Cat Facts : Social Behavior and Interaction

I hope you enjoy this collection of cat facts. It's about a very important element of cat behavior to understand; social behavior and interaction. I've tried to include facts that I think are helpful.

If there's one trait that most cat lovers enjoy, it's the independent nature of their feline friends. We usually feel honored when a cat gives us the time of day. A cat that asks for a head rub or a belly scratch is too much to resist.

Do you ever wonder what your cat is thinking? I do, all the time. I wonder why cats do what they do. Cats are a mystery, but a lot of their behavior can be understood if you know the reasons behind it.

As pet owners, it's part of our jobs to learn how to better care for our cats. Here are some cat facts that may help bring you closer to your feline friend.

1. I need time to be alone. The ancestor of the domestic cats we have today lived alone. They were not pack animals like dogs. Although cats do sometimes form colonies, they usually time share their territory with other cats when they are forced to live close together.

2. A kitten's tendency to be friendly and sociable comes from two sources; genetically, primarily from the father's genes, and behaviorally, primarily from learning to be sociable from their mother.

3. When a kitten is between two and seven weeks old is the most important time to instill proper socialization.

4. When recovering from a trauma, such as a car accident, cats can go through a second socialization process. This can sometimes result in the cat becoming more social after the fact. In other cases, felines can become withdrawn after experiencing trauma.

5. Descending from solitary creatures that stake out a territory and hunt alone, domestic cats have a limited set of body language skills.

6. Cats leave distinctive scent marks which, if you had the right nose, would tell you a story. This is how they make up for a limited set of body language skills. That and the fact that they are sneaky and quick!

7. Your cat will leave her mark by rubbing her scent glands all over her territory. She'll also rub it on you and other animals in the house, creating a communal scent and indicating that these animals are part of her social group.

8. When you scratch your cat's back, you'll notice that she will raise her back end up so as to better scent your hand. She'll also very often stiffen her tail while keeping it bent.

9. The tail up is a sign of happiness. It is also used as a greeting. If people had tails they could raise, cats would like us more.

10. If the front paws are curled up and tucked in, your cat feels comfortable and safe. A relaxed cat will often also extend the back feet out to the side while tucking in the front paws.

Hopefully, at least some of these cat facts surprise you. If you read between the lines, most will allow you to better understand cats. Now, go communicate with your kitty!

Article Source: http://mylilpeanut.com

Author Kurt Schmitt has more about cat facts at the web site for cat lovers.
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