Animals are as weird as they are wonderful.
You think you know your favorite furry friend; and then they surprise you with some left-field
antics that have to be seen to be believed!
Maybe you think your pet is eccentric or some kind of undiscovered animal prodigy – but
the truth is, we just don’t understand our pets as much as we think we do.
So why should you never look into a cat's eyes and why do dogs tilt their heads?
Today I’ll try to answer all your burning questions and then some.
Lets get it on!
WHY SHOULD YOU NEVER LOOK INTO A CAT’S EYES?
A cat’s eyes are so mysterious and mesmerizing that ancient Egyptians believed they were
the doors to the underworld.
Looking into their eyes was said to release evil and bestow bad fortune on you.
While I’m not sure this is the case, to a cat, staring contests are acts of dominance
– so you’d better break eye contact quickly before you start something you can’t finish.
Is your cat just happy to see you?
Or is it out plotting it’s revenge for having tuna three nights in a row?
WHY DO CATS BITE?
I’m sure we’ve all been on the receiving end of one of these.
You’re petting your little buddy and getting all the green lights.
Purring, nuzzling, all the works!
Then out of nowhere it snaps, and tiny needle-like teeth bite into your fingers and hands.
It’s the ultimate betrayal!
For our furry feline friends though, this is their way of telling you they want to play.
Rough play can show just how much they love you.
On the other hand; if things are getting a little hostile, it could also be their way
of telling you that they’re tired of all the attention.
Don't take it personally, cats simply use aggression to communicate.
It's just their way of saying no.
While it may be cute at times, it’s a behavior that needs to be controlled before it gets
out of hand – your skin will thank you!
WHY DO CATS KNOCK THINGS OVER?
Cats are infamous for nonchalantly knocking anything and everything over.
The more expensive and inconvenient to put back, the better!
While the most obvious answer to “why” has to do with their jerk personalities, the
truth is, cats love us and crave our attention, good or bad.
The more dramatic our reaction, the more pleased your kitty is – watch them as they sit there
with that smug look on their face…
Yes, the action probably started as play.
Testing out things with their paws, getting a sense of what things feel like, how far
a light tap will send it, expressing their play and prey driven biology.
But by reacting, you just make it better for them.
Ironically, for a creature that spends so much time ignoring us – they really are
obsessed with us noticing them!
With so many of the crazy things our beloved furry friends do caused by love, how long
can we really stay mad at them?
WHY DO CATS FREEZE WITH THEIR MOUTH OPEN?
That freeze frame that cats do with their mouths open actually has a fascinating scientific
reason behind it.
This involuntary reflex, known as the flehmen response causes cats to curl back their top
lip to expose the teeth and gums.
It may look strange, but this amusing facial expression is actually just your cat processing
the various smells they’ve just noticed.
Whatever the reason, it must work as cats have a sense of smell 14 times more powerful
than our own.
This freeze should only last a second or two, any longer and I’d probably consider taking
a shower.
WHY DO CATS DRINK FROM WATER GLASSES?
Every cat owner can relate.
There you are, just sipping from your favorite cup, and as soon as you put it down – boom!
Your sweet kitty cat is shoving their head in your glass to finish it off.
Anyone would think your poor cat is dehydrated from neglect, but nope, they have a perfectly
good and perfectly full water bowl nearby, completely untouched.
So why does your fancy pants puss have to drink from your glass specifically?
One theory is that it’s actually a part of a feline’s nature.
Your cat’s wild ancestors were skillful, sneaky hunters that wanted to stash their
uneaten food far away from the communal water hole.
These super-secret hunter genes were passed down to our mouse- catching heroes in the
form of wanting to drink away from where they eat their food.
Your water glass on the table just happens to be perfect.
WHY DO DOGS BARK WHEN THEY SEE HUGS?
A dog can be a great wingman to help you break the ice, but also the worst wet blanket when
it comes to you actually getting any affection.
Now why is your dog blocking all the hugs you might ask?
Two reasons.
The first and most common is they’re trying to save you.
There’s no dog body language for a hug, because, well… they don’t have arms, just
double the number of legs.
That other human must be attacking you!
To them it’s a bold statement about wanting to protect you.
Now the other reason is a little more conniving.
Smart dogs have learned that hugs mean attention, and of course any attention should be all
about them – Pat the belly, throw the toy, bring the toy back, get hugs!
Sadly, nothing ruins a cuddle faster than a barking, slobbering dog dropping their favorite
drool-covered toy on you.
And they say romance is dead.
WHY DO CATS HATE CLOSED DOORS?
If you haven’t learnt by now that cats are the king or queen of all they can see, then
consider yourself told.
It’s their home, and you just happen to live there.
As they strut through their kingdom, closed doors are like a red flag to a bull.
What are you doing there?
Are you using the toilet?
Without me?
How dare you?
In a cat’s mind, there’s no way you’d want to do that alone, so the social, curious
and overly territorial kitty will insist on checking that you aren’t hiding from them
– even if you are!
Remember your place human – your ruler has arrived!
WHY DO DOGS TILT THEIR HEADS?
Head tilting, while undeniably cute, serves a dual purpose.
The good news is that the tilt means they’re focusing on your facial expressions and listening
hard to what you’re saying.
The bad news is that they’re probably only getting certain parts of the message, as they
look for key words and things they recognize.
Ever said the words “food” or “walk” in front of a dog?
That’s all they hear.
Not all dogs do this expression, especially if they have a short snout and pointy ears
that don’t need to be tilted to listen.
So rest assured; this lack of a head tilt doesn’t mean that Rover’s a sociopath
or a little simple, he might just be hearing you loud and clear!
WHY DO CATS MAKE WEIRD SOUNDS?
Cute or creepy?
Ever heard your cat sitting at the window making demonic chattering sounds while watching
a cute fluffy animal outside?
Scientists are starting to believe your ferocious feline may have something far more sinister
in mind– trying to lure the bird inside with copycat bird sounds.
This behavior is actually quite common, with cats often attempting to mimic various bird
tweets in the hopes of coaxing them close enough to pounce!
WHY DO CATS BRING US THINGS?
Ain’t a cat’s love grand?
Cats love to shower you with all the gifts because they see us as family.
Cats will put their human in one of two camps.
Either a part of the lion’s pride they want to feed, or a poor kitten that just needs
to learn to feed themselves and hunt their own prey.
Either way, it all comes from a place of love.
Sadly, unlike grandmas’ secret apple pie recipe, this isn’t a skill we’re dying
to learn.
But that won’t stop your cat from trying, so there will be mornings where all manner
of half chewed vermin all lined up in a neat little row are what greets you on the kitchen
floor.
Breakfast anyone?
WHY DO CATS LIKE TO SLEEP ON TOP OF US?
Why do cats insist on trying to smother us as they sleep?
To put it simply – love, just love.
Ha!
Who am I kidding?
The truth is that cats like to claim their territory by marking it with their scent.
By laying on top of you for hours and hours, they make sure that any other cat knows you’re
their human, and if they attempt to steal you away – there’ll be trouble.
The crawling on top of your face part though?
Could be that it’s just a great place to sleep, or just your cat being a pain in the
backside.
Though cats love to snuggle up and share your body warmth, also know that if you’ve been
petting another cat, they’ll instantly smell it on you and be less than pleased!
WHY DO CATS SIT LIKE HUMANS?
Aww… your cat thinks it's a person.
Have you ever caught your little feline sitting up like a human?
According to research, cats adopt this weird sitting posture for 3 main reasons.
The first is to let their belly fur dry after an intense grooming session – sounds reasonable.
The second is that cats will often plant their rear ends firmly on the floor as a sign that
they feel safe and trust the people they’re living with.
The third, and perhaps more spooky reason, is also the most obvious.
Cats will often mimic their 2-legged companion’s behaviour.
Eating, sleeping, and general activity patterns are copied.
Ever noticed your cat's odd love for your computer keyboard or how they use their litter
box about the same time you do?
That’s why...
WHAT DO DOGS SEE WHEN THEY WATCH TV?
Now onto our much more relaxed doggo friends, who love nothing more than watching a good
nature documentary alongside their owners.
As a matter of fact, they only enjoy watching screens because their humans do.
Don’t worry about their ruined eyesight from sitting too close to the TV though, they
actually need to be 2 feet from the screen to see what you see from the couch!
There’s an old wife’s tale about dogs seeing in black and white.
It’s safe to say that myth has been well and truly busted!
Their sight is a mixture of shades of dull blue, yellow and green.
Happy binging to the two of you.