Even after the domestication of cats, their behavior is quite similar to that of normal stray cats. However, if you are a cat owner who has just adopted a cat from a shelter or a rescue home, then you can expect a lot of unpredictability in your cat’s behavior. When you first meet your cat, two things can happen, it will either be playful and friendly with you or, it will act shy or will either try to avoid you or if it is aggressive, it will hiss at you in an attempt to scare you away. So, how does the cat’s behavior differ in the very first meeting?
Well, different cats have different personality traits. Many personality traits are based on the cat’s breed and there are some traits that cats carry in their genes that they get from their parents as well. Also, domesticated cats carefully judge a person’s body language before interacting with them. This is why you can have a cat follow you or even be friendly and playful with you, even though you have never met that cat before. But, just because your personality is making it feel safe and comfortable, it will come near you and will show its affection towards you.
On the other hand, if the cat you’re about to adopt is avoiding you, running away from you, or is hissing at you, it means that the cat is either scared of you, or it doesn’t like your personality and finds you rather threatening, and hissing it cat’s way of saying.
“Go away if you want to stay alive!”
If the cat you want to adopt is hissing at you, it is better to go for a different cat, as if you bring the aggressive cat to your house, your body will be filled with wild scratches and it will take quite a long time for your cat to be comfortable with you. If you have that much patience and can survive your cat’s initial anger and aggression, only then, we recommend you go for that cat.
Now, once you bring your cat home, and even if it has a friendly behavior towards you, there are several things that you have to understand about your cat’s body language. Your cat’s body language tells a lot about what your cat is feeling or what message it is trying to convey to you. Through their body language, cats show whether they are happy, playful, upset, sick, angry, attentive, scared, or aggressive. Before owning a cat, you need to learn about a few common cat gestures and body language hints that can give you an idea of what your cat wants from you.
Do cats domesticate themselves? No! And this is why you need to understand how cats behave in order to treat them accordingly.
Cat Ears
The way your cat’s ears are positioned tells a lot about what they are thinking or feeling. If your cat’s ears are turned forward, this means it’s relaxed and content. If its ears are turned back, it means that it is paying attention to a sound. And if its ears are flat against its head, it means that it isn’t feeling threatened. In defense, your cat might run away or it might even attack you.
So if you notice your cat’s ears turning against its head and you also hear it hissing, then move back and stay away from it, as it might unexpectedly attack you.
Bites
Your cat not only scratches, but it also bites, and their bites hurt due to their extremely sharp canines. Even though cat bites are normally a sign of aggression and anger towards you, and when this happens, you should get away from your cat, not all bites are bad. Your cat might nip you on your hand or your leg, and this means that your cat wants your attention and wants to play with you. This is the cat’s way of pulling you and calling you to play with it.
Showing Affection
There are multiple ways through which cats show their affection towards humans. They often lick their favorite humans to show their love and affection. Also, when your cat wants your attention, they will softly bump their head against you. Cats also rub their head or nose against you to show their authority towards you. This is their way of saying
“You are my hooman!”
When you come from work, you will have your cat rubbing its body against you and going through your legs. Normally, this means that your cat is starving and wants food. However, this also means that your cat has missed you badly and wants to be pampered
You Shouldn’t Stare Back at Your Cat
Your cat often stares at you and this is a subtle sign, indicating that it wants your attention. However, this does not mean that you are allowed to stare back at your cat, as cats take this as a sign of aggression from your side. This might scare your cat away, or, it can act aggressively. Always keep your looks brief and do not stare at your cat for any reason.
Your Cat’s Eyes
The way your cat is looking at you can also tell a lot about what your cat wants you to know. If your cat’s eyes are widened, no matter how cute your cat looks while doing that, this means that your cat is sensing a threat. If your cat’s eyes are narrowed, it means that it is angry at something and can either react aggressively or will just avoid you.
Gurgling, Hissing, and Chirping
If your cat is chirping in front of you, this means that your cat wants your attention and love. It can be a signal that your cat wants to be pampered or wants to cuddle.
If your cat is hissing at you, this means that it is angry with you and wants you to go away, or else, it will hurt you.
If your cat is gurgling in front of you, it is in the mood for a nice friendly conversation with you and wants to spend its time with you.
How Did Cats Become Domesticated?
To develop a great bond with your cat, you should learn how to interact with it and how to understand its subtle signs. Once you understand your cat’s behavior, it is easier to train it and domesticate it.
