BEHAVIOR

Adult cats dont meow at each other. A kitten will meow to let its mother know its hungry or cold, but once it is weaned, it will no longer meow to communicate with those of its own species.

Perhaps your cat is aggressive to the point that you cant defuse the situation on your own. Or he keeps getting into the linen closet despite all your efforts to keep him out of there. Or he wont stop climbing on the table while youre eating. Where do you turn? To an animal behaviorist, of course.

Your cat rolls over on her back and presents her belly to you, so you return the apparent gesture of affection by stroking it, as you would for a dog. But instead of relaxing and enjoying the moment, she turns into the feline version of Cujo, scratching and biting you to make you stop. Why did she show you her belly if she didnt want you anywhere near it?

Ever notice how people who are allergic to cats and pay them no attention are the ones cats come up to? And how people who bend over backwards to make friends with cats are the ones whose efforts are often rebuffed? Its because generally, cats are naturally wary and would prefer to be the ones to take the social initiative.

If your cat lashes out at you or hisses and growls, or if shes swishing her tail back and forth, you know shes not happy. But can you tell her mood by the state of her pupils? Or how her whiskers look? You might think your cat is apt to keep her emotions to herself, but the signs described here will let you know if she feels somethings amiss.

If youve been saying that your cat has lots of spunk, is retiring, or lazy, give yourself credit - her behavior apparently has a lot to do with your own personality traits.

Zooming. Splaying. Kneading…Lets face it: cats can be weird. Or seem weird, if you dont understand why they engage in certain behaviors. In this article, we demystify some of their so-called oddball antics.

Ever wonder what inspires your cat to lift her rump, wiggle it back and forth in place, eyes black with excitement, and then pounce? It may well be an instinctive hunting behavior she shares with lions, tigers, and jaguars even though domesticated cats split off from their big cousins eons ago.

You know those spikes in the ground as you leave the airport car rental parking lot with the signs telling you not to back up? Thats an approximation of the hundreds of hooked spikes on a cats tongue that face backwards, toward the throat, giving it its rough feel. And now scientists are getting a better understanding of why these tiny claw-like tongue spikes are there.

The day may very well come when your cat cannot take in enough water by mouth or urinates excessively, and your veterinarian tells you to combat the threat of dehydration through your pets skin. After all, a number of diseases that befall cats can rob their bodies of fluid. These include diabetes, liver disease, pancreatitis, and chronic kidney failure. Chronic kidney disease alone affects half of all cats between the ages of 10 and 15 and almost 70 percent of cats over age 15, according to research conducted at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Despite their reputation for liking only dry land, a surprising number of domesticated cats not only tolerate but love pawing water or even swimming. Some like to play in standing water; others are fascinated by running water and prefer to drink from a faucet rather than a cat dish.

Last month we covered litter box aversion, one of the main behavioral reasons cats wont go where theyre supposed to. This month we will cover another behavioral reason for a cats failing to urinate where she should - stress. Its something to consider if your veterinarian says theres no medical cause for the problem and if litter box aversion has also been ruled out.