Image Source: Pixabay.com
Cats are really curious creatures. They tend to like their space
and seem to be most content when they’re just lounging by
themselves. We can try to understand cats but not many people
have gotten very far. Despite their stoic nature, they’re still
pretty great pets and we love them with everything we have. Cats
take a lot of naps. They love their nap times. But sometimes,
when we look at our beloved pets while they’re napping, we can’t
help but wonder how they’re twisting their bodies in such ways
and still being comfortable. Cats have an interesting anatomy.
They never cease to surprise us. Cats are probably one of the
most flexible animals out there.
What does their flexibility allow them to do?
Cats used to be predators before they were domesticated. Through
the years, they’ve evolved to be as lithe and quiet as can be.
They can jump almost nine times their height, run at 30mph, and
even land on their feet every single time they take a fall. They
have an incredibly long stride and as we all know, they’re very
hard to keep up with.Cats also take their grooming very
seriously. They’re neat freaks like that. Their flexibility makes
it easier for them to reach those out of reach places on their
body. By grooming themselves so thoroughly, they also evade
detection from other cats by covering their scents.
Why are cats this flexible?
The vertebrae of a cat is very unique. Each individual bone that
makes up the vertebrae has an incredibly elastic cushioning disc
between it and the next bone. This allows cats to rate their
bodies 180 degrees to the left and right. They can even turn
their heads to face the opposite direction with no problem.
Humans can only rotate our hips about 90 degrees right or
left.Their bones aren’t the only things that allow them to be
this flexible. Their muscles and ligaments are also very flexibly
connected. Their flexibility allows them to have an incredibly
long stride. They can lengthen their stride by flexing and
extending their spine. Their running stride is three times more
than the length of their bodies!A cat’s shoulders also play a
pretty big part in their flexibility. The only thing connecting
their shoulder blades to the rest of their body is muscles.
Humans and canines have bones connecting these joints. This
specific connection lets cats extend their stride even more – as
if their previous stride wasn’t impressive enough already. It is
because of their very loosely attached shoulder blades and their
small collar bones that they can fit into even the tiniest
spaces.The next time you have trouble getting your cat into a
carrier, or you see him in a contorted, crazy position, thank his
shoulder blades and spine for making him this flexible.
5 Facts About Your Cat’s Brain That Nobody Will Tell You
Image Source: Pixabay.com
Animal cognition is a hot-button topic among scientists. They,
like us, want to know what goes on in our pets' minds and after a
few initial discoveries, realized there is a lot to learn.
Laboratories are established all around the world to study the
minds of pets. Cats are harder to understand than dogs as every
cat owner knows: they can be difficult to work with. Some cats
were so adamant that they were removed from the studies.
Following signs
Your cat may not understand your verbal language, but they are
quick to pick up what you try to say by observing your body
language. Your kitty understands what you mean to say when you
point at something. Your cat knows you are hinting at something
when you point towards it, This is the reason the kitty always
walks to the food bowl when you point toward it.
Unfazed at disappearing
objects
Any objects moving out of visual sight does not mean it
disappeared forever. Humans instinctively understand the truth,
but many animals do not. Cats can grasp the concept of an object
hiding behind another. This is the reason cats wait for their
mouse to reappear. This helps them to be solitary hunters.
Bad memory
Your kitty has a terrible memory. Its memory for short times, or
in scientific terms "working memory", is found to decline after
10 seconds. It must be remembered however that the long-term
memories of your kitty are excellent. This memory is susceptible
to age or disease. Like humans' Alzheimer's, cats can suffer from
Feline Cognitive Dysfunction (FCD). It is also known as Cognitive
Dysfunction Syndrome or CDS. This is noticeable in older cats
aged 10 years or more.
Understand time
Cats meow for breakfast almost at the same time every day. Same
goes for lunch and dinner. It is evident that cats could
understand the lengths of time. Experiments have shown they can
differentiate between hours and minutes. This is made possible
due to an internal clock which assesses event duration.
Comprehend quantity
Other than time, cats can differentiate between bigger and
smaller quantities of the same thing or different objects. They
understand that the larger unit contains more than the smaller
one. This helps them to choose between two plates. Your kitty
will always go towards the bigger plate. This helps cats to
maximize food quantity at the time of hunting.
