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Other aspects of cat behavior that are deemed advantageous for the human-cat bond are cat hygiene (cats are known for good hygiene) [45] and they do not have to be taken outside (use of the litter box). Cats are perfect for smaller spaces, and they have no problems with being left alone for extended periods. [42]
Cats communicate for a variety of reasons, including to show happiness, express anger, solicit attention, and observe potential prey. Additionally, they collaborate, play, and share resources. When cats communicate with humans, they do so to get what they need or want, such as food, water, attention, or play.
The old woman and her cats, 1811 by Samuel Howitt. Women who have cats have long been associated with the concept of spinsterhood, widowhood or even witchcraft. In more recent decades, the concept of a cat lady has been associated with "romance-challenged (often career-oriented) women". [1]
Cats exceeded dogs in number as pets in the United States in 1985 for the first time, in part because the development of cat litter in the mid-20th century eliminated the unpleasantly powerful smell of cat urine. [9] A 2007 Gallup poll reported that men and women in the United States of America were equally likely to own a cat. [10]
It has been postulated that domestic cats can learn to manipulate their owners through vocalizations that are similar to the cries of human babies. Some cats learn to add a purr to the vocalization, which makes it less harmonious and more dissonant to humans, and therefore harder to ignore.
Adult cats rarely meow to each other. Thus, an adult cat meowing to human beings is generally considered a post-domestication extension of meowing by kittens : a call for attention. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Felines usually communicate with each other via their shared sense of smell , yet with people they often make verbal cues around behavior, such as ...
It was also found that some people base a significant portion of their identity around their affinity for either cats or dogs. This builds on the perceived dichotomy between cats and dogs as pets in society. [1] [2] In some cases, the two terms refer to people's self-identification, regardless of what pets they actually own, if any. [3]
Cats have been used as a "lazy visual shorthand" within popular culture to "[signify] clichés about effeminate gay men and lonely lesbian women". [4] The urban myth that lesbians are likely to have cats at home took hold within early lesbian feminism; [1] [5] cats were said to exhibit "spirited feline self-sufficiency" which made them "an essential accoutrement to all lesbian's lives ...