The Wonder of Cats

by Peter Scottsdale

  Most cats have guard hairs, which form the tough topcoat. These erectile guard hairs mostly provide a sense of touch as well as temperature regulation and water resistance. The guard hairs can become erect or stand out when the cat’s being defensive or is alarmed to give the illusion that she is bigger than she actually is.

  Cats have tylotrichs (large hairs) that function as short whiskers and are found all over the body.

  Coat Length

  Coat length varies with the breed and the seasons.

  In the shorthaired cats, there is a variety in both appearance and texture of the coats.

  The coat of the longhaired cat is so long that it appears to double the size of the cat.

  Shorthaired cats’ coats can vary in texture and appearance. The fur may be very short and sleek and may vary in length on the body. There may be a fine texture or coarse, dense, or plush coat. Hairs may be straight, wavy, curly, or crinkled.

  Coloring

  Through selective breeding and sometimes a little luck, ideal coat patterning can emerge.

  The genes that control fur colors are prone to change, resulting in the varying coat colors we see. Also, humans can now easily breed out the original agouti banding hair and replace it with a recessive gene to alter color. Environment plays a role in cat colors as well, resulting in many different-colored, but otherwise the same cats we have today.

  Camouflage

  With Tabbies, the markings are the same as wild cats. The stripes and spots provide camouflage so the feline can blend into its surroundings.

  With blotches, spots, stripes, and different hair lengths, the coat is designed to camouflage the cat as he approaches prey.

  Weather

  The cat’s fur coat is made to keep the feline warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

  A cat’s coat has a densely packed undercoat that insulates and is fluffed out in the winter to keep warm air close to the skin.

  Cat breeds from northern areas have insulating coats made up of a down.

  Like their ancestor wild cats, felines developed longer, thicker fur for cold climates, like Northern Russia, and shorter fur for warmer climates, like Southeastern Asia.

  In warmer weather, cats’ fur sheds and blood vessels near and in the skin dilate to expel heat.

  Shedding

  All cats shed. So be prepared for fur on clothes, on furniture, on bed sheets, and even on food. Sam sez, “A cat ain’t a cat without leaving behind his/her mark, -- especially on your sweater.”

  Not all cats shed the same. With their kinky fur, the Rexes shed only a little. Whereas, Persians and other long-haired felines seem to shed more than average because their fur is longer.

  Depending on shedding, the cat’s face shape may vary.

  More Fur

  Most cats instinctively hate water, as their coats are not good “raincoats.”

  A cat’s coat can have up to 130,000 hairs per square inch, or 200 strands of fur growing out of one square millimeter of skin.

  Dander is a mixture of cat saliva, hair, and flaking skin.

  A Feline’s Sixth Sense

  Cats possess an additional sense organ called the vomero-nasal or Jacobson’s organ that is a sense organ between taste and smell.

  The Jacobson’s organ is ½ inch long and is situated at the base of the nasal cavity and opens to the mouth via two ducts in the hard upper palate behind the front teeth.

  When smelling a mark or urine, the cat may appear to be in a trancelike state. With the ears slightly down, he wrinkles his nose and lifts his lips while taking in the “scent” with a series of short gasps. The tongue flicks back and forth to bring the air to the two small openings of the vomero-nasal organ behind the front teeth where the senses take over. When this happens, the cat will stand erect and alert.

  When the neck is stretched forward and the top lip is curled, this is known as the flehman grimace. This extra sense allows the cat to “taste/smell” and gets the full message of the spray. The Jacobson’s organ then sends signals to the brain regarding sexual behavior, aggression, and appetite.

  The flehman response is mostly caused by a reaction to scent (spraying) left by other cats on spray posts and in feces.

  The flehman response is mostly found in males and can happen when checking out a female’s rear end when she is in heat or when he finds her sprayed remains. This grimace can also be observed in response to catnip.

  This flehman response develops when testosterone is present in the male and is less frequent in fixed males but can still occur as it stimulates the sexual area of the brain.

  Because people do not possess a Jacobson’s organ, they cannot know what it means to cats. Sam sez, “It’s our little secret.”

  Cat Talk

  Cats use body language, facial expressions, touch, and vocalizations to communicate. For example, fighting males cry out with yowls and screeches while having threatening facial expressions with flat ears, wide eyes, and bared teeth.

  Staring down opponents, growling, fixed positioning, ready to attack, erection of fur, and arching of back to appear larger, sideways stances, and tail movement all communicate aggression to another cat to prevent actual violence (i.e. the cat taking this position hopes to scare and warn the opponent –- cat or otherwise -- away). Sam sez, “Back off, you son-of-a-rat!”

  A cat stare down can last as long as a half-hour until one slowly turns away.

  Cats release scent through apocrine sweat glands, which are used mostly for scent communication than for cooling down. These glands are concentrated in areas that interest other cats, at the base of the tail, for example.

  By rubbing each other, cats get a bit of each other’s scent, cementing their bond.

  Kittens tend to meow when unhappy, abandoned, cold, lost, or awakened by mom.

  Adult cats meow to show unhappiness, discontent, hunger, or some other kind of need.

  Cats can also make a high-pitched, friendly greeting call called gurgling that is less common than meowing.

  In distress or after mating, cats can screech.

  A cat’s hiss is a warning sign.

  A growling cat is being offensive not defensive, and growling can turn to snarling.

  When a cat sees prey but cannot get to it, like through a window, the feline may chatter his teeth, because he wants the prey so badly that he moves his mouth as if he were attacking and killing the prey.

  When communicating with other cats, the animal tends to meow louder than when dealing with humans.

  Cats rarely “meow” or talk to other cats. “Meowing” is mostly for people.

  Cats have over 200 varying “meows,” each mean something different, like demanding dinner or affection or can be a loving hello.

  Cats can make many types of sounds, including the three most common:

  1. Murmurs

  - which is purring and soft chirps meaning “hello” or showing pleasure

  2. Meowing

  - the classic sound which can have many meanings, like “hello,” “I’m hungry,” “where are you?” and “here I am.”

  3. High Pitch Intense Sound or Hissing

  - meaning distress, pain, or anger, especially at a new cat’s arrival.

  Some cats talk more than others, such as the talkative Siamese. Sam sez, “Hey! We don’t talk that much. What about other cats who talk? No one says anything about them. Why when I was a kitten, we…………And another thing…….My daddy used to tell me to be quiet, and I’d shut…..How about a scratch? That’s nice……”

  Cat Nap

  Cats can sleep up to 16 – 18 hours a day but usually sleep 13 – 14 hours a day, and they sleep more as they age.

  Cats may sleep up to ¾ of their day, especially when they are kittens.

  Cats on their own usually sleep more than those with company.

  Cats like to sleep in the sun because their body temperature drops slightly as they sleep.

  Daytime sleep periods for cats are light. They tend to
wake after several minutes of sleep. Their muscles are not totally relaxed. This makes up about 70% of a cat’s sleep time and led to the term “cat nap.”

  Cats are typically nocturnal.

  Some cats snore.

  When cats go into a deep sleep, their closed eyes move rapidly in short bursts. This is known as “rapid eye movement” (REM). REM sleep counts for about 30% of a cat’s sleep period.

  Cats dream. During REM sleep a cat’s brain has electrical activity much like a person’s in the same sleep state. As well, some cats twitch and move their eyes behind closed eyelids, like humans, as they dream.

  During REM sleep, cats move and make sounds, like changing body positions, whiskers twitching, paws and claws moving, ears turning, and vocalizations.

  When deprived of REM sleep, a cat usually catches up on it whenever possible.

  Upon waking, a cat tends to yawn, stretch her front and back legs, and arch her back, all designed to get the circulation going and limber up the muscle and joints. Sam sez, “Morning, world. Where’s my catnip?”

  Myths, Superstitions and Legends of the Cat

  Black Cats

  Superstitions in North America have black cats being bad luck. Although in England, white cats are bad luck, and black cats bring good fortune.

  According to medieval suspicion, the devil’s favorite form was the black cat.

  To rid yourself of bad luck if a black cat crosses your path, you can throw salt over your left shoulder, walk backward 13 steps, or turn around three times clockwise.

  Although black cats are thought to be bad luck, good luck is found with white fur on a black cat.

  While there are bad luck superstitions surrounding black cats, with other superstitions, a black cat is lucky. In the 1860s at Scarborough, sailors’ wives kept black cats to keep their husbands safe at sea. This made black cats such a valuable commodity they were often stolen. In the early 1900s, black cats were considered lucky to a football team if they brought the feline onto the field with them.

  Other black cat luck superstitions include stroking a black cat and making a wish, and bringing a clipping of black fur to bingo for good luck.

  Bad luck superstitions involving black cats include meeting a black cat early in the morning or crossing your path. If either happened to man off to work or market, the person would not continue on his way, fearing evil. However, if a black cat crosses your path and you spit, it is no longer unlucky.

  If a black cat walks away or sits with its back to you, it is unlucky. Conversely, if the cat comes toward you, it is lucky.

  Never chase a black cat away; it is unlucky. One woman chased a black cat away from her door and over several years 23 of her relatives died.

  In Europe, black cats particularly were thought to have magic powers. If a farmer threw a black cat’s ashes over his field, it was believed the ashes would keep animals and insects from harming his crops.

  In Asia, black cats are lucky.

  Do not buy a cat, but it is good luck to have one given to you, especially a black one.

  Some people still believe that black cats can lead to bad luck.

  Cats & Weather

  Some have the belief that a cat with all four paws tucked underneath her sleeping body means cold weather approaches.

  Rain is on its way when a cat’s whiskers droop.

  If you forget to feed the cat, it will rain on Wednesday.

  Indonesians pour water onto a cat’s back to make it rain.

  If a cat wags or plays with her tail or is unusually playful, rain, snow, or a gale wind is coming.

  If a cat sits with his tail toward a fire, a cold snap or frost is approaching.

  If a puss washes its ears and face, it is said to cause rain or stormy weather. And some cats were put to death because people believed the washing cat was trying to cause a storm. Sam sez, “Some people are #@&%! Stupid!!”

  Another ear washing superstition is when a cat washes over her left ear, a lady will visit, or washing over her right ear, a gentleman will call. Or if a puss washes in the evening, visitors will appear.

  From Around The World

  In Egyptian myth, Ra, a god, is portrayed as a spotted cat killing the serpent of darkness, Apep.

  The Japanese Bobtail often sits with one front paw raised. This is a sign of good fortune in Japanese folklore.

  In old Japan, if a cat had a black mark on its back, it indicated the presence of an ancestor’s soul, making the mark sacred.

  Cats are believed, in Japan, to cure epilepsy and melancholia.

  Russian folklore says that if you throw your new cat on the bed immediately when bringing her home and she promptly settles down, the cat will have found her new home and will stick around.

  Anyone hearing a cat sneeze is good luck, according to an ancient Italian superstition.

  Some Asian Buddhists believe after a cat dies, it talks to the Buddha to secure favors for its living owner. Also, the faithful will be reincarnated as a cat.

  To ward off evil, in France during the Middle Ages, ceramic cats were placed on rooftops. Many French homes today still have ceramic cats on their roofs.

  In 16th century England, a visitor would kiss the family cat to bring good luck.

  Cats’ tails had mystical power according to Ancient Celts, believing a snake would bite someone if he stepped on a cat’s tail.

  In some African Ghana tribes, it is believed upon death the person passes into a cat’s body.

  In Ireland, the legendary Kilkenny Cats fought until there was nothing left of them save their tails.

  Originating on the Isle of Man, the Manx has much folklore surrounding the origins of the lost tail of this breed. One says Phoenician traders brought tailless cats from Japan to the Isle. Another belief is Noah shut the door on the tail of a Manx when closing the Ark door.

  In Poland, a legend goes that a mother cat was crying over the loss of her kittens that were thrown in a pond to drown, and, when a willow tree saw this, it spread its branches on the water and saved the kittens. And that’s how pussy willow trees got their name and why soft pussy willows grow each spring.

  The Korat originated in Thailand and is considered good fortune, being called the “Good Luck Cat.” Often, they are given in pairs as gifts for people of high esteem or to newlyweds for good luck.

  The Birman is the “Sacred Cat of Burma.” Its origins are legendary, with it beginning as a white temple cat and being transformed by a goddess into the cat it is today.

  With a Pennsylvania Dutch wedding, to increase fertility it is customary to place a cat in an empty cradle. Sam sez, “Humm, nice, warm, soft & comfy.”

  In Southern Europe, cats were seen as attributes of Diana, the goddess of the hunt.

  In Norse mythology, the goddess Freya’s chariot was drawn by cats.

  Lots of Other Myths, Superstitions & Legends

  Cat legend: a raccoon and a domesticated cat achieved the impossible – they mated and produced the first Maine Coon.

  Having a Mi-ke variety of Japanese Bobtail is especially good luck.

  Wearing the skin of a cat across a patient’s chest will cure tuberculosis.

  If a stray cat follows you, it is good luck. Sam sez, “Especially if you adopt her.”

  Don’t step on a cat it’s bad luck. Sam sez, “Especially for the poor cat.”

  A happy marriage will result if a cat sneezes near the bride on her wedding day.

  You will get gold if a dark colored cat crosses your path and silver if its light colored.

  Bad luck comes when you step over a cat.

  If there’s a corpse in the house and a cat steps over it, it will become a vampire and prey on you. Sam sez, “Keep a stake handy. Ha-ha.”

  Good luck comes in business and money matters if someone dreams about a ginger cat.

  Good luck in the home comes when dreaming about a tabby.

  And you’re lucky in love when dreaming about a tortoise-shell.

  You will make m
any friends if you dream about a multicolored cat.