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Tufts University and their Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine use to publish an online newsletter entitled Tufts Catnip. In the many issues I received there are many helpful, fun, and factual notes about cats. I am going to recap them below for all of us who are cat parents.
Regarding Movement
Did you know that the way cats move or walk is by moving their front and back legs on one side, then moving the front and back legs on the other side. They say this may be because it lets them go forward more quietly and more easily escape prey or capture their prey.
Cats fall to the ground like parachutes. Their spine is more flexible than ours and they extend all four legs away from their body as they fall which causes their fur to fan out like a bat’s wings to give them the parachute effect. No wonder they can glide from great heights without hurting themselves.
A house cat is genetically 95.6 percent tiger. Wow! They can run up to approximately 30 miles per hour for a short time. That flexible spine helps to lengthen their stride. And they can jump f i v e or s i x times their height! Felines have very strong rear legs to help propel them up from a crouching position, kind of like a spring. I know this for a fact from my kitty’s refusal to get into her carrier to go to the vet!
A cat’s whiskers are the same width as their body, helping the cat to judge the width of a space to walk through. They can squeeze through very tight spaces because their collar bone is free-floating and buried in the shoulder muscles. So they can sort of fold up to ease through that small space.
They say a cat’s ears can swivel up to 180 degrees. That is because of the large number of muscles in each of their ears…32! We only have six. No wonder they can distinguish more easily where a noise may be coming from.
Regarding Vision
Our cats have better peripheral vision than us. We can see to the side while they are able to see a little behind. Now you know you can never sneak up on your cat.
Feline whiskers allow cats to see in the dark. They can actually feel movement through their whiskers to the point of being able to tell size, shape, speed and approximate location of the object from slight whisker vibrations. No wonder they have that “superior air” about them.
Regarding Smell
The kitty nose also tells them a ton. They have as many as 200 million odor sensors while we have only 5 million. What we can smell from 10 feet away, they can smell from a distance of 140 feet. So you had better be opening something they like to eat so they won’t be turning up their nose before you even place it in front of them. My kitty seems to like everything, including my food, so I am extra careful now not to place it where she can get to it before me!
Also cats have an organ on the roof of their mouths called the vomeronasal organ. It lets them smell pheromones that signal the presence or past presence of another cat in the area or with yourself. That is why cats open their mouths when they want to smell something.
Regarding Grooming
Our feline friends will often groom each other and it is many times referred to as allogrooming or positively affiliating with their social group and possibly their handler. Appreciate those affectionate licks and paw kneads.
Regarding Allergies to Cats
In a Fall 2022 issue of Pet Age an article states that not the cat fur but a protein in cat saliva is the cause of the allergen. It is deposited into the cat hair through the cat grooming itself. From there is gets into bedding and furniture and clothes from the kitty’s natural shedding process and dander floating through the air.
To manage the allergens, it is suggested to use regular feline grooming and vacuuming and dusting of your surroundings as well as washing all bedding weekly.
Regarding Anxiety
Music appears to help relax our kitties. Not heavy metal, but lighter classical or pop rock music perhaps. So you can leave a radio on for your feline fur buddy when you leave them alone for the day. Of course, if it is ‘high anxiety’, you can consider an anxiety vest…they do work. And moving and noise generating toys to keep them busy are good too. Treat puzzles are another fun and tasty idea.
Regarding Ways Cats Mourn
If you have more than one kitty and they are close and one dies, Tufts reported there is a good chance his companion cat is going to be mourning. They cited several signs of behavior your cat may exhibit:
- Clings to you or needs frequent reassurance with petting and being held more often.
- Becomes more ‘absent’, either by staying in a separate room or under the bed.
- Vocalizes more than usual.
- Over-grooms.
- Stops using the litter box to urinate, or now uses it inconsistently.
- Shows less interest in play or food.
In an ASPCA study, they show that 46 percent of people with cats who lost a close fellow mate reported a decreased appetite. And seventy percent said there was a change in vocalizations. The study also mentioned new sleeping areas for cats, difficulty sleeping, and that the lone cats were seeking more attention.
Tufts mentions the use of increased attention, some trick training, using puzzle feeders, and new toys as ways to distract a mourning cat. And, it may be wise to have the kitty checked by your vet, especially if it is an older cat.
Regarding Training
Tufts published a short article instructing us how to train our cats since they definitely do want to interact with us. Their advice is to start with “sit” by holding a treat just over your kitty’s head. Then their nose will go up to sniff the treat and their rear will go down automatically. Your cat is then sitting so as soon as their rear touches the floor say, “Good sit”. You can use a clicker and a small treat. Keep repeating until your kitty does it automatically.
They recommend keeping your training sessions very short, no more than two minutes. And, best to train before meals so your cat is interested in treats. (This would be no problemo for my kitty cat.) Always give your cat baby great praise with or without a treat.
Regarding Cat Bites vs. Dog Bites
Tufts also shared how bites from cats differ from those of dogs in one of their Catnip newsletters of 2022. They say that with a cat’s teeth being smaller, thinner, and sharper, penetration is deeper into our human skin. Therefore, the infection can be harder to cure with antibiotics and many times needs additional doctoring. Many of these bites occur on the soft tissue of an owner’s hands. And, even if it does not look bad, you should still have the bite area checked by a doctor because of how deep an infection can go.
Cat behavior tips Tufts recommends are to pet a cat for a short time and let the kitty come to you for additional strokes. If your cat is restless, or starts twitching their tail, or putting their ears to the side, it is a good indication to stop petting them.
Check out some additional feline distinctions in “Kitty Cat questions answered“.
Regarding Cat Lovers
If you love cats you are an ailurophile. A very strange word to me, but in keeping with our cats, rather elegant.
As an ailurophile, check out my recent post on cat breeds. And one other in honor of our National Cat Day.
Funny Animal Videos
From Big Geek Daddy see happenings in the woods.
Next have fun with a mama dog and a piglet.
Last is the science of cats.
Thanks
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