Cats are cute. They’re fun to watch and, if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably read a whole lot of cats being affectionate, playing, and generally acting in silly ways. But why do they do what they do? It comes from the fact that cats lived in the wild — they had to hunt for their food and try to escape becoming the dinner of others. For instance, due to their climbing and balancing prowess, cats can catch prey easily and climb to escape being preyed upon themselves. Although the domestic cat likely doesn’t need to climb to catch dinner, its ancestors did and innate behaviours remain and the same is true for a running or digging dog. It is also because cats are predators, after all. Playing and pouncing on objects is a way to exercise their hunting abilities. This is why your cat might enjoy chasing toys or playing with their food before eating it. Don’t cats, however feline or exotic, sometimes try to sneak under the table or elbow their way through your shoes? They’re just being curious. As the old saying goes, cats have nine lives, and apparently nine curious ones at that. In the wild, this inquisitiveness would help them spot food and avoid predators. And scratching? Scratching is essential for keeping the claws well-maintained and marking your territory. Totally normal behaviour, more annoying than anything for us humans. Anyway, as far as staying safe, cats are good for that, right? They are experts at hiding. They curl up in a snug position on your favourite sofa and then nibble at your hair because that’s what cats do, and you don’t send them away or leave them behind because they look so vulnerable. They have this scrunch-kitten face that convinces you that you would be heartless not to protect them and that if you did send them away or abandon them they would be utterly devastated. They would burn through your savings, resort to walking the dog for canned tuna, and pursue you and your family members until they got you or, if you happened to be cruel, they would sustain themselves on hatred (cats don’t need much to survive; they are simply low-maintenance little predators). What about purring? It turns out that the feline’s most distinctive babble doesn’t signal contentment. Cats purr to soothe themselves — to feel better when they’re hurt or stressed. Thus, while our pet cats live in our homes, they also have the full complement of wild ancestors’ instincts, which means to them our homes are domestic jungles. What do they think about us? Have they ever wondered? Who knows what they think! They’re probably thinking we’re giant, uncoordinated cats, or they’re cats they like to play with, or they’re cats they can eat. In any case, like many feline creatures, they are very interesting!
