An Introduction to the World of the Cat
How did you get your cat? I always ask myself that question and there is only one answer – YOU got your cat! No matter how many times I hear people say, “My cat just went nuts,” or “My cat chewed up my couch,” I can only shake my head in pity. I know all that frustration and upset that comes with losing a beloved pet. When you lose someone you love so much, you want to do everything possible to keep them in your life, even if that means getting another pet. One thing that many people don’t realize is that cats are very capable of dealing with the grief of loss, and they are also very sensitive to changes in their surroundings.
A cat who was once a wild cat may have lived in the mountains, woods or deep in the jungle. It is likely that it was a very independent feline that for many years had to hunt for food, protect itself from predators and fend off other cats who didn’t want to be left behind. After its survival instincts were successfully satisfied, it would find ways to make itself a part of our daily lives. From looking out of a window to coming to your rescue when you are trapped in a burning building, cats have helped mankind through many years. Even now, with the Internet, social media and video games, cats are making our lives better in many ways.
As we have seen through recent news stories, cats have taken up residence in families’ homes, and some of those relationships have been healthy, long lasting and mutually beneficial. However, there are instances where a cat that has been adopted and becomes a part of a family’s routine can turn destructive and become a source of stress and anxiety for the entire household. For technical reasons, the term “cat” refers only to felines who live outdoors; the term “tiger” refers to a cat native to Asia, while “puma” refers to any cat that is large, fat and black. For this reason, when you look at the dictionary, you will find that the word “tiger” and “puma” are misspelled in order to simplify the meaning of “cat”.
A cat’s behavior can be explained by its instinctive responses to its environment. Cats have short attention spans which make them appear to be very lazy, but their true abilities are much more capable. Their speed and strength make felines capable predators of smaller prey, including birds, lizards, fish and insects. Although these felines don’t have the same intelligence as dogs or cats, they do exercise keen senses and use body language to communicate with each other. While the Jaguar is smaller and less powerful than a large domestic cat, it is still capable of causing injury and death in its approach to a potential victim.
A cat’s sense of smell is one of the most acute in the animal world, enabling it to track prey and its habitat with amazing accuracy. In fact, the cat’s sense of smell is more acute than any other of the five senses. The cat’s sense of taste is not as sensitive as that of humans, although it is comparable in some ways to our taste buds. A cat’s sense of sight has been described as excellent, although it uses both eyes. A cat’s sense of hearing is quite strong, but since it is largely passive, it is seldom heard by humans unless there is an extremely loud noise.
In addition to their size and strength, felines have many other characteristics that are shared by other animals. A cat’s sense of smell is as sharp as any other animal’s, including humans. Its tail is quite unique among cats in that it can attack objects by twining its tail around them. Unlike dogs, who will run at a person who tries to steal their toy, cats will back away from confrontation unless it is forced to do so. A cat’s sense of hearing is more acute than any other mammal’s, and although it cannot match the elk’s hearing sense, it does have a great sense of smell.