Why Do Cats Do That?
Real Answers to the Curious Things Cats Do
Author: Kim Thornton, Illustrator: Keith Robinson

Why Do Cats Scratch the Furniture?

Does your pet have cat scratch fever? No, not the disease: the desire to claw only the finest furniture, wallpaper, and draperies. Well, you're not alone. Scratching is an innate feline behavior, and it is something that all cat owners must learn to deal with.

Cats scratch for several reasons. First, scratching keeps their claws in shape. You schedule a weekly manicure; your cat schedules a scratching session with the sofa. Not only does scratching sharpen the claws and remove the old outer husk of the nail, it just feels good. Think how great it feels when the manicurist massages your hands and arms; your cat probably gets a similar pleasurable feeling from scratching.

Scratching also serves as a territorial marker. Cats may scratch in preferred sleeping spots or any other place where they spend a lot of time. Doorways and windowsills often get scratched, especially when an indoor cat spots an intruder outdoors. He scratches in a vain attempt to let the other cat know that this is his territory. Scent is another aspect of territorial scratching. The sebaceous glands in a cat's paws leave an odor at the scratched area--another way the cat can stake his claim.

To make sure your cat scratches only in approved areas, think on his level. Cats like to scratch sturdy, vertical objects such as trees. That's why they often choose a chair or sofa as a substitute. Cats like to stretch tall when they claw. Provide your cat with a scratching post that is at least three feet high. This allows the cat to stretch out to his full length, tail included. Cats like to scratch things that are rough. Choose or make a post that is covered in material such as sisal or burlap. Avoid carpet, because the cat won't be able to tell the difference between the carpet on the floor and the carpet on the post. Or attach the carpet to the post so that only the rough underside is showing. Some cats like scratching bare wood or logs covered with bark. Provide them with their own small "tree" in the house, a stable log placed so the cat can stand on it and scratch.

Put the scratching post in a convenient area. If you hide it, your cat may not be attracted to it. A corner of the living room or bedroom is a good spot. And beware of moving the post. Cats may protest if you change what they consider the natural order of things.

To teach your cat to use the post, run your fingernails up and down it. The sound and motion will attract your cat. Sprinkling catnip on and around the post is another good way to heighten a cat's interest, as is giving the cat a treat whenever he scratches in the appropriate place. Always praise your cat when he uses the post, and discourage him with a water squirter when it attempts to use anything else.

Why Do Cats' Eyes Glow in the Dark?

A cat's unusually large eyes are perhaps his most striking features, and never more so than at night, when they seem to glow in the dark with an almost supernatural light. The cat is a nocturnal prowler, and his powerful sense of vision is what makes him so successful. But how exactly do the eyes work? Can a cat really see in the dark, using only those glowing eyes? Well, not quite. Here's how it works.

The feline eye structure includes the cornea, which is the clear, curved part of the eyeball in front of the pupil; the iris, which gives the eye its color; the lens, located behind the iris; the retina, consisting of a network of light-sensitive cells; and the tapetum lucidum, a Latin term that translates as "bright carpet." The cornea, lens, and retina work in much the same fashion as the film in a camera. The cornea acts as the viewfinder, taking in light and transmitting it to the lens. The lens bends the light rays, focusing them to form an image on the retina.

Where does the tapetum lucidum come in? It is what allows the cat to take in extra light in dim situations. Lining most of the back of the retina, the tapetum lucidum acts as a mirror, reflecting light that was not absorbed the first time it passed through the retina. The result is the glow, called eye shine, that you see when light strikes your cat's eyes in a darkened room. A cat can see no better than you or I when in a situation of total darkness, but when some light is present, the tapetum lucidum allows the cat to make better use of it.

And why do some cats' eyes glow red while others glow green? Certainly not because of any demonic influence. The color of the light reflected back from the tapetum lucidum is related to the color of the cat's eyes. Cats with green or yellow eyes tend to reflect greenish light. Cats with blue eyes, such as Siamese, tend to reflect reddish light.

Why Do Dogs Do That?
Real Answers to the Curious Things Dogs Do
Author: Kim Thornton, Illustrator: Keith Robinson

Why Do Dogs Hate the Mail Carrier?

It's not just the uniform. Don't get the idea that dogs are rebels, growling at all forms of authority. Rather, it's due to the way your dog's brain is hardwired.

A dog's brain programs it to stake out and defend a territory. A typical canine territory contains a denlike area and a surrounding area where the dog can hunt for food--in other words, your home and yard. Any "invasion" of this territory sets off alarm bells in the dog's head. "Gotta protect the home turf. Gotta keep the rest of the pack safe."

In the case of the mailcarrier, this scenario is played out daily. The mailcarrier enters the yard and heads for the mailbox, the dog barks and growls, the mailcarrier deposits the mail and leaves. Score: Dog 1, Mailcarrier 0. That's how the dog sees it, anyway. In his mind, he has successfully driven off an intruder.

To put a stop to this behavior, introduce your dog to the mailcarrier so they can get to know each other and become friends. Put your dog on a leash. When the mailcarrier arrives, take the dog out to meet him. Be happy when you make the introduction. If your dog sees that you don't view the mailcarrier as a threat, he will learn that he doesn't have to protect home and hearth against this specific "invader." Give the mailcarrier a treat to give your dog. That should seal the friendship.

Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tail?

"Leave It To Beaver" could easily have featured a pack of dogs as its stars. (Can't you see a Poodle playing the role of June; maybe a German Shepherd as Ward? Wally and the Beav as puppies?) Dogs and their wild cousins live in social groups that are actually much like our own. They are very family oriented and have a highly evolved social structure with distinct rules and ways of communication. One of these ways is the tail wag, which has a variety of meanings, depending on the position and speed of the tail. (We know that the tail wag is a means of communication because dogs wag their tails only at other dogs, people or other animals, never at inanimate objects.)

The most familiar tail wag is a broad, medium to fast sweeping motion. Boy, is this dog happy to see you! He is showing the proper greeting given to the pack's top dog--in this case, you--indicating happiness and submission. The faster the tail, the more excited the dog.

Tail position can also telegraph interest, challenge, dominance, confidence, relaxation, fright, confusion or aggression. A tail that is mostly horizontal but not stiff is usually attached to a dog that would like to find out more about you. He's interested but not yet challenging or aggressive. When the tail is fully horizontal, a challenge to either another dog or a person is in the offing. The dog that walks around with his tail up but not vertical says, "I'm top dog around here"; the dog that feels confident and in control holds his tail up and over his back.

A tail that is lowered but not between the legs usually belongs to a dog that is relaxed. A frightened or submissive dog tucks his tail between his legs. This is a universal signal in dogdom: "Please don't hurt me!" A dog whose tail wags slowly may be confused; he's not sure whether he should be making friends or on the attack. Watch out for dogs whose tails are bristling; their aggression is showing for all to see. A tail that is held high and stiff, wagging fast, also indicates aggression. An excited tail wag can be combined with aggressive signals at other areas of the body, so don't rely on a wagging tail to determine a dog's friendliness.

Who says dogs can't talk? Anyone who has studied the way a dog's tail wags knows that the canine vocabulary is pretty extensive. You just have to learn the language.

Text Copyright © 1997 by BowTie^TM Press
Illustrations copyright © 1997 by Keith Robinson
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