It can actually take months or maybe even years for a cat-owner relationship to grow strong enough to have the mutual respect that makes for a pleasant and smooth routine. Trying to guess what your cat friend is telling you is only one part of this puzzle.
Having to really know what your cat is trying to tell to you would be such a blessing for both parties. Sometimes a strong message is exactly what is needed to communicate without guessing. These are actually 5 things that your cat wishes you would understand.
1) Quit Taking Photos Of Me
You humans can’t seem to stop snapping pix with your phones when you’re around us, but you resort to sneaky tactics like waving around fun toys to get our attention but dropping them as soon as we turn around. This is cruel. If we cats are willing to let you capture us on film, the least you can do is provide us with a bit of playtime in exchange or let a cartoon cat amuse you instead. There is one thing that you don’t have to worry about when it comes to photography. Camera flashes do not harm cats’ eyes. But they will frequently produce a spooky glow caused by the tapetum lucidum, a layer of ultra-reflective cells in feline eyes that helps us see in low light. Your cat will use those eyes to give you a glare if they are secretly mad at you.
2) I’m Perfectly Capable Of Bathing Myself, Thanks
Some scientists speculate that today’s cats do not like to swim or get wet because ever since they were domesticated some 5,000 to 10,000 years ago, they’ve been protected from the rain and snow by human companions. In addition, it’s true that cat hair “doesn’t dry quickly and it’s simply uncomfortable to be soaking wet,” Kelley Bollen, the director of behavior programs for the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University told Live Science. Bollen added, “I also think because cats are control freaks and like [to have] four feet on a solid surface, they do not appreciate the sensation of floating.” Who needs baths and showers anyway? Cats are born complete with the essential grooming tools: paws, a rough, barbed tongue, and saliva. But even though we hate being dunked in water, you must ensure we have enough to drink, especially if our diet consists of dry food (canned food is about 78 percent water). Regardless of what we eat, always provide your cat with a separate water bowl and change and clean it daily.
3) Quit Blaming My Hair For Your Allergies
Why are so many humans allergic to us? (Cat allergies are reportedly twice as common as dog allergies.) You don’t see any cats having allergies to humans, do you? And you humans are so quick to point to our hair as the culprit. But what actually causes your sneezes and coughs is a tenacious and super-adhesive protein found on cat skin called “Fel d 1.” And we’re sorry to break it to you people who went to the expense and trouble of buying a so-called “hypoallergenic” cat, but such a breed does not exist. Some breeds do produce less Fel d 1 than others, but all cats produce it.
4) We’re Early Risers, So Deal With It
When we meow right before dawn—a time when you’re probably trying to get a little more sleep before your alarm goes off—we’re doing what comes naturally. And our circadian rhythms shift with the seasons just as yours do. When the days get longer and the birds and squirrels are up and at ’em earlier, so are we. You could feed us to stop our meows, but know that this will reinforce our cat behavior. If you’re serious about curbing our early wake-up calls, start by installing blackout shades or blinds in your bedroom so the sun won’t rouse us. Then, stick to strict feeding times for us: once in the morning (but not right after you rise because then we’ll associate you are getting out of bed with getting fed) and once shortly before you go to bed (to try to delay our hunger). Finally, be patient: You are attempting to undo thousands of years (if not more) of ingrained cat behavior. You may have to accept defeat.
5) When We Meow Nonstop, It May Be Our Cry For Help
Some cat breeds, like Oriental shorthairs or Siamese, are chattier than others. But if your cat goes from not-that-frequent to frequent talking, he may be ill so you should bring him to the vet. Still, there may be another, less ominous reason behind our multitude of meows: attention. You, humans, have come up with the sweeping generalization that all cats are solitary, aloof creatures. Wrong! Sure, we need our quiet time but we do like company, particularly if you’re gone all day.
Sources: Reader’s Digest.