Seven Weird Cat Behaviors Explained

(PET CARE) All animals do some pretty strange things, human animals included, but cats take the prize for bizarre antics. From elevator butts to head bonks to kneading your lap, find out what your pet cat’s odd behaviour means. — Global Animal
Paw Nation, Amy D. Shojai
We love our cats but don’t always understand their seemingly bizarre behaviours. Sure, some things our cats do are unique to them but other actions are shared by felines the world over. Here are seven weird cat behaviors, and what they mean.

Head bonks. The first three months I had my cat, her head turned pink from head-bonking my lipstick. Rubbing behavior, which includes the forehead, cheeks, and full-body slams, is called bunting, and it transfers the cat’s signature smell onto objects to mark territory. That means head bonks are kitty compliments declaring you to be so important, he’s marked you as his personal property.

Elevator butt. You’ve probably seen many cats perform an “elevator butt” pose with their front-end down and tail flagged high. In some instances, it is the equivalent of offering to shake hands as felines sniff each other’s anal areas to say howdy. When your cat jumps into your lap, turns around and raises its tail, he or she is offering you the not-so-pleasant invitation to scratch that hard-to-reach itchy spot at the base of the tail. Intact female cats also do the elevator butt posture to entice male cats to get romantic!

Phone frenzy. Many cats come running when owners talk on the phone and they pester and meow like they want in on the conversation. What gives? Your cat sees you talking and since there is no one else there, thinks that you must be talking to them. Also, without realizing it, you may be rewarding that behaviour by stroking the cat while you are sitting and talking on the phone, which encourages your kitty to come running next time the phone rings.

Flipping. Why do cats throw themselves onto the ground at your feet and flip back and forth? Sure, sometimes it is because a cat is under the influence of catnip but more often, rolling back and forth places a cat in a vulnerable position, and is a way for cats to request attention. If you you grant the kitty’s wish and fuss over it, your cat knows to do this again the next time he wants your love.

Covering poo. Owners take for granted that all cats naturally choose to cover potty deposits but this isn’t the case. Some cats — especially unowned roaming felines — may not cover at all as uncovered feces can announce who owns the territory. Some indoor cats also want their potty graffiti seen and admired by the other cats or humans. Though is mom-cat is fastidious about covering her mess, her kittens will copy-cat the behaviour.

Kneading. There are many names for this common rhythmic paw-pushing kitty behaviour — treading, making bread, even “pawtycake.” But one thing is clear, the behavior takes hold when felines are very young, as kittens knead against mom-cat’s breasts to stimulate milk flow. When adult cats knead, it generally reflects deep contentment and safety, and yes — love. Cats typically target soft objects such as fuzzy blankets, pillows, or a beloved owner’s lap.

Privacy issues. Why do some cats immediately seek out their humans the minute they head into the bathroom? First, a closed door is a challenge and an affront to a curious cat which is one reason why you’ll see furry paws reaching under the door or cats racing to join their people in the bathroom. More importantly, the bathroom gives cats a captive audience as people glued to the facilities aren’t able to move away.
http://www.pawnation.com/2011/04/13/7-weird-cat-behaviors-and-what-they-mean/

How to take care of a cat

Cats are one of the most popular pets for many pet lovers. This may be due to their playful personalities, affectionate behaviour or adorable appearance. However, aside from being cute, cats do require proper care in order to stay healthy and content. Here are some general cat care tips that will help you learn how to take care of a cat.

Feeding

Choosing your cat’s food is one of the most important decisions you can make regarding your cat’s health. There are many different cat food formulas available on the market today, which all may advertise as being the right type of diet for your cat. However, when choosing a cat food, it’s essential that you do not choose based on price alone. Low-quality cat food formulas can be very harmful to your cat’s health, resulting in expensive veterinary bills. Never feed your cat a formula that is corn-based, or that contains a high percentage of simple carbohydrates. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means that they will thrive when given a diet rich in meat-derived protein. A quick way to evaluate a cat food formula is to read the first five ingredients, which make up the bulk of the formula. For cats, it’s recommended that at least three or four of the first five ingredients are protein-based.
Toys
Cats are interactive animals, and will require constant entertainment in order to remain happy. There are many great cat toys available for purchase at many pet stores, which can help keep your cat entertained. If you are unsure of what type of toy to purchase, you may also simply purchase some catnip, which can be used to stuff homemade toys or cloth balls for your cat.

Veterinary care is incredibly important for cats, especially since many cats can develop serious health conditions. It’s best to keep up to date on your cat’s vaccinations, and have a checkup at least once every two months.

Litter box training a cat is fairly simple, since most cats have an instinctual desire to bury their waste. Place your cat’s litter box in a private area, where any residual odour will not bother the other members of your household. It’s recommended that you clean your cat’s litter box once per day, with a complete replacement of the litter in the box about once per week. You may also want to disinfect the box with a non-toxic cleaner to help control odour.

Taxi tale of tail from Spain

Every London cabbie has a story, and John Jupp’s is a little different from most. Not long ago a regular client asked if he allowed dogs in his taxi. John answered yes, and so began one of the longest and strangest fares of his career.

Newslite reports his lady client wanted the cabbie to pick up her dog. The only unusual thing about the request was that the Labrador was in the Spanish capital, Madrid.

John took a ferry to Santander in Northern Spain, and then drove to Madrid. After picking up the pampered pooch it was a 16 hour journey back to London.

John and his client haven’t discussed how much the round trip cost, but let’s hope he got a good tip at the end of it.

http://rt.com/art-and-culture/news/taxi-spain-dog-client-789/

Travel to London with your pet this Xmas?

Thinking of travelling to London with your darling pet? Now that would be a trip to organise! The right documents, the correct vaccinations, many would be discouraged by the logistics. But not you, 'cause you're smart, you ask us, and we guide you through the process; arrange a door to door service, including collection and airport delivery, flight and freight arrangement for both you and pet, meet and greet at the airport, verification of your pet's documents, we'll even find a pet friendly hotel. We take care of the details while you concentrate on the shopping.

Somerset House, The Strand, London

Contact us now for a tailor made solution for you and your pets this Christmas :-)

About Rex Express

About REX

With a transport industry growing at 200% per year, the animal world suffers from a lack of laws which have an effect on proper care during transit. Our philosophy and determination is improving on and adding to existing procedures. The core business of Rex Express is the transportation of animals and ensuring their transition is as smooth as possible.


Ethics in any business is a powerful subject for debate. REX entered the field of animal transport for specific reasons.

The animal world is intricately intertwined with the human species. Every action we take against nature has a reaction in the animal kingdom and every action the animal makes has a direct impact on our life.

Over the Pacific, an area hit by the "Global Warming" which changed the temperature by just 1 degree. That degree eradicated the plankton that certain types of fish feed on. No fish means no food or business for the local fisherman. These changes show how our lives can really benefit by learning how to protect the living creatures of this planet and thus ourselves.

To better understand is to be better informed. Collecting information is vital and we combine the data with our ever widening experience of transporting animals; noting and observing positive and negative effects during transit. This flexible approach allows us to adapt to the needs of each creature in our care.

REX develops this concept to constantly update our knowledge and experience in order to be in a better position to change attitudes. We follow regulations to the letter and work to create new regulations regarding care in transit and displacement effects which are our primary objectives.


What we do know is that it will be better for any animal to travel with us than in the cargo hold of any airline or trucking service whose core business is not animal transport.