Cats are the most popular domestic pet in the United States. They have long life spans and are a beloved companion for many people. However, saying goodbye to your feline friend can be a very difficult and painful experience. The loss of a pet can have lasting impacts on your mental and emotional health. BetterHelp can match you with a licensed, accredited therapist who can help you cope with the death of your cat.
Cats can be highly expressive with their tail, ears and body language. They can communicate their emotions using a variety of vocalizations including meowing, purring, trilling, hissing, and growling. They can also communicate by secreting and perceiving pheromones.
They can use their whiskers to taste scents in the air and their paw pads allow them to walk on slick surfaces or grip slippery prey. Their lean bodies are well-coordinated and cushioning discs between vertebrae provide exceptional flexibility and agility. They can even climb trees and other tall structures by extending their back legs and reaching with their front paws.
Although we often think of cats as solitary hunters, they are actually social species that live in small colonies or with other cats in the same neighborhood. They tend to defend their territories by staring at, hissing and growling at strangers. If their defenses fail to deter the intruder, territorial holders may chase them away by raising their fur and arching their backs to appear larger and more threatening.