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> Cats
> Characteristics |
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| Many of the normal
behaviour of cats resembles the same behaviour
of their wild ancestors. This being said, domestic cats have
changed and adopted behaviours due to their domesticated lives.
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| Cats have an uncanny
ability for landing on their feet after a fall. This is done
by their expert balance. Balance is maintained by the semi-circular
canals in their ears. |
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| Other than sleeping normally at
night, cats will sleep randomly throughout
the day. They can sleep up to about three hours during daylight
hours. |
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| Kittens will always play with toys,
especially ones flying through the air. The classic example
is the kitten with a ball of yarn. They will push it and swat
at it with their paws. This resembles their natural behaviour
when hunting, and these catching games helps the cat
develop those skills. |
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| Cats are a very clean animal. They
take care of it themselves by licking their fur. The cats
tongue is rough, and loose hair and debris stick to it very
well. When swallowed, the loose hair forms a hairball in their
stomach. |
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| Most kittens will climb over objects,
only to fall off again. Climbing is an integral part of a cats
life, and kittens learn how to climb the hard way. When the
cat knows how to climb, they are quite good at it, using both
their legs and claws. |
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| Kittens are always very curious
about their surroundings, and tend to wander off from their
mothers. The mother cat is very protective,
and will catch her kitten, and carry them back home in her mouth,
by the scruff of their necks. |
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| As cats are territorial animals,
when two meet for the first time, they are quite cautious of
each other. Most male cats will show aggression. |
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| Cats are natural
hunters by definition, but like all animals, need to develop
the skills to do it properly. Kittens will watch their mother
hunt, and learn most skills from her. Only then by trial and
error do the kittens learn to hunt their own food. |
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| If you keep two kittens as pets,
it is most likely they will grow up to be very close friends.
Cats tend to stick together for life if reared
together, even two males or two females. |
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| Male cats are very
territorial, and mark their territory by urinating inside, and
outside their home. This is more common in male cats who have
not been neutered. They will also rub on people and objects
as another means of marking their territory. |
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| It is widely known that cats
see better in the dark than we do. There is a layer behind their
retina, called the tapetum lucidum, which reflects light. Humans,
on the other hand, see better than cats do during the day. |
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| Kittens drink milk from their mother,
normally until they are about two months old. Some kittens start
eating on their own after about 3 weeks. |
