Topping the list of pets preferred by humans are miniature tigers, cats. These charismatic animals have undoubtedly won the love of many people with almost no effort, all thanks to their characteristics, personality and one or two eccentric behaviors.
No person who has met one of these felines has been captivated by their beauty and particular habits, asking a thousand and one questions about the specific actions of the kittens. In 3 cat behaviors explained by an expert , some of the most curious issues surrounding Felis silvestris catus are discussed.
Energy explosions
More than one human has been scared to death by the sudden bursts of energy of their mustachioed companion, bursts that are often accompanied by wild runs across every possible surface, jumps and even pirouettes.
This cat behavior is quite common and as Debra Zoran, an internal medicine specialist at Texas A&M Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital, explains, it is a natural means by which the cat releases the concentrated energy in its body after long periods of rest and inactivity.
Interestingly, these manifestations of accumulated energy tend to increase in specific seasons of the year. As explained by Zoran, this is due to the new stimuli the kitty receives from the outside with the changing seasons.
No belly rubs allowed?
Each cat has its own particular tastes and an established limit of caresses, however, caresses in the belly area do not seem to be to the liking of the great majority of felines. Scratches and bites after touching this delicate area are common, and some people even develop a certain fear of touching their cats again because of the aggressive reactions they may have.
Lena Provoost, an animal behaviorist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, says that both the hair follicles in the belly and tail area are hypersensitive to touch, causing even the slightest touch to over-stimulate the feline, triggering a likely attack on the offender.
In addition to this, being an area of high vulnerability for the cat, a caress on its belly could be directly interpreted as an attack on its well-being.
The enigmatic tap water
Drinking water is a vital element for the life of any animal, whether from a river, from the rain or from a container, but what drives cats, known to be fearful of getting soaked, to drink the precious liquid directly from a tap?
This is one of the most curious cat behaviors that most attracts the attention of humans, and according to specialists Debra Zoran and Lena Provoost, it responds to different and equally curious reasons. According to Zoran’s explanation, cats tend to find flowing water more interesting than still water, and they may find its taste more appealing, especially if the water in their containers is dirty.
Another very important reason for felines is related to their whiskers, a sensitive part of their bodies that they do not like you to touch things like food and water unless it is extremely necessary. Aside from this, Provoost mentions that with the faucet being in an elevated location, it gives the kitties a certain sense of security that they would not have if they were on the ground; this is something that is seen especially in homes with more than one cat or very crowded.
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