The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [21]
Dr. Allen Schoen, director of the Veterinary Institute for Therapeutic Alternatives in Sherman, Connecticut, has devoted his career to studying how animals can transform and improve our lives. He explains that a cat’s purr stimulates our auditory nerves and provides us with a peaceful respite from the mechanical noises that are constantly bombarding our senses.
Some medical doctors even recommend “pet prescriptions” to their patients who live alone and need companionship. That’s because physicians have discovered that a family pet can actually motivate some patients to give their best effort when dealing with serious illnesses such as cancer. Having a pet to care for and feed can stimulate ailing individuals to take better care of themselves.
Here are three easy and healthy ways to tap into the healing power of your feline companion:
Spend some time each day just looking at, listening to, and talking with your cat. This helps release those “feel-good” biochemicals that help you relax.
Rub your cat the right way. Learn to give your pet a therapeutic massage, for some one-on-one time that will soothe both of you.
Engage in purposeful play with your cat and you might discover that you can let go of daily stress more easily, breathe more deeply, and laugh more freely.
Tail as a Mood Barometer
Q My cat, Mimi, often holds her tail straight up in the air when she walks around our house. If she’s out in the yard and she sees me come outside, her tail pops up like that, too. With dogs, I know that a relaxed, wagging tail usually means they are happy and excited. But when it comes to cats, I’m not sure how to interpret their tail signals. Do cats use their tails in the way dogs do to communicate?
A The versatile feline tail definitely does more than act as a rudder and provide balance. Like dogs, cats use their tails to signal their moods, sort of like those mood rings in the 1970s. Remember those? They would supposedly change colors when you were happy or angry. The key difference here is that a cat’s tail position is far more reliable than those mood rings were. Recognizing the messages delivered in tail talk can help you better communicate with your cat. Here are some key tail positions and what they mean.
HOISTED HIGH. A confident, contented cat will hold her tail high in the air as she moves about her territory. A tail that is erect like a flagpole signals a happy mood or a friendly greeting. Cats often send this message as they approach a welcoming person. If the top third of the tail twitches as the cat nears you, this means that he totally adores you.
QUESTION MARK. A tail looking bent in a question mark often conveys a playful mood. This would be a good time to engage in a five- or ten-minute play session.
FLYING LOW. A tail positioned straight down, parallel to the legs, may represent an aggressive mood. Be wary. That said, there are exceptions to this rule. Some breeds, such as Persians, Exotics, and Scottish Folds, normally tend to carry their tails lower than their backs.
TUCKED AWAY. A tail curved beneath the body signals fear or submission. Something is making that cat nervous.
PUFFED UP. A pipe cleaner of a tail reflects a severely agitated and frightened cat who is trying to look bigger to ward off danger.
WHIPPING. A tail that whips rapidly back and forth indicates both fear and aggression. It is a warning that says “stay away.”
SWISHING. A tail that swishes slowly from side to side usually means the cat is focused on an object. Cats often swish their tails right before they pounce on a toy mouse. It is part of their predatory positioning.
TWITCHING. A tail that twitches just at the tip is a sign of curiosity and excitement.
CAT-TO-CAT. A tail wrapped around another cat is equivalent to a person casually putting her arm around a favorite pal. It conveys feline friendship. My cats Callie and Little Guy often stroll down my hallway with their tails touching.