Humans in the eyes of cats

Ｍany humans are probably very concerned about how the cats living together perceive their human roommates. Do they think of them as a great master? A mother? Or just a stupid big cat that doesn′t hunt?

After all, humans do not speak cat and cannot really interview cats, but we can still make inferences according to the cat′s body structure and social language. Although it may not be 100% confirmed, it won′t be too far from the reality.

Analyzing from “vision”

First of all, cats have poor eyesight, which is worse than humans. Similar to dogs, they can only see clearly within 3 meters.

The reason why cats can detect the movement of their prey in the dark is mainly due to the night vision ability and dynamic vision of its eyes.

In other words, even under sufficient light, as long as the cat stays still, even within only 10 meters, the cat cannot see clearly. This is the reason why the cat always seems to lack interest in static toys.

Therefore, the actions of humans are completely vague to cats, even if they observe them closely.

For cats, instead of observing humans with their eyesight, it is more practical to rub more odor on humans to familiarize their scent.

The cat blocking the screen while you′re using the computer

When a human is sitting in front of a computer, facing the computer screen and working intently, in the eyes of a cat, it will feel a bit unusual about you “sitting still”.

The cat may be thinking: “Why are you acting different from usual”, “Why are you not moving anymore”.

Then, the cat will take the initiative to approach and observe you, or rub itself against you to express concern. At this time, you may misinterpret that the cat is expressing “Do you want me to play with you?” or “Come play with me”.

That would be a big mistake!

In fact, the cat is trying to rescue you who it thinks is “trapped” by the flashing screen.

Cats are good at catching all kinds of fast-moving small animals and have excellent dynamic vision. In the eyes of humans, what is shown on the screen is a video with smooth motion, but in the eyes of cats, it is nothing but a bunch of slides switching in slow motion. In other words, from the cat’s point of view, the computer screen is just a strange box that flickers and glows.

When a human is sitting still in front of the box, the cat will think that you are trapped by the strange flicker and must be rescued!

This is why cats always occupy the front of the screen when you finally decide to do your report. They are trying to block the weird flashing lights with their bodies!

Analyzing from “smell”

Cats will habitually greet each other when they meet their same kind. For cats, even if the other cat does not seem friendly and may trigger a fight later, it still has to sniff it beforehand and collect its “intelligence” before making a decision.

Cats do the same to humans, sniffing human cheeks, bodies, and limbs before they start doing other things.

Obviously, the way of greeting between cats could be applied to humans. The rumor that cats will treat humans as huge cats should be a reliable inference.

For cats, if the odor has changed, they become strangers.

If there is any unfamiliar smell on its territory, it will make the cat uncomfortable, or it may even get so anxious it could no longer control its temper.

Even two cats living in the same house may be mistaken as an invading strange cat by the cat who has been staying at home when one of them has just returned from the vet. Should the situation be more severe, they will even fight.

The cat’s sniffing game

Sniffing is a very interesting activity for cats. In addition to activating hunting instincts and consuming its energy, previous problematic behaviors that were caused by accumulated stress can be alleviated.

Try to cut the jerky into small pieces and place them in a corner where the cat would normally patrol. Let the cat try to sniff while it searches for it.

When you first enter the house, you can let the cat smell the things in your handbag when the cat comes forward to greet you. By doing so, you can also boost the cat’s ability to adapt to unfamiliar smells.

The cat “stunned” after smelling something

When a cat smells a pungent odor, its head will lift up quickly, accompanied by stiffness of the limbs for a second or two. This reaction is also known as the “Flehmen response.”

In addition to smelling odors with its nose, there are two small holes behind its upper incisors connecting the nasal cavity, which can enhance the acuity of smell. When the pungent smell enters the nasal cavity through the small holes, the cat’s body will stiffen instantly. This is a self-protecting mechanism to avoid excessive stimulation caused by smells. These movements, perceived by humans, seem like the cat is “stunned” at a sudden.

Cats see humans as acceptable roommates

It is generally believed that since dogs, which live in groups on the grasslands, need to hunt together, there will be a hierarchy among them. So dogs often regard humans as higher-ranking “owners.” Cats, who have always been alone in the forest, have no such concept. Naturally, they do not regard humans as their ”owners.”

Explained by the alertness of the cat’s repeated indoor patrols, the cat basically treats humans as “acceptable but a bit unreliable” cohabiting roommates.

So, would such an independent animal like the cat worry if humans haven′t gone home? The answer is yes, it would.

▲When you haven’t returned home for the first day

The cat doesn′t understand why you didn′t go home like usual. Is it because you failed at hunting today as you are so stupid?

▲When you haven’t returned home for the second day

The cat will guess if you are injured outside.

▲When you haven’t returned home on the third day

The cat will speculate whether you have died. The longer you are away, the more it will worry about you encountering an accident.

▲When you finally got home

The cat will sniff you carefully to make sure whether the person in front of it is the original “roommate” and whether he is injured, and then happily find that you are still alive and it hasn’t lost you.

In other words, cats like to be alone but not lonely, so don’t leave your cat at home for too long!

The status of cats

Although there′s no such concept of subordination or master for cats, there is still hierarchy among them. In fact, after two strange cats meet, they will quickly distinguish their status.

1. The cat standing higher has a higher status.

2. The cat which leaves the scene first has a lower status.

3. When there is food, the cat which eats first has a higher status.

4. The cat which dares to show its belly has a higher status, while the one with lower status will lay on the ground

5. The cat with higher status tends to make louder calls, and its voice last longer.

If there are more than three cats in the house, how do you tell which of them has the highest status?

When you are reclining on the sofa and reading leisurely, if a certain cat walks over and quietly stands on top of your head for a while, watching other cat members condescendingly, this means that this cat is showing the other cats: “I am the boss of this place”, and that you are just a “giant cat” ruled by it within its territory.

More:

What are You up to, Cat? 1: An in-depth introduction to everything about cats, from anatomy to behavior
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094QT46BP

What are You up to, Cat? 2: An in-depth introduction to everything about cats, from growth to moods
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095NXC848