How to Understand Cats

The cat in history and in literature: From the time in which cat cross in their own elusive way men's path, it is the time the cat crossed in his own cemeteries that were turned into monuments as soon as the merchants introduced them into Greece and Rome, and its value as a rodent hunter was discovered. Since then cats began a triumphant march throughout the world. Cats were considered in every place as something special, the blend of an independent predator and that of a docile and loving character was greatly admired, but then, came the downfall. With the flourishing of superstition near the year of 1200 A.C., the old goddess became an evil creature. Its inscrutable and mysterious character was in some way responsible of their decline in popularity. They were related to pagan rites. During 450 years they were tortured, hanged and burned by millions next to witches and heretics. But this unmerciful hunt was paid with only one bitter remainder. There was no one to stop the rodents, which spread the plague to medieval cities. The cat chasers where killed as well.

But at the beginning of the XVIII century love for cats aroused once again with the contribution of writers. The fascination these creatures exercised over poets and painters has not been relinquished since then. "The ink fountain does not empty when of cats you write" wrote a French bard "possessed" by these cats while another proclaimed with enthusiasm "you have the hearing of a cat to distinguish the voice of an ant from that of a ladybug".

The cat's body: The body of the cat is perfectly gifted to catch little and fast preys. Their agility allows them to slip with concealment and leap over their prey without letting it react. Claws on their feet are used to hold and their sharp teeth to give the finishing bite.

Extremities their powerful leaps are due to their sturdy rear legs. They can jump up to a height that is five times their size. They have a calm and extremely slow way of walking that is compensated with slipping, vertiginous when accelerating, even if the cannot keep that rhythm for long. With the help of their claws they can climb very fast to almost any elevated place. But, on the contrary, when they try to go climb down from a tree they slide down clumsily. That is because their claws are turned backwards, but has to be learned. Young cats have difficulties at first with this action. Who has not read on the newspapers about cats on the top of trees crying because they cannot go down. In case of emergency call the fire department.

Paws: The cat walks on silent soles or cushioned flesh. The rear paws have four flesh cushions with four nails and one big cushioned on the middle each. The front paws have five flesh cushions, five nails, and one big flesh cushion in the middle and one front flesh cushion each. For the front nails to be always an effective weapon, the cat sharpens its claws by scratching. It can also keep them in little bags, this way they are at all times pointed as a needle.

Tail: They use it as an equilibrist uses a bar, for balance. It also tells about the different moods the cat might be in.

Hair: protects the cat against cold, humidity and heat. On summer it is thin and on winter it is thick. Domestic cats show less characteristics. Long hair can be hived by a small muscle and they harden it when excited. The color serves as camouflage, and as a signal of defense, a non relevant fact of domestic cats and other breeds.