Do you think your cat is just a cute, furry animal sleeping in your home? Think again!
Your domestic tiger is not only adorable but also a savvy defender of you and your home territory.
In this video, you will discover how our feline companions fulfill this important role.
Patrolling at night
Cats who are restless at night and patrol the house often do so because they want to keep an eye on their territory and ensure that no intruders enter your domain.
While it may seem as if the cat is wandering aimlessly, in actuality, they check every corner to ensure everything is in order. As you peacefully lie in your bed, your home is under the watchful eye of your feline friend.
Remember, in the wild, part of a feline's day-to-day activities is to walk around their territory several times. They do this to spread their scent, and to find possible intruders.
Recognizing discomfort
Cats can understand when their owners are sad or anxious through auditory and visual observations. Cats are intuitive and observant who have keen senses, and this allows them to understand emotional cues from humans.
Marking behavior.
Cats have a special way of sending messages through smells. They mark their territory by leaving their scent in different spots.
Whether it's through head rubbing against furniture, scratching trees, or spraying urine,
your cat is trying to tell you or other animals “this territory is mine, Stay away!”
Social Observations
Although many people think of cats as solitary animals, they are very sociable in the right circumstances.
Your cat not only keeps an eye on their territory but also monitors the social dynamics within it.
For example, your cats may be cautious when it comes to new acquaintances, and initially observe them from a distance. This behavior allows them to assess whether the new person or animal could pose a potential threat. Once they feel secure, they might progress to establish closer contact.
However, until then, they remain the secret observers who know exactly what's happening in their territory.
They sleep with you
Have you ever wondered why your cat sleeps near you at night?
Many cats are well aware that they, and their humans, are vulnerable when sleeping.
Sleeping close by is one way to stay safe and protect you, and themselves, should predator launch a nighttime attack
Weather warning system.
Believe it or not, cats can act like a natural weather warning system.
They can pick up on upcoming natural events such as earthquakes or storms.
This incredible ability is due to a cat's keen sense of hearing and smell, along with their high sensitivity to changes in atmospheric pressure, which tends to drop before a storm.
If your cat suddenly becomes restless, meows loudly, or tries to escape, it doesn't hurt to check out the window or the weather forecast and take precautionary measures if needed.
Following you around
You may have noticed that your cat follows you around the house, especially when you use the bathroom. While this behavior may stem from curiosity and a desire to be involved in their human's daily routines, it is also a way for cats to ensure their owner's safety and prevent any potential harm from occurring. This is why they want to follow you when you do activities that could make you vulnerable to harm (like using the bathroom or sleeping). So, the next time your cat tags along, consider it a furry guardian keeping a watchful eye on your safety.
They protect your baby
Cats are intelligent animals and have very strong maternal instincts. They are known to be kind and protective of their own young, and many cats extend this behavior to young children that they consider to be fragile, such as human newborns.
Various behaviors, such as cuddling up next to the newborn, keeping watch while the baby naps, or even hissing or swatting at anybody who approaches too closely, can be used to express this protective tendency.
There are many reported cases of cats protecting their humans from dogs, other cats, and even other humans.
They kill your pests.
Your cat also protects you by killing any nearby vermin (mice, cockroaches, rats, or snakes). This isn’t just for you, of course, and it’s also an instinctive hunting activity for cats.
However, if they have formed a secure attachment with you, your cat will focus these hunting efforts around your shared territory as a protective measure.
They keep you free from diseases
When a cat licks you, it's their way of grooming you to help with your hygiene and protect you from diseases.
Cats also lick you to share their scent through their saliva. This marks you as part of their family! That way when you come into the house or enter a room, they can smell that you are safe and trustworthy even before they see you.
Of course, licking is also a cat's way of expressing affection and love towards you.
