Cats perceive people as big cats - British scientists
Moscow, January 21 – AiF-Moscow. Cats perceive people as big cats, says biologist John Bradshaw from the UK, who wrote a book about the proper treatment of pets.
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In an interview with The Huffington post, he said that cats hold their tail up in greeting and rub against someone when they express their love for them. In a cat society, smaller cats usually behave this way in relation to larger ones: kittens or young cats - towards their mother or an older relative, a cat - towards a cat.
A resident of Great Britain has been studying the history and behavior of the cat family for decades. He believes that in order to live happily with cats, you need to understand their behavior and accept their oddities.
“Research has shown that cat-human relationships last longer if they were started by the cat. Many cats need to go through the tail-pipe-and-rub phase because it makes them feel more comfortable. Perhaps they don’t have time for this when a person takes the first step,” he adds.
Bradshaw also noted that cats may purr for more than just pleasure. These sounds may mean a call for help.
“By purring, the cat simply wants to convince himself or another (cat) who hears him that there is a threat. Ideally, the cat would want this other to pay attention and help it. This system of behavior has existed in cats since childhood. The kittens begin to purr, asking their mother not to move away while they suckle. This habit persists in cats even into later life. This is a signal for animals, and people should also pay attention to purring in order to understand how to help,” explains the scientist.
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There are several signs that can help you identify a cat's love, says Bradshaw.
“There are three ways in which cats express their affection for their companions. The first is to raise their tail or rub against someone. Secondly, keep in touch. Third, they take care of each other. If your cat does any of these things, it means he likes you. All three signs may not be present. For example, some cats (especially long-haired ones) do not really like to sit on a person’s lap. But if they hold their tail up when they see you, then everything is fine,” says the British scientist.
The day before it was reported that in Bashkiria, a pet cat, Murka, saved its owner’s life by waking him up during a fire. The animal jumped on the man's chest and began hitting him with its paws. The man tried to put out the flames himself, but he was unable to do so. After this, the owner took his pet and left the house. Firefighters arrived at the scene and, with the help of volunteers, extinguished the fire.
Cats and people
And every fortress will fall on its foundation, and the great cities of the past will rise from the sands and waters, revealing a multitude of imperfect things. Will the music stop? These sounds, twisted into elusive meanings, could not weaken the cast-iron laws of time. Nothing can destroy the cast-iron bars of human souls - they have become fused with the nature of the majority.
- Meow! — the gray cat at the cast-iron gate looked inquisitively at the inhabitants of the cesspool at Five Corners. This place was famous among the bohemian St. Petersburg public. He realized long ago that people are tired of living, but are terrified of death. All the cats in the area laughed at this. He was waiting for his old lady. She whispered something under her breath all the time, but was not afraid of death. She was afraid that one day people would have no one to feed the cats, that the neighboring children would never understand that the world was not born on their tablets, but dies in the gateways and basements of cities. All Cats believed that death does not end life: everything happens unexpectedly and thousands of years are compressed into one black dot without duration, from which they are born and go to the rainbow. Just like every living thing opens its eyes from the abyss of millions of years to take its first breath, without feeling the monstrous bottomlessness. It's stupid from the point of view of a person who measures the length of time allotted to him by the years of paying off his mortgage.
- Meow! - the cat Ryzhik was talking to people, complaining about the dampness in the basement, but they passed by, throwing an indifferent “go away kitty.” Neither the people themselves nor the cats knew what this mysterious “uti” meant. But captivated by iron, fire-breathing carts and capricious children, who for some reason always tearfully asked for something, just to throw it on the floor, people did not notice the cats. The door creaked and an old woman appeared. The cat loved to look into her blue eyes, faded from tears. White droplets on the round, gigantic blue roof of the Earth were already appearing above the city. The night was beginning.
- Well, honey, are you hungry?
- Mooooo!
- I know everything you tell me. I long ago learned to understand all the languages of the world. You don't need to be a scientist to do this. All flesh needs warmth and food, and the soul needs affection. True, there are special souls who have not needed anything human for a long time, but only remember feelings. Like flashes on the shabby wall of an abandoned house with a broken toilet. Their suffering broke through the ceiling of the mind and spilled out into outer space. The most difficult thing for such people is to deal with cast-iron souls who are fiercely fighting for family happiness. But they perfectly understand every dumb creature.
The old woman fell silent and placed a bowl of food in front of the black window in the basement. It was a pleasure talking with her!
And every city will fall before the coming rain and people will scatter into the caves of their apartments. Frightened, they will never want to find courage. After all, to see life as it is, at least endurance is required. The cat loved to look into those eyes, faded from tears, in which the universe was born. Yes, yes, in the eyes of a few the universe was born, but for most inhabitants of the garbage alley it died already in the first light year.
“Lord, have mercy,” the old woman prayed only and did not look for her own in anything, “your gray friends are late today, and mine have gone to other universes.” But no one cares about us. However, we are no more unhappy than those whom everyone cares about, because, for example, they are vested with power. And when the power ends, they will come to our gateway to complain about loneliness. And the loneliness of cast-iron souls is akin to a guillotine; even the comfort for which they so hysterically stand in line does not help them.
“Meow,” the cat answered and winked at the woman.
- Well, I'm off. Tomorrow it’s early to get up... and I forgot whether to go to the funeral or the wedding. Probably all this is a bad dream that makes you want to hiccup
The woman walked with a shuffling gait towards the shabby heavy door of the gateway. A video camera peephole hung on the door, watching many drunkards relieving themselves in this place. It was difficult to say who needed this monotonous picture. A man in a red sweater and a black scarf, tied according to the latest advertising fashion, jumped out to meet her.
- Semyonovna, hello! Can you imagine, my car was stolen! —
- Hello, Pashka. Why not imagine such sadness? They probably won't find it anymore.
- You're talking about bad things!
The man slammed the taxi door and rushed into the rumbling interior of the city. “The poor cats will have nowhere to hide from the rain, watching the drops of heavenly waters on the dirty, spit-stained asphalt,” the woman thought.
Night fell on the city and somewhere in a neighboring yard a pipe burst. Two cats managed to jump out of the basement and sat in a yellow spot of light by the window, watching an old woman watering the flowers on her window, telling the petals something. They knew that only the city's madmen understood their language. In this cast-iron city, not all people have such friends, and most simply do not notice anything or anyone except themselves surrounded by themselves. Somewhere a bell was rung and the Cats rushed into the dark well of the yard. They feared that the city was being washed away from its sandy foundation.
So what, they don't like us at all?
How to say. They “trample” us with their paws not because they want to give us a massage, but because they still have a reflex called the “milk step.” Kittens absorb it from birth, stimulating milk production in the mother. They climb on our laps or on our bellies because we are warm and soft.
When a cat rubs against our legs, or “butts” its head, inviting us to scratch behind the ear, this is the highest sign of affection. Hurray, we deserve it! But know: the cat “marked” you, that is, left an elusive smell on your things, which for her means: “this is a friendly creature, I trust him.” By the way, they behave exactly the same way with each other.
Don't expect the same unconditional love and devotion from cats as you do from dogs. There are exceptions, of course, but they are extremely rare. For them, we are not the center of the Universe . They can think about anything: about the birds outside the window, about a new box, about a thin cobweb under the ceiling, and not pay attention to fussy people.
The next time you call your beloved cat son, or start scolding him for pranks, remember that for them we are just equal relatives who, for unknown reasons, move on two legs.
But don't be upset - they are really happy when we come home and generally love us. Only in his own way, continuing to live his special cat life.
Can cats feel and experience?
Contents hide
Do you think your cat has feelings? Most experts say YES.
Do you want to know if cats are capable of feeling different emotions?
We asked six professional experts this question.
YES — Based on knowledge of cat physiology, it is likely that the idea that cats feel emotions is quite realistic, says John S. Wright, Ph.D. - Cats are mammals, they have a similar brain structure, and the cat brain works the same way as the human brain, so there is nothing surprising about this.
YES - Wayne Hanthosen, DVM, also believes in cats' ability to experience emotions. Although, he jokes, there is no way to say for sure without consulting the cat herself. At the same time, he emphasizes that in certain situations the behavior of our tailed pets is quite similar to how we would behave ourselves. One of the most difficult tasks for cat owners, the expert believes, is understanding the behavior of their pets. The fear experienced by our smaller brothers, for example, can be expressed indirectly through actions such as stubbornness or refusal.
FOR SURE - Cat therapist Carol Wilbourn believes that cats certainly have emotions, they are subject to such deep feelings as joy, sadness or rage. Moreover, cats always let their owner know that they need something. “The cat behaves the way it feels,” says the specialist. “Of course, a cat is not a person, but people and cats share emotions in the same way.” Wilbourn cites as an example the highest manifestation of feline happiness as purring, known to literally everyone.
YES - Cats feel all the same emotions that we feel, says biologist Warren Eckstein. “They may not react in the same way as humans, but they experience exactly the same emotions that we are subject to.”
The expert further noted that most problems when people communicate with their pets arise because their owners simply do not understand that a cat has a whole range of emotions, and do not know how to react correctly when the animal is anxious or depressed. Eckstein asks potential cat breeders to immediately consider them as full members of the family, and he considers this circumstance the main key to success.
POSSIBLE - On the contrary, Suzanne Hettow, Ph.D., believes that it's possible that cats can actually experience emotions, but we can only guess about it. Cat owners generally tend to attribute human emotions to their cat's behavior. Dr. Hettov urges pet owners to act with some caution, since arbitrary interpretation of animal behavior can lead to unmotivated punishment of a pet based on the belief that it was driven by a feeling of anger. Of course, in reality this may not be the case at all.
PROBABLY - Deborah Hurwitz, DVM, biologist, believes that cats have emotions, but not in the form we think about it. At the same time, the expert believes that certain emotional aspects serve as the motives for this or that behavior of cats.
How much does it cost to keep animals?
According to Natalya, most of the money is spent on food and litter for trays. On average, 700-1000 rubles are spent on one cat per month. In addition, the initial examination of new cats, as well as their sterilization and vaccinations, costs a significant amount.
“Of course, veterinarians I know give discounts. But various tests, such as ultrasound, x-rays, blood tests, cost a pretty penny,” says Natalya.
She notes that the shelter is helped by caring citizens. Most often they donate 50-100 rubles; few people donate large sums.
Shelter-apartment for cats.
Dmitry Lyamzin.
“I’m completely in debt, I need to give 500 thousand rubles to one of the banks. I'm trying to pay it off gradually. Of course, I can’t quit my job, but I won’t stop helping. I live in chronic stress, because I’m afraid that one day I won’t have enough money to feed the animals,” shared Sinkina.
How do pets get to the shelter?
The owner of the apartment jokes that most often they end up with animals that they stumbled over on the street. At first they brought almost all of them, but when there were too many pets, they decided to stop. However, Natalya admits that even now she cannot pass by the abandoned kitten.
Shelter-apartment for cats.
Dmitry Lyamzin.
“Yes, sometimes we can’t take an animal in, but we shouldn’t leave it on the street! I call my friends and colleagues who work in shelters or foster care, they help out. We are unable to serve any more at this time. We know our strengths, and therefore we understand our responsibility towards animals. Everyone, of course, loves cats, but unfortunately few are ready to seriously help them. Anyone can find me on social networks, come and pick up a pet,” says Sinkina.
Cult of the cat in ancient Egypt
Scientists believe that the first domestic cats appeared on the territory of Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians revered them and put them on a par with the gods. They believed that these animals were of divine origin.
Cat mummies.
According to records in manuscripts, temples were built in honor of cats. After death, they were embalmed and mummified. Archaeologists have found many similar mummies in the pyramids.
According to legend, cats were given to Egypt by the gods from Sirius. The priests believed that there was a whole civilization of creatures similar to domestic cats. These are highly spiritual beings close to the gods from Egyptian mythology. Perhaps they meant a parallel world or another planet.
It is no coincidence that the goddess Bast was depicted as a woman with the head of a cat. The Book of the Dead, found in Egypt, indicates that the cat is one of the forms of the god Ra. The cat creatures did not have a physical body and appeared to the priests in the form of translucent ghosts. They have two appearances - cat and human.
Legends say that cats conveyed the requests of the priests to the gods. Therefore, the attitude towards them developed accordingly. Cats were surrounded with luxury and were not driven out of churches during the sacraments, because this way the gods would hear prayers and answer them.
Found mummy of a cat in a tomb.
In Ancient Egypt, cats had access to pyramids and temple premises where priests were not allowed. There was no restriction on freedom; the cat could go wherever he wanted. Every temple had at least one cat.
During excavations in Egypt, small palaces were found; they were clearly not intended for people. Scientists have concluded: palaces were built for the cats of rich people. Only they had the right to have this animal in Ancient Egypt.
Not only legends and religious views became the reason for such veneration of cats in Egypt. These are also useful animals on the farm. They protected warehouses and barns, houses and temples from rats and mice.
When a cat died, mourning was observed for it, as for a deceased relative. Killing a cat living in a temple or palace was punishable by execution. A street woman was killed - the accused was sentenced to corporal punishment, a fine and general contempt. In 60 BC, Ptolemy banned executions for killing cats.
There were also cat cemeteries. The pharaoh's pets were mummified and buried next to him. The cat cult continued until 390 AD, after which the governors of Byzantium outlawed it.
What the neighbors say
“I also don’t advertise the fact that there are a lot of cats at home. A local police officer came to see me and said that there were no unpleasant odors in the entrance or stairwell, so there were no problems. Although, of course, now we have a lot of kittens, I’m trying to distribute them as quickly as possible,” says the owner of the shelter.
According to her, some neighbors know about the home shelter and often come to play with the animals.
“It’s a great way for them to relieve stress and get away from all the hustle and bustle. It helps me too. You know, even if I fall asleep in the hall without a blanket, I will never freeze, because I will be surrounded by cats,” Natalya shares.
However, the shelter also has its detractors. Sometimes Sinkina finds bags of garbage on her car.
Shelter-apartment for cats.
Dmitry Lyamzin.
“Most likely, the neighbors don’t like the fact that Alice barks at night. Of course, I understand them, but there are five dogs in the house, and stones fly only at mine, because she is not always the culprit of loud noises,” notes Sinkina.
In the kingdom of cats
As soon as the door to the apartment opened, dozens of animals stared at us.
At first, it seemed that cats were everywhere: they settled in baskets and houses, lay on the table and under it, perched on the windowsill and even on the window leading to the balcony. Some pets looked warily from distant rooms, others, who were closer, studied us from their “observation platforms.” Those who were braver managed to come up and began to rub their legs, purring loudly.
In the apartment of Natalya Sinkina, whom we visited, there are constantly more than fifty animals. In 2013, a woman founded the “Cat House” shelter. She says that she had previously helped homeless animals for many years, often bringing them home for foster care. After a while, I specially rented a room in which several cats lived. And soon she began renting space in the administrative building.
Shelter-apartment for cats.
Dmitry Lyamzin.
Now a separate apartment has also been rented for the shelter’s pets, where there are more than 60 animals.
“We agreed with the owners of the property, we are sitting there like mice. None of the neighbors know about the shelter. These are not dogs, cats have soft paws, you can’t hear them. The trays are filled with filler, so there are no odors, and we clean them several times a week,” says Natalya.
Sinkina admits that the number of animals is constantly changing, some manage to find new owners, but still cats are brought in more often than they are taken away.
“Of course, we understand that, in an amicable way, the shelter needs to be built somewhere separately. But, firstly, we don’t have the money for this, and secondly, it’s already difficult to even support these animals,” notes Sinkina.
Shelter-apartment for cats.
Dmitry Lyamzin.
By education, Natalya is an engineer, she is engaged in drawing up various construction estimates, and after work she spends almost all her free time on animals. The woman is helped by her friends - Svetlana and Olga. In total, three people have more than 100 cats in two apartments.
In addition, women often help out pensioner acquaintances who also have pets in their homes.
“Of course, sometimes older people can’t cope, so we take care of them, bring them food, and sometimes do the cleaning. Also, if necessary, we can put an IV on the animals or carry out other procedures,” notes Natalya.
Fractures, bullets and other difficulties
A white cat extends its paw from the bed and seems to insist on being played with.
“This blue-eyed beauty, Peach, had a broken spine, the kitten was seriously beaten by dogs and left to die in the bushes. Doctors in Novosibirsk said that the pet would not live even a year, but he has been with us for more than five years,” says Natalya.
According to her, the cat constantly runs around the apartment, dragging its hind legs, and has not lost interest in life at all. Moreover, Peach often fights with other cats and shows them his character. Due to health problems, he has to manually empty his bladder several times a day.
Shelter-apartment for cats.
Dmitry Lyamzin.
Nearby, by the chair, lies a large fluffy Marquis. He lived on the street for several years and ended up in the shelter by accident when Natalya noticed him not far from home. After a few days of living in the shelter, Marquis began to cough. It turned out that he had five bullets near his trachea. Natalya notes that they cannot be pulled out because of their size; none of the doctors took on this operation.
“If people treated their animals responsibly, then we would have nothing to do, we would not suffer. I would like there to be serious liability for improper treatment, then many would think again before getting a cat or dog,” says Natalya.
A 16-year-old dog occupies a separate room. Alisa has a broken spine, she barely moves around the apartment and needs constant care.
“At night he smears everything, and then barks and calls me to clean it up. I come and do it. I tried to put diapers on her with tights, but Alice was tearing everything apart. It’s a shame to put her to sleep, so we’re taking care of her,” says the owner of the shelter.
Shelter-apartment for cats.
Dmitry Lyamzin.
Natalya says that there are many blind, lame and wounded animals in the apartment. The diagnoses of some cats are difficult to pronounce, and pets require expensive medications and various procedures. But diseases do not frighten the shelter workers.
“The most dangerous thing is rabies, but cats are domestic cats. In addition, no one bothers us to vaccinate animals for safety, which is what we do,” says Natalya.
