Catwatching Read Online Free PDF Page B

not, however, stand up to close investigation.
    The truth is that cats bury their faeces as a way of damping down their odour display. Faeces-burying is the act of a subordinate cat, fearful of its social standing. Proof of this was found when the social lives of feral cats were examined closely. It was discovered that dominant tomcats, far from burying their faeces, actually placed them on little 'advertising' hill-ocks, or any other raised points in the environment where the odour could be wafted abroad to maximum effect. It was only the weaker, more subdued cats which hid their faeces. The fact that our pet cats always seem to carry out such a careful burying routine is a measure of the extent to which they see themselves dominated by us (and also perhaps by the other cats in the neighbourhood). This is not really so surprising. We are physically stronger than they are and we completely dominate that all-important element in feline life – the food supply. Our dominance is in existence from the time of kittenhood onwards, and never in serious doubt. Even big cats, such as lions, can be kept in this subordinate role for a lifetime, by their friendly owners, so it is hardly surprising that the small domestic cat is permanently in awe of us and therefore always makes sure to bury its faeces.
    Burying the faeces does not, of course, completely switch off the odour signal, but it does reduce it drastically. In this way the cat can continue to announce its presence through its scents, but not to the extent that it transmits a serious threat.
     

Why does a cat spend so much time grooming its fur?
     
    The obvious answer is to keep itself clean, but there is much more to grooming than this. In addition to cleaning away dust and dirt or the remains of the last meal, the repeated licking of the fur helps to smooth it so that it acts as a more efficient insulating layer. A ruffled coat is a poor insulator, which can be a serious hazard for a cat in freezing weather. Cold is not the only problem. Cats easily overheat in summer-time and fur-grooming increases then for a special reason. Cats do not have sweat glands all over their bodies as we do, so they cannot use sweating as a rapid method of cooling. Panting helps, but it is not enough. The solution is to lick repeatedly at the fur and deposit on it as much saliva as possible. The evaporation of this saliva then acts in the same way as the evaporation of sweat on our skin.
    If cats have been in sunlight they increase their grooming even more.
    This is not, as might be imagined, simply because they are even hotter, but because the action of sunlight on their fur produces essential vitamin D. They acquire this crucial additive to their diet by the licking movements of their tongues over the sun-warmed fur.
    Grooming also increases when cats become agitated. This is called displacement grooming and it is believed to act as an aid to relieving the strain of tense social encounters. When we are in a state of conflict we often 'scratch our heads'. A cat under similar conditions licks its fur.
    Any cat-owner who has just been holding or cuddling their cat will be familiar with the animal's actions as soon as it has been released from human contact. It wanders off, sits down and then, nearly always, starts to groom itself. This is partly because it needs to smooth its ruffled fur, but there is also another reason. You have, by handling the cat, given it your scent and to some extent masked the cat's scent.
    The licking of the fur redresses the balance, weakening your scent and reinforcing the cat's own odour on its body surface. Our lives are dominated by visual signals, but in the cat's world odours and fragrances are much more important, and an overdose of human scent on its fur is disturbing and has to be rapidly corrected. In addition, the licking of the fur you have been handling means that the cat can actually enjoy 'tasting' you and reading the signals it gets from the scent of