The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [18]
Many pets of different origins do get along, or at least tolerate one another. Some cats — especially those raised from kittenhood with birds or mice — can tone down their predatory nature and be friends. But you’ll be a better friend to all your pets by keeping a close eye on their actions.
TRUE OR FALSE?
Some common feline “facts” are actually fiction:
CATS EAT GRASS WHEN THEY ARE SICK. Cats do not necessarily eat grass because they have upset stomachs and need to vomit. Some actually like the taste and texture. Grass provides fiber to help work out hairballs and adds vitamins such as folic acid not found in meat.
A FAT CAT IS A HAPPY CAT. Overweight cats are at risk for a host of health problems, such as diabetes, liver problems, and arthritis. Keeping your cat at her ideal weight increases the chance that she will live a long, healthy life.
MILK IS A HEALTHY TREAT FOR CATS. After kittens are weaned, their levels of lactase (the enzyme that helps with lactose digestion) drop by nearly 90 percent. That explains why many adult cats vomit or suffer from diarrhea if they ingest too much cow’s milk. A spoonful or two every once in a while probably won’t hurt, but milk isn’t a necessary part of the feline diet. A better choice is a tablespoon of plain yogurt.
PART II
Chatting with Your Cat
It is easy for us humans to congratulate ourselves for being the world’s best communicators because of our ability to talk. Some people speak several languages. Others wow us by delivering motivational speeches. But here’s a reality check: our cats “speak” much more clearly than we do.
Cats are straight talkers. They put the c in candor. They never deceive or pretend. If they feel threatened or angered, they hiss. If they are content, they purr. In cat-to-cat chat, there is rarely a communication miscue. The message is delivered clearly through body postures and a variety of vocalizations.
But between humans and cats, breakdowns in communication occur often. What we may see as an act of defiance, like using the bathroom rug as a litter box, could be a call for help with a medical problem. We can’t understand why cats flee from our hugs but often seem to seek out visitors with allergies. We don’t always know the difference between “mew” and “meow.”
We can communicate better with our cats by learning some feline “language.” Along the way, we may commit a feline faux “paw” or two, but that’s all right.
Talk, Talk, Talk
Q My cat Maddie is extremely talkative. As soon as I get up in the morning, she starts meowing at me. If I “meow” back, she will answer me for as long as I am willing to play this game. My other cat, Whisper, is aptly named; he is very quiet and rarely talks to me. Why are some cats so talkative and others not?
A Quite simply, some cats have more to say than others. Cats are a lot like people. There are the chatty types and the ones who prefer to listen more than to talk. You didn’t mention whether Maddie is a purebred or mixed, but some breeds are more prone to talking. Topping that list is the Siamese. Other Oriental breeds are also known to speak out more than quieter breeds such as Persians or Maine Coons. Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule. I’ve known some Siamese who seem to operate with the mute button on and some pushy Persians who never seem to stop talking until they reach the food bowl or their bed.
Cats are quick studies. They realize we are only human and that we are often oblivious to their obvious body language. They make a range of pure and complex sounds with different meanings, and they often attempt to communicate with us vocally.
It sounds as though you enjoy your chat sessions with Maddie, so I recommend using those times to reinforce