Cats are curious, independent creatures, and one of the first thing a cat lover’s got to accept is that it will do things us mere humans can never hope to understand! Like why, of all the chairs in the house, they will want to sit on our favorite one. Or, given that the chair is free, they would rather lie down on our computer keyboard. But here are a few simple explanations for the most common cat behaviors.
1. Crying in the middle of the night
It’s been generations since the housecat has had to do anything more predatory than pounce on an errant ball of yarn, but that hunter instinct is hard to kick. That’s why, when the summer starts, many cats start yowling and howling in the middle of the night. It’s his way of insisting that you let him out, so he can hunt—even if both you and I know that he’s not going to find anything out there on the lawn except a soccer ball and the neighbor’s garden gnomes. Some cats will yowl for food, because in the domestic cat’s brain, ‘hunting’ is ‘waking up the humans for my Whiskas.’
So what can pet owners do? Unfortately the best thing is to ignore it, as rewarding your car for these 3 am wakeup calls will only reinforce the behavior. Just stick to your typical feeding schedule.
2. Rolling on the floor
This is generally a bid for attention. Figure out when your cat usually does this. Is it when you start dressing up for work, or when you sit down in front of the TV after a long day? Just like rubbing itself on your leg or pawing on the carpet, your cat is trying to say, ‘Hey, what about some quality time?’ Really smart cats will do this when you’re most distracted, or about to go out—because, that’s when you’re most likely to feel guilty and do something like pet him and give him a cat treat.
3. Why Do Many Cats Meow Incessantly?
Some breeds, such as the Siamese, are more likely to be noisier and vocal. You just have to consider that when you choose the best cat breed for you and your family. However, if your typically ‘soft spoken’ cat is suddenly meowling incessantly, then it might be sick or in pain. Your owner’s instinct will let you know if it’s just a cat quirk or ifhe needs to see a vet, particularly if his meowing is also accompanied by other unusual behavior.