Preventative Care@3x

Why Cats *WAG* (Part One)

Oct 16, 2012 | Cat

It is no surprise to cat-owners/lovers how our better-(cat)-halves enjoy perpetually interrupting our concentration by a variety of methods known only to them. Whether clawing at our favorite chair, begging for attention in any number of cat-tone and dialects, or, perhaps most notably, disrupting me even as I am typing this very sentence by swiping at my keyboard as if it is populated by invisible demon-mice of unknown origin, there are hidden meanings behind much of what’s going on right under your, and even their, noses.

What was new, to me at least, was how the latest addition to our multi-breed family of pets seems to greet me at the door, every single day, with a “wagging tail.” Well, as Johnny Carson used to quip, “I…I did not know that.” And, I for one had never come across such a behavior in any feline that has graced my world. Which got me thinking: “What else did I, the self-professed know-it-all on cats, not know about cats?”

Well, sit back and I’ll tell you a tale about the many interesting cat-facts I rounded up from various sources around the Internet as I increased my inventory of kitty-trivia:

  • As cats sleep almost two-thirds of every day, one of my other cats (a nine-year-old tabby) has only been awake three years of his entire life! What I also found interesting about this is that it is in direct inverse proportion to human beings.
  • Unlike humans and dogs, cats always keep their heads perfectly level when chasing prey. So, should you ever see this from your cat, it’s best to give her a wide berth.
  • The technical term for a cat’s hairball is a “bezoar.” Say it with me, bee-zore!
  • Believe it or not, cats prefer ‘Right’ or ‘Left’ much as humans do! Literally vs. figuratively or politically. So, if your kitty is a southpaw, chances are it’s a male, as female counterparts are far more likely to be right-pawed than left. In humans, a full 90% of the population is right handed. And, of the remaining 10% of left-handed humans, virtually all are male.
  • Ever wonder why your cat just seems to “get you?” Well, it could be because your kitty’s brain more closely resembles your own brain than a dog’s does! The region of the brain responsible for emotion is also identical in humans as it is in cats.
  • While I had always wanted to believe it, I have now confirmed that there are more cat lovers/owners in North America than there are dog owners/lovers with close to 75 million of all pets being in the cat category, while dogs come in at about 65 million. While ten million is close, we kitty-lovers get the bragging rights!
  • Were you aware that cats can jump up to five times their own height in a single bound? This means that you own the feline equivalent of a miniature kitty-Superman! While I was unsuccessful in finding anything on cats acquiring X-Ray Vision or being able to travel faster than a speeding locomotive, I’ll be sure to let you know when I find anything.
  • And lastly, as many of you know, cats were revered in ancient Egypt as highly spiritual beings. But did you know that when one died, the remaining members of Egyptian families would mourn by shaving off their own eyebrows? That’s right! Then elaborate and costly funerals were prepared and held with the beloved cat embalmed with a carefully sculpted wooden mask. This tiny kitty-mummy would then be placed in the family tomb or in a pet cemetery with tiny mummies of mice! Why it’s enough to make one wonder what 3,000-year-old, cat-and-mouse games are taking place this very minute in some otherworldly realm of Egyptian Heaven.

Which leaves us with why my little kitty “wags” its tail. In the next entry, I’ll share everything I discovered about cat tail-wagging, and how such “wags” communicate far more than “I’m happy to see you.”

Disclaimer: Not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinarian advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian with any questions you may have regarding the medical condition of your pet. If you think your pet has a medical emergency, call or visit your veterinarian or your local veterinary emergency hospital immediately.