Decoding Cat Behavior: Unveiling Feline Secrets in 55 C

Why Do Cats Show a "Contemptuous" Expression When They Smell Something Bad?

Cats' sense of smell is 14 times more acute than that of humans, a superpower that stems from not only their noses but also their vomeronasal organs.

The vomeronasal organ, or Jacobson's organ, is a chemical sensory organ. Newborn humans also have this organ, which helps them find the breast through hormones emitted by the mother's nipple. However, as humans grow older, this organ gradually atrophies. For adults, the vomeronasal organ is essentially nonfunctional, and many people do not even have the organ's structure.

The cat's vomeronasal organ is located behind its incisors on the upper palate, consisting of two liquidfilled sacs. When a cat uses it to smell something, it presents an expression that seems to be of disdain: the head pulled back, the mouth slightly open, revealing two sharp incisors, as if to say, "This smell is just too incredible." This behavior is known in biology as the Flehmen response.

What appears to us as a "contemptuous" expression may actually be the cat enjoying the scent. Cats can gather a wealth of information about their environment through their vomeronasal organ, including identifying their territory and detecting the presence of strangers or dogs. This Flehmen phenomenon is observed in hoofed animals, felines, and mammals alike.

Why Do Cats Make a "Gurgle" Sound?

It is widely believed that cats make a "gurgle" sound out of joy or as a response to human affection. However, Tony Buffington, an animal science expert at Ohio State University, points out that the reasons for this sound are not limited to one, just as humans do not laugh for only one reason. Cats may also gurgle when they are hungry, nervous, or injured. This gurgling sound is produced during the inhalation and exhalation process by the throat and diaphragmatic muscles.

Besides expressing emotions, the gurgle has unexpected benefits. Bioacoustic researcher Elizabeth Moughan has proposed that frequencies between 20140 Hz can help bone growth, wound healing, and pain relief. The frequency of a cat's gurgle is between 2050 Hz, which falls within this range.

Many researchers speculate that since cats are solitary animals, a bone injury could prevent them from hunting, potentially leading to starvation. Therefore, the gurgling sound that a cat makes while lying on the ground, ready to hunt, is akin to a daily workout, similar to how humans exercise to promote bone health.

Why Do Cats Bite Their Owners?

As we gently stroke a cat's head, it closes its eyes, purrs contentedly, everything seems perfect, until suddenly, it bites our gentle hand with a seemingly malicious intent. Why does this happen?

Actually, this is a form of communication from the cat, meaning "That's enough, stop petting me." Cats usually control their bite well, warning their owners without causing injury. So, be mindful not to cross the line when petting your cat's sensitive areas and always be aware if it starts to show signs of frustration.

But when we use our fingers to tease the cat, it may bite our fingers back. This "play fighting" is simply the cat's way of initiating a game, thinking it is playing with the owner.

Some have noticed that this nonaggressive biting is more common in male cats, leading to the inference that cats biting their owners is also a way of expressing affection.

Can Cats Remember Their Names?

Very few cats respond to their owners' calls as dogs do, trotting over eagerly when their name is called. Sometimes you might wonder, "Does it not remember its own name?"

A study from the University of Tokyo shows that cats can recognize the sound of their owners calling their names. When they hear the call, their ears and heads turn towards the source of the sound, although sometimes they may choose to ignore it.

In the relationship between humans and cats, cats hold absolute dominance. They have "tamed" themselves, preferring selflearning over being trained by humans. Many owners have found that cats can learn to open doors after watching humans do it, even remembering how to use the doorknob.

Why Do Cats Like to Knock Things Off Tables?

When a cat is in a mischievous mood, items like vases, pencils, and cups on the table are all at risk of being knocked over with a swift paw. Worse still, this often happens in the middle of the night. Why does the cat create such chaos?

In fact, the cat does this to attract human attention. Most of the time, it's trying to convey a message: "I'm hungry, bring on the food."

There's also another possibility: the cat knocks things over to practice its hunting skills, an instinctual behavior. If you want to minimize your losses, consider buying more toys for your cat to give them a place to "show off their skills."

For more insights into cat behavior, check out "Teach You to Understand Your Cat's Daily Behavior."