Cats are fascinating creatures to share a home with, and their unusual way of looking at the world means there are plenty of interesting facts you might not know — even if you’ve lived with cats for years. Let’s see if we can find a few you didn’t know before today.
1. Cats choose to love us
Cats are natural loners — they don’t need other creatures for company the way dogs need a pack or lions need a pride. So when our cats choose to spend time with us, it’s not because they feel lonely — it’s because they want to. The next time your cat snuggles up, rubs around your legs or headbutts you affectionately, be flattered.
2. Cats miaow to humans — but not to other cats
The plaintive miaow is familiar to most cat owners — but did you know they only do it for our benefit? Cats have a whole range of sounds for communicating with other cats, including “chirrups” and “trills” as well as hissing, snarling and yowling. The miaow, though, is just for us — a way to get our attention when they want something. Lots of miaowing? There’s probably an empty food bowl somewhere.
3. All cats have the urge to hunt — even indoors
Our pet cats’ ancestors lived to hunt, catching many small prey each day. Modern cats get their meals more easily, but the urge to chase and catch remains, even when they’re well fed. Hunting games keep their brains happy and can prevent destructive or aggressive behaviour. Try a feather lure on a string, or a small ball to roll along the floor. Laser pens are fine if used safely — just end the “hunt” by pointing at a toy they can actually “catch”, or they get frustrated.
4. Cats aren’t good at sharing
Pet cats share a strong independent streak with their wild ancestors. They need to feel they can provide for themselves at all times — even though it’s really us putting out the food. They feel secure only with private access to the things they need: food, water, sleeping spots, scratching posts. In a multi-cat home, offer a choice of different places to eat, drink and sleep, so if one spot is taken they have a stress-free backup.
5. Kittens go through a “teenage” phase
These cute balls of fluff grow fast and are only “kittens” until around six months old — but that doesn’t make them grown-ups. Between six months and two years, young cats are “juniors”: still learning about the world, often clumsy on long gangly legs, a lot like human teenagers. They hit puberty early (sometimes as young as 4 months), so hormones can change behaviour if they’re not neutered — and female cats can get pregnant from this age, so keep them away from un-neutered males.
Conclusion
That’s just a few fun facts to start you off — but there’s loads more to learn about these fascinating creatures. Have a browse around the site to discover more.
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