What makes your kitty tick? Try our checklist of kitty know-how and you’ll become the fat cat!
Purring: We all know cats purr when they’re happy and content, but they also purr when they’re in pain or severe distress.
Meowing: Meowing is a language cats have invented to communicate with humans. There are many different meowing words and dialects – listen carefully and you’ll hear the variety of phrases. Still in the dark?
If pussy is meowing in front of the fridge he’s saying: “Catch a wake up Slave, I’m hungry!” Clawing at a window means: “Let me out of this prison!” If he’s stuck down the toilet, it’s a meow for “HELP!” And if you’re standing on his tail: “x@!?>!!”
Licking themselves: This is a cat’s equivalent of a shave, shampoo and shower. Besides their tongues containing antibiotics to soothe and heal wounds, most cats are covered in a layer of spit to cool and waterproof themselves. As we all know, cats lick themselves to make hairballs – which are left around the house to remind you how much you mean to them.
Eating grass: This is done to medicate themselves, and can be either a laxative or an emetic, or to get their daily dose of vitamin B.
Hissing: Hissing should always be taken seriously, and generally means, “Hiss off or you’ll feel the business end of my claws!”
Growling: Being a family magazine the translation is censored – but basically means ‘Push off!”
Being petted: Some like it and some don’t. For the sake of your own health you’d better be able to tell the difference!
Rubbing up against your legs: Done mainly to cover your black pants in fur.
Climbing trees: All cats have built-in state-of-the-art climbing gear to escape from dogs and other pests. It also annoys firemen.
Eating mice and birds: Cats are true carnivores – in fact they are mini-leopards – so it’s in their genes to hunt prey.
Delicate eaters: A cat’s natural feeding regime is to snack up to 30 times a day. Amazingly, one minced mouse will fit into an egg cup – so small frequent meals are the order of the day.
Going out at night: Cats can see clearly in the dark, and it also depends on Sex and the Kitty, or Rex in the City.
Had your cat sterilised?: Cats are actually kitten machines, with a single pair of cats and their offspring producing as many as 420,000 kittens in just seven years. Female cats can get pregnant at five months old, and males cats can father litters at seven months old. The bottom line – please sterilise your cat before the planet is overrun with kitties!
Watching TV: Believe it or not, some like to watch TV, while others prefer to nap. Of course, it also depends on the programme.
Lastly, can cats tell the time?: Of course! Try holding out on breakfast and see if you get any extra shut eye – which is why we love our cats so much.
e-mail Glynne Anderson or call 031 765 1958
or visit www.petshrink.co.za