The cat is a fascinating animal, adored for its cuteness and behavior quirks. From their obsession with knocking things off tables to headbutting love language, there’s a lot to learn about this feline creature.
Although some people may think cats are emotionally less developed than dogs or humans, they can feel fear, joy and frustration just like other animals. This emotional dexterity allows them to adapt quickly and integrate what they learn into their tactics for survival. When a cat is threatened, it will usually run away or hide to avoid confrontation.
Cats have superior hearing. Their outer ears are equipped with more than a dozen muscles that can swivel 180 degrees, allowing them to pinpoint sounds that would be imperceptible to us. Their ears also have an acoustic filter that enables them to hear frequencies above and below the range of human hearing. This ability may explain why sometimes your cat stares wide-eyed over your shoulder, as if they can see invisible Martians approaching.
Cats are able to communicate with each other and with their owners using a special scent gland in their face, called a pheromone. When they rub their faces on furniture, other cats or a person, it’s known as bunting, and it is used to mark territory, bond with other cats, communicate danger and even show affection. For example, if you look your cat in the eye and blink slowly, they’ll return the slow blink as a sign of contentment.