Part 1: What I Know About Cats I have loved cats my whole life, which is why I chose the behavior

and emotions of cats as the topic of my I-search project. Although I know many things about cats, it is barely enough to scrape the surface. I know that cats have their own way of communicating with each other and humans. When they purr and meow, they are telling us how they feel and trying to talk to us. If you look in the eyes of a cat, you can see if he or she is sad, happy, agitated, etc. Some cats get a stiff tail when they want to be left alone or they wave their tail vigorously when they are agitated. Other cats rub against people when theyre happy. If you irritate cats, they will hiss, scratch, or claw at you. All of the cats that I know like attention and love to play. Cats are over all gentle, compassionate creatures and should be shown love and sympathy.

Part 2: What I Want to Find Out About Cats 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. How and why do cats purr? How many sounds can a cat make? Are cats born with the ability to meow or do they have to learn it? Why do most cats dislike being in water? Do cats have emotions like humans? Why do cats have to lick themselves to get clean? Why do cats lick each other? Do cats identify each other by scent or sight? How do cats jump so high? Why do cats hunt? Why do cats lay in peoples laps? How many hours per day do cats sleep? Why do cats eyes get so big? Why does a cats tail get so big? Why do cats knead blankets? What do cats whiskers do? When cats smell a new scent, why do they open their mouth? How fast can cats run? Do cats see in color or black and white? Do cats have the same type of smell as humans? Why do cats like to be dominant?

Cats Behaviors and Emotions I. Are you a dog person or a cat person? It seems like this topic of conversation has started many debates as to whether cats or dogs are the most beloved pets. Studies have shown that cats are the most popular pet, outnumbering dogs in homes. There are about ninety million domestic cats and seventy-three million dogs in the world. Over the years, the relationship between cats and humans has blossomed. People are beginning to study cats behaviors and emotions in greater depth. The information that we are finding will help us to determine how they are feeling and help us to become better pet owners who are more conscientious of our cats needs. Being independent and curious creatures, domestic cats have been loved and worshiped for centuries, showing many behaviors and emotions unique to their species, while developing a symbiotic relationship with humans. II. Cats have many different behaviors and emotions and with careful observation, you can tell what theyre feeling. A. All cats react to fear. 1.A cat tucks in their tail, flattens their ears, pulls back their whiskers, stares, and their pupils get big, allowing them to take in more visual information. B. Cats dont like eye contact. 1.Cats only stare to threaten each other. 2.People shouldnt stare at cats because it makes them feel uneasy. 3.When cats feel uneasy, they close their eyes to make themselves feel better. They think that if they cant see you, you cant see them. 4.Cats like if you slowly blink and look away. 5.When cats accidently make eye contact, they blink and narrow their eyes. C. Cats hold their tails specific ways to indicate how they are feeling. 1.When a cats tail is upright and rigid with the tip bent over, it means that he or she is greeting you. 2.A tail that is raised suggests that a cat is apprehensive. 3.Cats tuck their tail underneath themselves to get it out of the way when theyre worried or anxious. 4.If a cat is agitated, his or her tail swishes and thumps. 5.When cats are relaxed, they lay on their side with their tail outstretched. D. Purring expresses cats emotions. 1.Cats typically start purring when they are one week old. 2.Purring shows a cats contentment or pain. 3.Cats can purr continuously as they exhale and inhale. E. Cats sleep most of the day. 1.Most cats sleep up to eighteen hours a day. 2.Sleeping in a warm comfortable place, like a sunny spot, car engine, or blanket, is where a cat would prefer to nap. F. Cats naturally like to be clean, so they spend most of their time grooming themselves. 1.Cats have sharp, curved projections on their tongue to aid grooming.

2.In order to reach every part of their body, cats need to be extremely flexible. 3.Every part of cats bodies, except their head and face can be reached when cleaning themselves. 4.Grooming cools cats down in hot weather. G. Unfortunately, cats have unwanted behaviors. 1.Some cats like to eat and chew on things that shouldnt be in their mouth. Particular types of breeds do that, so yelling at your cat wont help the situation. 2.Spraying is a common unwanted behavior and happens in many homes. Cats spray to mark their territory when they feel unsafe and when their domain has been invaded. 3.Hunting is a natural born instinct in cats. They hunt whether they are yelled at or not, so if you dont want them to hunt, dont let them outside. H. Getting rid of unwanted behaviors is easy, you just have to know what to do. 1.Yelling, scolding, or punishing your cat doesnt do anything to help. It causes your pet to be fearful and resentful. 2.The best way to eliminate any unwanted behavior is to ignore it. The cat will find that he or she isnt getting any attention from it and will eventually stop. 3.Making your home cat friendly (e.g. cat toys, cat tower, etc.) will help reduce any unwanted behaviors. I. Territory is very important to cats, so they are very protective of it. 1.Tomcats urinate on many things to mark their turf. 2.Their urine is very smelly, so that other cats can easily tell that the territory is occupied. 3.Cats are very good at making accurate mental maps of their terrain. 4.If an owner moves, it takes at least six months for a cat to feel adjusted. 5.Some cats have traveled many miles to get back to familiar territory. 6.In order to defend their land, some fights may break out, but violence is a last resort. J. Cats have a tendency to conceal their waste. 1.Cats bury their waste to avoid attracting predators or scaring away prey. 2.Living in clean spaces is key to cats, which is why a lot of cats dont like their food near the litter box. III. Even domestic cats have a hunting instinct. A. During dawn and dusk, when small prey is most active, is the best time for cats to hunt. B. Cats have eyes that are designed for hunting. 1.The eyes of a cat are made to see better in low light, making it easier for cats to hunt when its dark or dim. 2.Cats have limited color vision. C. The ability to hear up to forty thousand hertz can help cats hear their prey. D. Most cats prefer to hunt small prey rather than birds. E. Cats are very skilled hunters that stalk their prey. F. Playing with their prey is how cats hunt. They catch and release the victim multiple times before killing it. 1.Capturing and releasing the prey weakens it and ensures that the cat wont get hurt.

G. Cats have many built-in features to aid hunting. 1.Their strong back paws are used to rake the underside of the prey. 2.A cats lethal bite to their victims neck, snaps the neck, making it the death kill. H. Agility is key when attacking prey and escaping predators. 1.Cats can jump up to five times their own height. 2.Their paws are very sensitive, so landing is crucial. 3.Cats tails constantly keeps them balanced and helps aid landing. IV. Scent is important to cats, along with their instincts. Whiskers have many ways to benefit cats and kittens. A. The desire for high places is essential for a cats safety from predators. B. Knowing that there is more than one way out of a situation is important to cats, so that they dont feel trapped. C. Scent is vital for cats. 1.Cats leave their scent on items, so that other cats will know that the territory belongs to another cat. 2.If your cat is taken to the vet, new scents will get on him or her, potentially confusing other cats in your home (if you have more than one). D. Cats have interesting ways of reacting to new scents. 1.When cats smell something new, they open their mouth a bit. a. This is due to the Jacobsons organ, which allows them to taste smells. b. They open their mouth to take in more scents. This is known as the Flehmen response. 2.The Jacobsons organ is also known as the vomeronasal organ and is located in the roof of a cats mouth. E. Whiskers are a significant help to cats when trying to take in their environment. 1.Helping detect how big an opening is, finding their way in dark conditions, and detecting air currents are some things that a cats whiskers can do. 2.Cats have the ability to squeeze through tight spaces because their whiskers let them know if they will fit. 3.If a cats head and shoulders fit through an opening, then the rest of their body will. F. The genes and the behaviors of the mother and father play a big role in how social their kittens will become. 1.A mother cat has to teach their young many things (e.g. how to hunt, fall on all four paws, climb, roll, etc.), all of which seems like play to the kittens. 2.The friendliness of a kitten depends on the genes inherited from the father. 3.A friendly mom produces social kittens. Cats have quite a few things in common with both humans and dogs. Additionally, bonding between cats and humans will strengthen their relationship. A. Cats and humans are more alike than youd think. 1.Cats have similar emotions to humans. 2.Humans and cats react in similar ways.

V.

B.

C.

D. E. VI.

a. Humans and cats react similarly to fear. For example, if a human comes up behind another human and scares them, the person might jump. The same would happen to a cat. b. Cats and humans also react similarly to anger. If a person bothers you and makes you angry, you might glare. A cat might glare, bite, or hiss when he or she is angry. Dogs and cats are also similar in numerous ways. 1.Like dogs, cats follow people. 2.Cats and dogs both greet their owners at the door. 3.Both animals can play fetch. Humans can bond with cats through play. 1.Indoor cats dont have the opportunity to hunt, so they need toys that will mimic prey. 2.Cats like toys that move side to side, rather than up and down. 3.Catnip is loved by cats. a. There is an ingredient in catnip called pheromones, which causes most cats to act crazy. b. Some cats dont react to catnip due to their genes or breed. 4.Toys that involve the senses are a big hit with cats. Most cats dont like to be in water, but some do. Cats think that humans are bigger, non-hostile cats.

Though their natural instincts, such as marking their territory, eating things that arent edible, and leaving gifts in the form of dead animals, can frustrate their owners, with a better understanding of what drives the cats need for this type of behavior will help us to give a more suitable explanation as to why they do it. Domestic cats have come a long way, in a short amount of time. They are remarkable creatures with feelings and abilities that are truly amazing. Our symbiotic relationship is growing and can continue to grow if pet owners are willing to put the needed time into bonding with their cat. It is no wonder that cats are the most beloved and independent pet in the world.

Works Cited
#231 Why Do Cats Love Catnip?. n.d. Web. 6 February 2014. <http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-cats-love-catnip/>. Anatomy and Behavior. n.d. Web. 6 February 2014. <http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/sci/A0857204.html>. Bailey, Gwen. What is My Cat Thinking?. San Diego, CA: Thunder Bay Press, 2002. Print. Bradshaw, John. Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend

to Your Pet. New York, NY: Basic Books, 2013. Print. Cat. n.d. Web. 6 February 2014. <http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=6&detID=88>. Fancy Publications. Cat Fancy Mar. 2014: 65. Print. "How Many Pets Are in the U.S.? - Netscape Home & Living." CompuServe.com Home. N.p., 2014. Web. 6 Feb. 2014. Silvester, Hans W., Hubert Comte, and Sandra Lefranois. Cats. New York: H.N. Abrams, 2005. Print.