Page 24 - Complete Cat Care: How To Keep Your Cat Healthy and Happy

Understanding your cat

Cats did not evolve to be social animals. Highly independent, they have
developed subtle and complex ways of behaving and communicating that
often send confusing messages to their owners.

Cat behavior sophisticated body language. Their at these times might cause an
Domestic cats evolved from a small, solitary past also means that cats indoor cat to have a “mad half-
solitary, and territorial predator are more independent than most hour,” dashing about energetically.
that rarely met others of its kind. other pet species and although Because their eyesight evolved
This feline ancestor did not need many enjoy cuddles, they still primarily to detect movement in
to develop a complex visual appreciate their own space. poor light, cats do not see patterns
communication system like that of Cats are supreme hunters and or colors with the same clarity as
more naturally social species, such because their prey is more active at humans do. Their eyes are not
as dogs and humans, so our pet cats dawn and dusk, this is when cats sensitive to colors at the red end
today do not have a particularly are most active. Motivation to hunt of the spectrum and, as a result,
22 they may have difficulty picking
out red toys against a pink carpet.
On the other hand, they are
extremely quick to respond to a
Your new cat trailing string.
The sense of smell is very
important to cats. They head-rub to
deposit scent in areas where they

△ Scent marking
Cats identify each other by smell and create a
group identity by rubbing against each other to
deposit scent. They often also rub their owners
to make them part of the social group.

◁ Solitary nature
Domestic cats have retained much of the
solitary and independent nature of their
ancestors. This means that when two cats
cross paths there is often conflict.

US_022-023_Understanding_your_cat.indd 22 24/10/2013 14:58