Cats can detect illness in fellow felines through scent and behavior. This suggests that cats may also be able to detect sickness in humans by utilizing the exact same techniques. As cats have a superior sense of smell, they can detect ill health in humans by picking up on hormonal changes. Cats also understand facial expressions, so a grimace of pain will not go unnoticed. The cat may try to draw your attention to particular […]

Squirrels aren’t commonly known as a cat’s enemy, but cats are instinctual predators. If presented with the opportunity, cats may choose to hunt a squirrel for its dinner. Cats also hunt squirrels for fun. While birds, mice, and other small mammals are preyed upon much more often, it’s not unheard of for a cat to kill a squirrel. Cats prefer to prey on smaller mammals that are easier to catch and kill. However, cats can’t […]

A cat’s whiskers (vibrissae) are an often-misunderstood part of the feline anatomy. The whiskers have long been considered essential to a cat’s sense of balance. However, the whiskers are actually sensory organs that play no part in a cat’s balance and coordination on narrow surfaces. A cat’s sense of balance stems from the inner ear. If a cat is losing balance, the vestibular apparatus sends a warning message to the brain. The cat then rights […]

If you have ever been licked by a cat, you are truly honored. This is arguably the ultimate sign of affection that a cat can offer a human. The sensation will feel strange, though. Cats have rough tongues, with a texture akin to sandpaper. Thankfully, this is a sign of a healthy feline. Cat tongues are coated with backward-facing barbs known as papillae. These barbs are tough as they are made from keratin. The papillae […]

Cats are sun worshippers. Indoor cats will station themselves at a window, basking in any rays that may enter. Outdoors cats will often spend hours sunbathing and napping, showing reluctance to come inside. Cats are descended from desert-dwelling animals, so living in the sunshine is their natural state. In addition, ambient warmth makes sleeping more comfortable for felines. A cat’s body temperature drops while it dozes, and lying in the sun tempers this. Cats spend […]

Cats meow to communicate with humans. They’re also highly intelligent animals. Felines have learned that they cannot communicate with us in the way they do with other cats, so they have developed a range of pleasing sounds to appeal to our caring, nurturing nature. This is why a cat’s meow is so often compared to a human baby’s cry. Cats have learned to mimic a baby’s cry to some degree. By doing so, they appeal […]