Research and Analysis Report on Common Strange Behaviors of Cats
Abstract: As one of the most beloved pets of humans, cats have complex and diverse behavioral patterns, and some of their seemingly "strange" behaviors often confuse breeders. This report sorts out typical strange behaviors of cats such as excessive grooming, midnight zoomies, knocking over objects, and rubbing marking. Combining ethology, ecology, and the physiological characteristics of cats, it in-depth analyzes the causes behind each behavior, including instinctive drive, emotional expression, environmental adaptation, health warning, and other dimensions. Corresponding coping suggestions for breeders are put forward, aiming to help breeders understand cat behaviors more accurately and build a more harmonious human-cat coexistence relationship.
Keywords: Cats; Strange Behaviors; Behavioral Causes; Breeding Suggestions; Ethology
I. Introduction
With the acceleration of urbanization and the improvement of people's living standards, cats have become companion pets in many families due to their gentle and independent traits. According to relevant data, the global number of pet cats has exceeded 600 million, and in China, the number of pet cats has also exceeded 50 million. In the process of coexisting with cats, breeders often observe a series of seemingly unreasonable "strange" behaviors, such as running wildly indoors without warning, repeatedly licking a certain part of the body, and deliberately knocking over objects on the table. These behaviors are not meaningless random actions of cats, but important ways for them to convey information and express needs. In-depth research on these strange behaviors of cats can not only help breeders detect potential health problems of cats in a timely manner but also further narrow the psychological distance with cats and improve the happiness of pet breeding. Based on this, this report conducts a systematic analysis of common strange behaviors of cats.
II. Common Strange Behaviors and Performances of Cats
Through sorting out and investigating a large number of pet cat breeding cases, combined with ethology research literature, the following most representative strange behaviors of cats are sorted out, and their specific performances are as follows:
(I) Excessive Grooming and Formation of "Bald Spots"
Under normal circumstances, it is a normal behavior for cats to groom themselves for 1-2 hours a day to clean their bodies. However, some cats will have excessive grooming, which is specifically manifested as grooming for more than 3 hours a day, focusing on licking specific parts such as the abdomen, legs, and back, leading to massive hair loss in that area, and even skin redness, damage, scabbing, and other problems, forming obvious "bald spots". This behavior is often persistent, and even if the breeder interferes, the cat will still lick subconsciously.
(II) Midnight "Zoomies" and High-Frequency Vocalization
Most cats are lazy and sleepy during the day, but at 2-4 a.m., they will show obvious excitement, which is specifically manifested as running and jumping rapidly indoors, shuttling between sofas, tables and chairs, and beds, accompanied by high-frequency meowing and the sound of claws scratching the ground or furniture. This "zoomie" behavior usually lasts for 30 minutes to 1 hour, seriously affecting the breeder's sleep quality.
(III) Deliberately Knocking Over Objects on the Table
Cats often deliberately knock over objects such as cups, mobile phones, and books on the table with their paws in front of the breeder. During the process of the objects falling, they will closely observe the breeder's reaction. Some cats will also sniff and pat around the objects after they fall to the ground. Even if the breeder stops it many times, this behavior will still occur repeatedly.
(IV) Rubbing Surrounding Objects with Head/Body
Cats will take the initiative to rub indoor furniture, walls, doors and windows, and even the breeder's hands, feet, and clothes with their heads, cheeks, and body sides. When rubbing, the cat will show a relaxed state, with constricted pupils and a naturally drooping or gently swinging tail. Some cats will also leave faint odor marks after rubbing.
(V) Hiding in Small Enclosed Spaces
Faced with a spacious and comfortable cat bed, some cats are more inclined to hide in small enclosed spaces such as cartons, drawers, and schoolbags. Even if the space can only accommodate their curled-up bodies, they will stay there for a long time and refuse to come out to move. Even if the breeder replaces it with a larger enclosed space, the cat will still prefer the smaller area to live in.
III. Analysis of the Causes of Cats' Strange Behaviors
Combined with ethological theories and the physiological and psychological characteristics of cats, in-depth analysis of the causes of the above strange behaviors finds that their core driving forces mainly include instinct continuation, emotional expression, health warning, environmental adaptation, and demand transmission. The specific analysis is as follows:
(I) Excessive Grooming: A Dual Signal of Psychological Anxiety and Physical Discomfort
From a psychological perspective, excessive grooming in cats is a typical "self-soothing" behavior. The surface of a cat's skin is covered with rich nerve endings. The touch generated during grooming can stimulate the nerves and prompt the brain to secrete endorphins, thereby helping the cat relieve negative emotions such as anxiety and tension. When the living environment changes, such as moving, adding new pets or family members, or reducing the breeder's company time, cats are prone to psychological pressure, and then regulate their emotions through excessive grooming. From a physiological perspective, skin itching and pain are important reasons for excessive grooming in cats. Health problems such as parasitic infections (such as fleas and mites), skin inflammation (such as allergic dermatitis and fungal skin diseases), and joint pain (licking the painful area to relieve discomfort) will make cats cope with physical discomfort through grooming. In addition, some cats may also develop pica due to lack of certain trace elements (such as B vitamins), which is then manifested as excessive grooming.
(II) Midnight Zoomies: A Comprehensive Reflection of Instinctive Drive and Excess Energy
Cats are typical "crepuscular animals". When their ancestors lived in the wild, they usually hunted and moved at dawn and dusk to avoid high temperatures and natural enemies during the day. This instinct has been deeply rooted in the genes of domestic cats after long-term evolution. At night, the indoor environment is quiet and the light is dim, which is in line with the activity habits of cats' ancestors. Therefore, cats will show instinctive excitement, manifested as zoomies, jumping and other behaviors. At the same time, most domestic cats are in a state of sleep during the day, with a daily sleep time of 12-16 hours. A lot of energy cannot be released, so they vent their excess energy through zoomies at night. In addition, some cats may also have midnight zoomies to attract the breeder's attention. If the breeder responds (such as scolding or accompanying) when the cat has zoomies, even a negative response will make the cat mistakenly think that this behavior can get attention, thereby strengthening the behavior.
(III) Knocking Over Objects: A Combination of Curiosity, Attention Needs, and Hunting Instinct
From a cognitive perspective, cats are full of curiosity about objects in the surrounding environment, and knocking over objects is a way for them to explore the characteristics of objects. By touching the objects with their paws, cats observe the falling trajectory of the objects, the sound of landing, and the breeder's reaction to judge the material, weight, stability and other information of the objects. This is an important way for cats to cognize the world. From the perspective of emotional needs, one of the core purposes of cats knocking over objects is to attract the breeder's attention. When the breeder focuses on work and study and ignores the cat, the cat will break the status quo through this "destructive" behavior to prompt the breeder to pay attention to itself. From an instinctive perspective, the behavior of knocking over objects simulates the wild hunting process of cats. The moving trajectory of the falling objects is similar to the escape action of prey, which can stimulate the cat's hunting instinct and make it obtain psychological satisfaction.
(IV) Rubbing Marking: Expression of Territorial Awareness and Sense of Belonging
Cats have special scent glands distributed on their heads, cheeks, and body sides. These scent glands can secrete pheromones with the cat's unique smell. By rubbing surrounding objects and breeders, cats leave their own smell on them, which is essentially a "territorial marking" behavior, conveying the signal that "this is my territory" to other cats, thereby gaining a sense of security. At the same time, when a cat leaves its own smell on the breeder, it is also expressing recognition and dependence on the breeder, regarding the breeder as "one of its own", so as to build a safe environment belonging to itself. In addition, when cats rub, they also absorb the smells of the surrounding environment and the breeder. These smells can help cats better adapt to the environment and relieve anxiety about unfamiliar environments.
(V) Hiding in Small Enclosed Spaces: Needs for a Sense of Security and Continuation of Survival Instinct
The behavior of cats hiding in small enclosed spaces originates from the survival instinct of their ancestors in the wild. In the wild, as small and medium-sized predators, cats also face the threat of large
