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Cat Facts : Social Behavior and Interaction

The following cat facts on social behavior and interaction should help you better understand your pet. Cat behavior is largely misunderstood, even by experienced cat owners. I hope you find this 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.

If you've ever wondered what your cat is thinking, or why he does what he does, you're not alone. Cats are mysterious creatures.

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. Kitten's get their friendly traits from their father's genes (mostly), and their mother's teachings.

3. The most important time in a kittens life, when it comes to socialization, is between two and seven weeks old.

4. When a cat experiences a trauma, it can go through a second socialization process during recovery. This can result in the cat becoming friendlier than before the trauma. Unfortunately, it can go the other way and make the cat more aloof as well.

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

6. In order to make up for a limited set of communication skills, cats need to use scent markings to send and receive messages. They also need to be fast and agile!

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. Cats will often raise their back ends up so as to better scent a hand. They'll also often stiffen their tail, but keep it bent as they scent you up.

9. A tail held vertically is a greeting, and an indication of happiness. If you had a tail, your cat would probably appreciate it since he'd better understand your mood.

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!