Pets and Their Humans
Domesticated animals have evolved to make their desires known
Act of spite? Other behaviors and intentions can be easily misunderstood as well, says Kim Barry, an animal behaviorist in Austin, Texas. Urinating in the house, for example, is often thought to be a spiteful act of vengeance on the part of both cats and dogs. "I really don't think a cat or dog understands that if they urinate on something or chew it, that it will be ruined," says Barry. "I just don't think it is in their awareness."
But owners who come home to a soiled bed or carpet often do believe it to be an expression of animal anger. In his book, Is Your Cat Crazy?, John Wright, an animal behaviorist, describes a cat owner who insists that his cat sprays on his suitcase whenever he returns from traveling because the cat "hates it" when its owner is away from home. Wright says this is "too complicated a thought process" for a cat and that more likely the animal is responding to the new smells brought into the house from the recently traveled luggage. But sometimes it may be that the cat is, in fact, shaken by an owner's absence. "It could be a form of separation anxiety," says Katherine Houpt, professor and director of the animal behavior clinic at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. "You should feel flattered that the cat only feels safe in your presence."
Despite their reputation as cold and aloof, cats do exhibit much of the same owner attachment as dogs. Marianne Merritt, a lawyer in Alexandria, Va., says her cat, Grover, whom she describes as "quiet, elegant, and sweet," wailed uncontrollably when he thought she had abandoned him when she moved. "I thought I would leave him behind for a few days until I got settled," she says. "But he yelled and yelled until I went back for him." The cat was happy in the apartment with all of the boxes, she says. "He just wanted to be with me."
Kittens who are socialized during the "sensitive formative period"--between two and seven weeks old--learn to be affectionate, says Wright. Cats are less domesticated than dogs, and if left alone in the early months can revert to a more wild and unfriendly state. But cats that are petted, talked to, and played with by humans are likely to bond with their owners. Pasha's Chris Behrens says that his cat Orangina frequently talks to him. "I don't know what she's trying to say, but she just wants to talk," he says. "And if I pay attention to her, she will keep on talking." In addition to this kind of conversing, there can be purring, rubbing, and lap sitting, all signs of contentment and affection, Wright says.
But even homebody cats retain a killer instinct. Descended from the African wildcat, house cats inherit predatory hard-wiring in their brains. Successful hunters will often bring a fallen mouse or bird into the house, which owners sometimes interpret as a gift. "Maybe the cat wants to share it with the family," as a mother cat would bring a recent kill back to the litter, says Wright. "Or maybe the cat is bringing it home as something to play with." Chatty Orangina recently caught and killed a bird, which she ate in front of Behrens while sitting on the dining room table.
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