Aug 14 2008
The Behavior Of House Cats: A Guide
If you have a house cat, you probably sometimes have trouble interpreting its behavior. Because cats can’t tell us with their voice what they are thinking about and feeling, we have to rely on their outward body language. Let’s take a look at several house cat behaviors and moods and how to interpret them.
Contented – Ah, Yes!
Our favorite time is to be with our house cat with behavior that shows they are content. It is nice to get along with your cat, and to be able to enjoy the mutual pleasure. Cats enjoy being petting or stroked when they are contented, and people enjoy the stress relief from rubbing a pet.
Often cats that are contented will knead on a person or a favorite sleeping spot or blanket. This is a behavior that house cats have from when they were kittens and nursing from their mother. The baby kittens would knead the mother’s “breasts” to help the milk flow faster. Because nursing with their mother was such a pleasant memory, kittens and cats can continue this behavior in memory of the good feelings it gave them. It can show that the cat is happy. While in most situations the cat or kitten will only do this for a few minutes, in some cases they can do it for quite a long time. This house cat behavior has been shown by researchers (Oxford University) that it is immensely pleasurable, like massages or snacking in humans. No wonder they enjoy doing it!
Relaxed – Hm….
If a cat lays out on its back or side, or rolls around, it can show how relaxed the cat is. This often happens when a person enters or leaves the room, coinciding with when the person moves.
Affection – I Love You, Too!
When a cat rubs their head up against a person’s leg or body, they are not just expressing affection for the person. They are also marking the person with their scent as a way of marking their territory. Cats also blink slowly as a way to show their secure feelings or affection. Some cats will round their tails into a question mark as they great people they like.
Aggression – Don’t Mess With Me!
The behavior of a house cat who wants to be left alone is commonly to swish or sweep the tail widely behind it. If the cat is further irritated, it will often leave the room or move away.
These are some basic behaviors of a house cat, and are easily understood. If you watch carefully, you’ll see your house cat exhibit these behaviors and be better at understanding cat behavior.
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