SecurePet Pet Sitter Services of Wimberley, Texas Presents: Cats are Funny!

As a pet sitter in the Wimberley, Texas area and as an avid cat lover I have throughout the years discovered many marvelous things about the feline. For one thing they have a language all their own. I am not talking about vocalization, although that is interesting too, but their body language.

Unlike dogs, when a cat wags its tail it is NOT happy. However, there are exceptions. One recent exception to that rule is a handsome boy named Bartholomew. He was a feral cat that decided to take up residence near our home. Now, he lives in the house and snoozes with us whenever he gets the chance. He “wags” his tail whenever he approaches me for affection or whenever he walks towards me in greeting. His tail wag is definitely an outward display of an inward happiness. It may have begun as a nervous state of agitation but it is now a habit that means joy.

Another strange thing about cats is that their purr may NOT be an indicator that they are happy. Some cats actually have a nervous purr that they will shift into whenever they are visiting the veterinarian’s office. Other cats actually purr when they are in pain. This explains why some mother cats purr when they are in labor.

Cats also display emotions with their tails. An upright, twelve o’clock position tail, reveals a happy, confident cat. A tail that is in the downward position indicates an unsure, cautious, or unhappy state. When a cat is enjoying its food the tail will be held a fraction of an inch from the floor or counter top.

If you observe a group of felines together you will notice that there is a distinct ranking among them. One way to determine status is again by noting tail position. The cat walking around with an upright tail held in an “s” shape has superior status. While the cat with the drooping tail is of low status.

And don’t let anyone tell you that cats are not group or social animals. Not true. Cats are actually very social and enjoy each others company. A study of the feral cat population in Naples, Italy indicated that female cats share “babysitting” duties with each other while a mother hunts. This project also revealed a sensitive, hierarchy of group cat behavior that centered around the preservation of the next generation.

One more thing, cats have a decided sweet tooth. So look out for your cake or donuts. We had one cat that could smell a glazed donut from three rooms away. He’d come lopping through the hall, picking up speed as he went, and crash land into our laps. Now we realized it wasn’t good for him, but who could resist that sweet face?

SecurePet Pet Sitter Services is located in Wimberley, Texas and provides pet sitting care for all types of animals: ranch animals, dogs, cats, birds, reptiles (but not gators!) and amphibians. We specialize in pets with special needs. This full-service pet sitting company will ensure that all your pets receive the best of care while you are away on business or pleasure.