Cats are highly specialized, adaptable carnivorous mammals with long, flexible backbones and powerful limbs. They are digitigrade, meaning that their front and back legs move together in each stride. They have two mesmerizing eyes, four legs, whiskers under their nose and a tail that they use for balance and communication.
Cat communication is mostly vocal, including purring, meowing, trilling, hissing and growling. They also secrete pheromones, which act as scent marks. Their eyes have a membrane that allows them to perceive light at night, and they can sense sounds too low or high in pitch for human ears.
Although cats do not herd or form flocks, they are opportunistic predators that can live alone or in pairs. They do not care for their young or other animals, and are often described as psychopaths (or sociopaths).
A cat’s claws face backward instead of forward, which makes it easier to climb up a tree. A cat can descend a tree safely, as well, by spreading its body like a parachute before pushing down on its back legs and arching its back to cushion the shock.
When a cat kneads, it is expressing its contentment. Kittens knead to stimulate milk production, and adults do it to self-soothe. Their paw pads have scent glands that allow them to mark their territory. They also lick their paws to clean them. The crouching position is a sign of fear or submission, while a swishing or lashing tail indicates anger.