I saw a quote online recently by Maurice Burton that said "Anyone who claims that a cat cannot give a dirty look has either never kept a cat or is singularly unobservant." I admit that I've gotten my share of dirty looks from my cats, and it made me think about cat facial expressions. What other kinds of cat face expressions are there, and how can we identify them? Let's look more into facial expressions of cats! How many facial expressions do cats have? A study in the journal Behavourial Processes, published by researchers Lauren Scott and Brittany N. Florkiewicz looked at recordings of cats in a cat cafe to see what facial expressions they used to communicate with each other after...
Sometimes my cats will get startled by something like the doorbell, then immediately start grooming themselves as if to say, I wasn't scared, I just really needed to clean this foot right now. And that made me think, were they embarrassed by getting startled and are trying to cover it up with their grooming session? Do cats get embarrassed? Vet explains pets says that research has proven that cats feel a wide range of emotions, including fear and joy. However, it's less clear whether cats can feel embarrassement, which is a more complex emotion. SeniorCatWellness.com explains that there are 2 factors that come into play in order to feel embarrassment. The first is a sense of self and the second...
Did you ever walk into a room and see your cat notice you, stretch out and roll over in front of you? It's a common cat mannerism, but what does it mean when cats roll on their backs? Why do cats roll on their back? Cats may roll on their backs for a few reasons according to Catster.com. They may have an itch on their back that they can't reach, so they are rolling around to help scratch that itch. If you suspect your cat is rolling over in order to scratch their backs, it's a good idea to check with a vet to make sure they don't have fleas or allergies that are contributing to their itchy skin. They may...
Have you ever been sitting there, minding your own business when your cat jumps up and suddenly there's a cat butt in your face? If you have ever wondered - why do cats put their butts in your face, you're not alone! Just why do cats show you their butt? One answer to the question "why do cats put their bum in your face" goes back to kittenhood. According to cats.com kittens are used to their mother's grooming this area for them to keep them clean and also help them poop and pee! And, since you are their parent now, it's only natural for them to show you their butt. It's a way that cats bond with their mother's and now can be a...
If you have ever spent time around cats I'm sure you will agree that cats have personalities! Each cat is unique and will have their own habits, likes and dislikes and ways of interacting with the world, however, research has been done on cat personalities that suggest there are 5 factors that go into the personality of a cat. Let's learn more about the personalities of cats! The 'feline five' are 5 personality traits of cats that were identified by Carla Litchfield and colleagues at the University of South Australia using a survey of over 2,800 cat parents in Australia and New Zealand. The 5 personality traits that emerged were neuroticism, extraversion, dominance, impulsiveness, and agreeableness. (Interestingly, there are also 5...
