Any cat owner (cat owned?) has heard/seen this: the chittering toothy noise cats make when they stare out the window at a bird.
Why do cats chatter their teeth? Answer: they want to kill.
Seriously. They want to kill that bird they're staring at. The chattering noise & movement is an imitation of the cat's kill bite. When a cat hunts, after she catches her prey and has it securely in her paws, she bites down on the critter's neck. The rapid jaw movement is how the cat severs the prey animal's spinal cord, killing it instantly. This allows the cat to eat its meal without risking injury. It's also nicer than munching on the critter while it's still alive.
That's right. That cute teeth chattering noise we all love is our cat imitating his/her kill bite. Isn't that sweet?
Showing posts with label Why Do Cats Do That?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Why Do Cats Do That?. Show all posts
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Why Do Cats Do That? Gift Giving
We've all been there: our wonderful furry friend brings a dead mouse/bird/chipmunk/bug/lizard/other critter and leaves it for us to find. Or, worse, gives it to us alive. As humans, we find it disgusting, but to the cat, it's a gift!
Why do our cats bring us "gifts"? Answer: they think we're incompetent.
Okay, not really. Cats bring gifts of food to us because they think of us as really big cats. They want to take care of us by bringing us food--and they expect us to be impressed by their hunting prowess. In the wild, cats bring food to their family and friends. They show respect and caring by sharing their kill. Mother cats bring food to their kittens. Cats may bring food to another cat who is injured or otherwise unable to hunt for itself. Our cats bringing gifts is a sign that they think of us as one of them. That's a pretty big honor!
Of course, that sign may be that they see us as kittens (or feeble cats) who are unable to provide for themselves, but I prefer to think that they're showing love and affection. We should make sure they know we appreciate the gesture. Even if it grosses us out.
Sometimes--if we're lucky--our cats will leave "dead" toys instead of the real thing. I often find mousies in my bed (and sometimes the bathtub, but I'm not sure if there's a message in that). Hide and Seek are trying to show me that they love me. Or that they feel sorry for me for my lack of hunting skills. Whichever.
Why do our cats bring us "gifts"? Answer: they think we're incompetent.
Okay, not really. Cats bring gifts of food to us because they think of us as really big cats. They want to take care of us by bringing us food--and they expect us to be impressed by their hunting prowess. In the wild, cats bring food to their family and friends. They show respect and caring by sharing their kill. Mother cats bring food to their kittens. Cats may bring food to another cat who is injured or otherwise unable to hunt for itself. Our cats bringing gifts is a sign that they think of us as one of them. That's a pretty big honor!
Of course, that sign may be that they see us as kittens (or feeble cats) who are unable to provide for themselves, but I prefer to think that they're showing love and affection. We should make sure they know we appreciate the gesture. Even if it grosses us out.
Sometimes--if we're lucky--our cats will leave "dead" toys instead of the real thing. I often find mousies in my bed (and sometimes the bathtub, but I'm not sure if there's a message in that). Hide and Seek are trying to show me that they love me. Or that they feel sorry for me for my lack of hunting skills. Whichever.
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