Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 8/28/84; site lll-crg.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!Glacier!well!ptsfa!dual!lll-crg!booter
From: booter@lll-crg.UUCP (Elaine Richards)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Re: The six senses of a cat
Message-ID: <875@lll-crg.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 30-Sep-85 00:43:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: lll-crg.875
Posted: Mon Sep 30 00:43:33 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 2-Oct-85 20:45:41 EDT
References: <160@cadsys.UUCP>
Reply-To: booter@lll-crg.UUCP (Elaine Richards)
Organization: Lawrence Livermore Labs, CRG
Lines: 38

In article <160@cadsys.UUCP> ekwok@cadsys.UUCP (Edward C. Kwok) writes:
>I am very interested in how other mammals' perception of the world
>differ from ours. In particular, that of the cat, since I have one whose
etc...

>P.S. This may sound utterly stupid - but, does any one knows if cats
>communicate, besides body-language, among themselves? 


Cats see moving objects. There is a common belief that they do not perceive
stationary objects. I think they are stubborn and refuse to acnowledge things
that are not opening cans or offering a good scritch behind the ears. They
hear everything. They have superior hearing to humans in every way. I doubt
they see colors like the higher primates do.

Cat communication. Smell. That is why toms spray. Kitty sniffs your shoes
when you come home to assess what kind of day you had. (Hmmm...out with 
another kitty, the gigolo!). This is how they tell each other's gender.
They can tell if a cat is a neuter or a kitten.

Sight. Cats have very definite facial expressions. Ears cocked back when angry.
Closed (or half closed) eyes when happy. Haloween Cat body language when scaredd
or for kittens, when at play.

Sound. Ever hear a queen (female) in heat? YOWWWW YOWEEE PRUUT? WANG!!
Ever hear her lover on the other side of the screen ? YANG OWWWW!!!!
They hiss, spit and purr, too.

With humans, they come into your bedroom at the crack of dawn,leap into
the bed and casually stroll across your tender ticklish spots. They have
this casual 'Oh, I didn't know YOU were here look'. They think we really
believe they cannot see stationary objects. 

Anyway, I could go on forever. Enjoy your new kitty. It will give you
many amusing anecdotes.

E
*****