type of food will be less likely try other brands and kinds. That might be a real problem if the brand of food you always give goes off the market, or your cat needs to eat a special food for health reasons. So mix it up on your kitten!
Resource
abcnews.go.com
Picture by blog.bouldersnaturalanimal.com
Thank you, Jimmie!
Lefty or Righty?
This post is based on heretherebespiders‘ question from yesterday: “How can you tell if your cat is a lefty or a righty?”. I decided to do some research about it. So, Spiders, here is your answer!
Lefty or righty?
Studies shows that cats have a dominant paw (40% of cats are ambidextrous, while 60% have a favored paw), just like humans they are left handed or right handed. But it’s complicated to find out if a cat is a lefty or righty. We humans write, we eat with out hands. Cats on the other hand are more likely to use their paws when interacting with their surroundings, so which paw they use in a particular instance is more likely to depend on the environment, and not personal preference. For example, if the mouse is slightly to one side of the cat, the cat is more likely to use the corresponding paw to swat at it. Kittens generally use both paws. A dominant paw usually isn’t clear until a cat reaches adulthood.
Left- and right-handedness arise in brain structure, depending on which hemisphere of the brain is dominant over the other. The hemispheres of the brain correspond to the opposite hemispheres of the body, such as, a left-brained person is very likely to be right-handed, and vice-versa. This is true for humans, cats, and other animals.
There are many ways to test it. All you need is a cat (or two, or three, whatever you want). And choose for an isolated area, like the bathroom, so the cat won’t be distracted. Also bring a string, a notepad and some paper with you.
1. String
Dangle the string before the cats nose until the cat swipes at it. Do this at least ten times, or more if you want greater accuracy. Write down which paw the cat uses (left, right, or both) after each swipe.
Then, drag the string across the floor, directly in front of the cat, until it gets the cat’s attention. Just as before, look which paw is used (left, right, or both) each time the cat pounces, at least ten times.
2. Paper
Crumple up the scrap paper into a ball, getting the cat’s attention, then toss it under a piece of furniture that the cat can reach a front paw under, but can’t crawl under. Note which paw the cat uses to try to get the paper ball out. If the cat can’t retrieve it, try another paper ball. Have the cat reach under the furniture at least five times. Note the results.
Once you’ve completed the steps, count up the tally and see where your cat stands. If the cat’s preferred paw is between forty and sixty per cent preferred, you might want to try the experiment again, with a larger sample size (more tallying). Or consider your cat most likely to be ambidextrous.
So, is your cat a lefty or a righty?
Resources
scholastic.com
helium.com
Oscar
Oscar (born 2005) is a therapy cat living in the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Rhode Island, United States. He came to public attention in July 2007 when he was featured in an article by David Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor at Brown University, in the ‘New England Journal of Medicine’. According to Dosa, Oscar appears able to predict the impending death of terminally ill patients. Explanations for this ability include the lack of movement in such patients, or that the cat can smell ketones, the biochemicals released by dying cells.
The staff noticed that Oscar, just like the doctors and nurses, would make his own rounds. Oscar would sniff and observe patients, then curl up to sleep with certain ones. The patients he would sleep with often died within several hours of his arrival. One of the first cases involved a patient who had a blood clot in her leg that was ice-cold at the time. Oscar wrapped his body around her leg and stayed until the woman died. In another instance, the doctor had made a determination of impending death based on the patient’s condition, while Oscar simply walked away, causing the doctor to believe that Oscar’s streak (12 at the time) had ended. However, it would be later discovered that the doctor’s prognosis was simply 10 hours too early: Oscar later visited the patient, who died two hours later.
Oscar’s accuracyled the staff to start a new and unusual protocol: once he is discovered sleeping with a patient, staff will call family members to notify them of the patient’s (expected) impending death.
“I don’t think Oscar is that unique, but he is in a unique environment. Animals are remarkable in their ability to see things we don’t, be it the dog that sniffs out cancer or the fish that predicts earthquakes. Animals know when they are needed.” – Dr. Dosa.
Most of the time the patient’s family has no issue with Oscar being present at the time of death; on those occasions when he is removed from the room at the family’s request, he is known to pace back and forth in front of the door and meow in protest. When present, Oscar will stay by the patient until they die, then after death he will quietly leave the room. As of January 2010, Oscar had accurately predicted about 50 patients’ deaths.
Dr Dosa said he hopes his newly released book, ‘Making Rounds With Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat’ will put the cat in a more favourable light as well as providing a book to help people whose loved ones are terminally ill.
Oscar was adopted as a kitten from an animal shelter to be raised as a therapy cat at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Centre in Providence, Rhode Island, which cares for people with severe dementia and in the last stages of various illnesses.
You can read more at wikipedia.com
How to Harness Train Your Cat?
Just like dogs, you can train cats to walk on a harness. I have done it with Hiro and Suki, but I can’t remember if ever made a post about how I did it. I did write about it on Anipaltimes.com. But not on Cats & Co yet! I feel like I’ve neglected you guys lately. Sorry about that.
Hiro is used to his harness, but still cautious and curious when going outside.
The Right Harness
Before you start the training, you need to purchase a harness that is comfortable and fitting. It’s a good idea not to use a collar. Cat collars aren’t made for a leash and your cat might easily slip out – and you don’t want that, when you’re walking outside. So it’s better to pull the leash from the chest, instead of the throat. A walking jacket is another alternative that works the same as a harness. If you’re about to buy a harness or a walking jacket you might want to measure your cat’s chest. You don’t want to come home with one that is too small for your cat. There are also several harnesses that you can adjust to your cat’s size, but the leash should be a lightweight leash, five to six feet is fine.
How to Start?
Take things easy and don’t stress out your cat or yourself.
Let your cat get used to the harness by letting him sniff it. If you want, you can place the harness close to your cat’s sleeping place for a day so he’ll get used to it.
After that you can take the harness and put it on your cat. Give your cat a treat as soon as you put it on. He might not like it first, fall over and refuse to walk. That’s alright, he just needs to get used to it. Try to get him to walk by offering him a treat, so every time he walks, he gets a treat. I also often give rewards with strokes and sweet words (“Good boy/girl!”). Try to motivate your cat to walk. Don’t make the sessions very long at first, five to ten minutes is more than enough, and you can make those sessions longer the more your cat gets used to wearing the harness. Get the harness off your cat when you’re done training, and reward your cat with a treat again, and repeat those training sessions every day. Don’t get frustrated if your cat doesn’t want to walk.
Suki refuses to walk when she is inside with a harness on. But curiosity wins, and she's too curious to stay inside.
The Leash
When your cat has got used to the harness, it’s time to put the leash on. Use the same method as you did with the harness. I leave it on for five minutes, let the cat roam around the house — but be careful it won’t get stuck on anything with the leash, and take it off afterwards. Repeat the session everyday until your cat is used to the leash. When your cat is used to it, you can walk around inside your house with your cat while holding the leash. I suggest repeating this until your cat is used to having the leash attached to the harness, and you holding it, so your cat knows how things are going when he is on the leash.
Ready to go outside
For indoor cats only it could be scary to go outside all of a sudden. Strange noises, strange people and a lot of strange smells. Try to see how your cat reacts to the outside world by having him in his harness and holding the leash and opening the front door for a little bit, see how he reacts, and end the session. The next day you continue, but each day you open the door just a little bit more — remember to keep him on a leash — until he’s outside. You can also try it in your own yard first. It’s okay if your cat doesn’t want to go outside the first time, give it some time, it’s his first time ever going outside into the big wide world.
Take your time when you’re walking with your cat outside and don’t tug on the leash but let your cat lead the way. If your cat doesn’t want to come, or you want to go another way, gently pull on the leash, use treats or pick him to lead him into the right direction. If he does, give him a treat. And if there are moments that he might be scared, try to distract him with some treats.
The most important thing is to have fun, both you and your cat.
For more tips, you can take a look at the post on Anipaltimes.
10 Minutes & Talking.
Give your cat at least 10 minutes of physical attention every day.
Stroke and scratch your cat for at least ten minutes a day. It will sooth both you and your cat.
Did you know that recent evidence shows that contact with cats may reduce your risk of heart attack by as much as 30%.
Talk to your cat every day.
Have you ever wondered why cats come to visit people when they’re on the phone? It’s been speculated that your cat thinks you’re talking to her when you’re on the phone. In a soft, high voice, talk to your cat every day. You’ll both like it.
Resource
cat-lovers-only.com
Winnie, The Cat Who Saved Her Family
Winnie, The cat who saved her family.
The Keesling family had a close call in March 2007 when a basement water pump malfunctioned and spewed carbon monoxide fumes into the home. Winnie, the cat, had been sleeping by an open window. The fresh air probably kept her alert enough to save the family, Kathy Keesling says.
Keesling said her cat pounced into bed and awakened her by pulling her hair and meowing. Keesling started to get up, but collapsed.
“I felt like a ball bat hit me right across the head,” she said. Sick and dizzy, she fell back in bed and into a daze. But Winnie didn’t give up until Keesling made it to her feet. She realized she was the only conscious person in the house. When she tried to rouse her husband and failed, she called 911. Keesling wasn’t able to make it to the door for arriving rescue workers. She collapsed 20 feet away. Firefighters found the couple’s 14-year-old son unconscious on his bedroom floor.
“He was blue,” she said. “They thought he was dead.” All three were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Winnie, meanwhile, hid in a closet.
She was afraid of the firemen, Keesling said. Later, the cat was afraid of the cameras and attention. But after a while, Winnie began to enjoy celebrity.
“She likes it now,” Keesling said. “She poses.”
Cathy Keesling said Winnie acted similarly last summer when tornadoes tore through the area, 45 miles east of Indianapolis.
“I really believe cats can sense these kind of things,” she said.
Resource
msnbc.msn.com
Why Some Cats Talk A Lot.
This one is for you, Jimmie!
Meow!
It’s normal for cats to meow, but some do it more than others. Especially specific breeds such as the Siamese, Orientals and Chartreux’s. Some only peep, some have entire conversations. You can compare it a bit with humans. Some talk a lot, some don’t. And some cats meow while they are playing, while others don’t.
In the wild, cats have two sets of language – one to communicate between mother and offspring and another to communicate with other adults within their territory. Your cat uses vocalization to tell other cats (or you) what she needs. Different pitches, intensity and the volume of the meowing reflects the emotional and physical needs. Loud meowing usually means anxiety and fear, while a meow that is lower in sound means that your cat is confidence.
It’s possible that cats relate to us as their “surrogate mothers”. And learn to communicate with us, if there is something that they want, or just to get attention. If a particular meow, chirp, or chortle elicits a desired respond, they will learn to do it more. But some cats are just social and like to ‘talk’ with us. They even may develop a special language just for us.
In a typical household with cats, the feline residents, after they have grown up and passed the kitten stage, communicate with each other mostly through non-vocal means. And probably because they know we’re not good at interpreting body language and they discover that we respond better to vocal cues and commands, cats change their communication styles to work with humans. And throughout adulthood they continue with many of the vocal techniques they used as kittens to let their mothers know how they were doing and what they wanted.
It can be cute, but when it happens at three in the morning, it’s not really cute anymore. But rather annoying.
Most cats that talk a lot want your attention. They will learn that if they meow long enough, you will give up and feed her, or wake up and let her in. They know that if they meow, they will get what they want.
Body language between cats.
Stop reinforcing it.
Do not respond when your cat meows relentlessly at your door. If you consistently ignore her unreasonable demands, they will eventually stop. In theory.
Environmental enrichment.
Consider that your cat may be lonely or bored. Many cats spend long hours alone at home with little to do. Think about playing games with your cat. It must be interactive and should last 15-20 minutes. Really get your cat to move. Later, she’ll be too happy and tired to yowl at your door.
Reward good behavior.
Give your kitty the attention she craves only when she is acting calm and quiet.
Get another cat.
With your cats this can be a good idea, to get him a companion. With older cats it will be trickier.
Consult your veterinarian.
Excessive meowing may be sign of separation anxiety or even a medical problem. If simple solutions fail to help, it’s time to consult your veterinarian.
What if your cat suddenly starts meowing out of nowhere? It may be a sign that there is something wrong. A young female cat who yowls, purrs and rubs may be in heat. A male who cries, howls and then strains to urinate may have a urinary blockage. And this required medical care.
Hyperthyroidism.
An overactive thyroid, common in older cats, may cause increased hunger, wakefulness, and excitability, making your cat meow more. Other symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, and weight loss.
High Blood Pressure.
Cats, like humans, can develop high blood pressure as they age. Cats with this problem usually have kidney disease or hyperthyroidism as well. Humans with high blood pressure sometimes have headaches or ringing in the ears. It’s thought that kitties may also experience these uncomfortable sensations, causing midnight yowling.
Dental disease.
Painful, infected teeth may make it hard for your cat to eat. Mouth pain and hunger may make her clingy and meowy. Symptoms of dental disease also include difficulty chewing, dropping of food, and bad breath.
Arthritis.
Older cats can develop arthritis just like dogs and people, and they may not seem to complain. Arthritic cats usually just move less, and do so in a gingerly fashion. However, midnight yowling in older kitties is sometimes attributed to achy joints.
Deafness.
Elderly cats who are hard of hearing may become louder and more meowy if they simply can’t hear themselves talk.
Feline Dementia.
Also known as Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome, this is a gradual decline in mental ability that affects some feline elders. Symptoms can include disorientation, altered sleep cycles, house soiling, and bizarre loud vocalizations. If you notice these symptoms, consult your veterinarian right away. There is no cure for feline dementia; but there may be treatments that can help.
Always call your vet when you think something is not right!
Resource
Wikipedia.com
petsadviser.com
cathealth.com
Kisses On The Belly
Ever noticed that some cats wash their belly after they have eaten? This is most likely because mother cat lick the bellies of her kittens after they have eaten.
Mother cat starts washing her kittens right after they are born, and that is not only to clean them. The intestines from the kittens become clogged if their belly isn’t massaged by the mother’s tongue. On that moment kittens are still blind and deaf, and they find the nipples from their mother by using their nose.
After they have drunk, the mother cat starts washing from head to tail. And once she reached their bums, the kittens automatically start peeing or pooping. The mother cat eats it all, while washing her kittens. So everything stays clean.
Isn’t that a great mother?
Resources
Lifedier / Pets place Magazine
