Frequently Asked Cat Questions
Q: What Does Purring Signify?
A: Purring can mean not only a contented cat, but it can also be a signal that the cat may be in great pain or that the cat is delivering kittens or even that the cat may be dying.
Q: Why Do Cats Like to be Petted?
A: Cats look upon their humans as their mothers. Their natural mother licked them repeatedly when they were very small and petting our cats has the same feel on their fur as feline licking. The mother cat fed, cleaned and protected them. Because we do this for our cats, in our cats' minds, they will always remain kittens in relation to us (their owners).
Q: Why Do Cats Bury Its Feces?
A: Burying its feces is actually an act of subordination on our cat's part and is signified by the reduction of their odor. As our cats view themselves, they are dominated by us, their owners. We not only dominate them physically but also by another very important aspect in their lives - their food supply! In the wild, the "top" cat will not bury its feces but the subordinates will.
Q: Why Do Cats Present Their Prey to Their Owners?
A: Cats do this because their view their owners as hopeless hunters. Occasionally our cats see us as their kittens! Since kittens do not know how to hunt or catch prey, the adult cat must demonstrate this technique for them. Because our adult cats do not have litters to teach, they re-direct this toward us, their human companions.
Q: How Does a Cat Use Its Whiskers?
A: Whiskers are not only feelers enabling a cat to tell whether a gap is wide enough to squeeze through but also the whiskers operate as current detectors. As the cat moves along in the dark, it needs to maneuver past solid objects without touching or bumping into them. Each object causes minute disturbances in the current in the air movement and the whiskers can respond to this, detecting the presence of solid objects.
Q: At What Rate Do Kittens Develop?
A: Kittens are born blind and deaf but have a strong sense of smell and touch and will locate their mother's nipples to nurse. At the the end of the first week, their eyes begin to open and their weight has doubled. At the end of the first month, they show the first signs of playing. At this stage the kitten's eyes are blue and will stay this color to approximately three months where the color may change. Also their teeth are now beginning to break through. At approximately 32 days, they eat their first solid food but will not be weaned until they are about two months old. By approximately three months, the kittens are totally weaned.