Relaxed sleep or terrified pretend sleep - educating humans.

 

Humans cannot read our body language, so they often fail to recognise when we are fully relaxed. True relaxation shows in the way our bodies look when we are truly sleeping (without even one eye open). 

If we are warm, we sleep stretched out - limb relaxed (not ready for action), belly visible, head on the carpet. The body is lying to one side. 

Or, if it is cold, we are likely to find a place where we can sleep curled up.

This looks different but is much the same. The legs are still relaxed (not ready for action) only this time they are closer together and the tail is wrapped round them to keep body warmth in.

The head is still limp - in the second video it is resting on the paw and the side of the cat tree.

The video below shows a stressed out cat pretending to sleep. Her legs are tucked under the body ready for her to spring into action and run away. Her eyes occasionally squint open a little bit. Her back is arched and her head is not limp. 

This is a very frightened cat. Would your human recognise this pretend sleep?

 

Eyeballing the slow blink - what does it mean?

 

We cats don't much like being stared at by strangers. Worse still is being stared at by an enemy. The direct gaze can make us feel uneasy.

But sometimes the direct gaze between humans and cats is different. This is when we feel completely safe with a human, who is our pet.

We gaze and we do a slow blink. Just to show that our gaze isn't aggressive. It is loving...

And after the blink, we don't turn away or stop gazing. We continue to gaze with confidence and affection. 

So, humans, if you get a slow blink from your cat, you know that she loves you and she feels completely safe with you.

Congratulations. You have become the perfect pet for a loving cat.

 

The playlist of what cats are saying is on my Youtube channel under Celia's name is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMH0Q-3hEcw&list=PLnwXtI1uuo884ABEOTorPYZNnIeTh04pV 

Am I an international cat?

 Last Friday was International Cat Day, according to International Cat Care. I began to wonder if I was an international cat? Or just a cat? Or a European cat?

As a British blue pedigree, it is obvious to me that I am British. But does this stop me being International too? I hope not.

I have done my best to be international. I have tried to educate humans, wherever they may be with this blog. Is this enough to make me International. I am still not sure.

Another thought? Purrhaps all we cats are international. After all, if I was transported to China, I would be able to talk to other cats without having to learn a new language. (It's only stupid humans that use different languages according to where they live!)

So I came to this conclusion. I am International because ALL cats are International
 

Eyeballing - the stare that says "Don't come closer."

When I meet a cat I don't know, I usually stop and stare. So does he. We can learn a lot by this simple eyeballing.

If he is in my territory, he will often be slightly uneasy. So instead of keeping eye contact, he will turn his head away to one side. He may even begin to retreat.

Then I feel as if I have won! It's a good feeling. 

But sometimes these staring matches can go on for a long time. So I just sit there and stare and stare and stare.

Of course, if I am intruding into his space, l may be the one that has to break off eye contact. I don't feel very happy about this, but it is a contest which is both silent (no cat yowling) and safe (no fights).

By the staring contest, we can both keep our dignity and stay w don't have to fight.