Category: Cats

Everything you always wanted to know about cats, but never dared asking.

EP. 14: ARE CATS JEALOUS? HERE’S HOW TO FIND OUT.

On By AlessandraIn Cat Myths Debunked, Cats, Uncategorized, Wolfram "Morsy" Chettoh

Introduction

Are cats jealous? If you never lived with a cat you’ll likely answer no, but most cat owners say otherwise.

My cat, Chettoh (see this previous post) recently got a rival. After more than fourteen years as an only son, he now has to compete with another cat, a seventeen-year-old Siamese I inherited from my sister after she moved from a large house to a smaller apartment and couldn’t keep him any longer. Napo (short for Napoleon, like the XVIII century French emperor) is a tame, affectionate, lovely feline—quite the opposite of my Chettoh. My cat, since infancy, has always been an aloof, mistrustful little thug. This doesn’t mean I don’t love him. Quite the opposite. However, his supposed coolness quickly evaporated when he smelled the scent of another cat on his human mom (N.B.! Napo doesn’t live with Chettoh and me, yet. He’s still at my parents’ place, where my sister stored most of her discarded items – well, yes, Napo is one of them – but I visit every day to take care of him.)

When Chettoh started his jealous behavior, I wasn’t aware of it at first. He had always been a stereotypical cat, seeking human contact only when it was time for nourishment or physical warmth. Soon, however, unusual events became more and more frequent, for example: potty accidents, like using the floor instead of the litter box (previously, Chettoh had been a relatively clean and tidy cat), further aloofness coupled with being loud and demanding (Chettoh always preferred to isolate himself during most of the day, sleeping 80% of the time, but after he sensed the presence of another cat in my life, he alternated meowing obsessively for food and cuddles, with long periods of not acknowledging my existence or, if he did, avoiding eye contact.) (N.B.! Some information in this paragraph has been inspired by: Cats – PetHelpful).

However, can a cat really be jealous of a human? Or am I projecting a human behavior on what could simply be multiple signs of cat’s aging brain? As I said above, and in this previous post, Chettoh is now almost fifteen; in human terms he’s an octogenarian; definitely a senior.

In other words, does a non-human brain need a minimum level of intelligence to experience human-like feelings?

Fig.1: Wolfram “Wolfie” Chettoh. Image made by the author with Midjourney AI.

How Smart Are Cats?

What is the scientific evidence that cats are clever?

  1. Cats have a brain that is about 90% similar to humans, with a complex surface folding pattern that increases the surface area and the number of nerve cells;
  2. Cats also have more cortical neurons than dogs, which suggests that they have greater information-processing capacity;
  3. Cats can learn observation and imitation, solve puzzles, manipulate objects, use tools, and communicate with humans using vocalizations and body language;
  4. Cats can recognize their names, distinguish human facial expressions, and remember events for up to 16 hours;
  5. Cats are not as social as dogs, but they can form complex relationships with other cats and humans based on mutual trust and respect;
  6. Cats have different types of intelligence, such as spatial intelligence (cats with significant spatial intelligence are good at finding their way home from great distances. There are famous stories of cats who were lost or abandoned hundreds of miles from their owners’ places and successfully found their way back months or even years later). Other cats may excel at interpersonal intelligence (cats who form powerful bonds with their human parent, like the ones who mourn on their owner’s grave), intrapersonal intelligence (the hardest to measure: who knows what goes on in the mind of another sentient being, let alone a cat?), musical intelligence (my cat Chettoh, see previous posts, probably isn’t much endowed with this one, because he hates when I stream any music on my phone), and linguistic intelligence (some cats can mold their “meowing” into an astonishing variety of sounds and pitches to make themselves understood by their “dumb” humans.) (From: How Intelligent Are Cats? Science Has an Answer – Cats.com).

So, do cats get jealous?

Fig. 2: A young kitten in the Sonoran Desert. Image made by the author with Midjourney AI.

Cats can experience jealousy to a certain degree. While jealousy is a complex emotion for humans, it’s a bit more simple for cats. Our feline friends live in the moment, so when we think they’re experiencing jealousy, it’s more likely they’re merely coveting something, whether it’s an object or a certain treatment. In contrast, humans feel jealous when we start to ruminate on the point of contention. Still, cat jealousy is very real.

Cats that are brought up and nurtured within a family are much more social. Their interactions far surpass the feeding and physical comfort stage. They are a part of the family, and they begin to act like any household member. Any upset to their balance can cause anger, jealousy and hurt.

There is some evidence suggesting that cats may indeed experience jealousy.

For example, cats may display aggressive or attention-seeking behaviors when they perceive a threat to their owner’s attention or affection. Cats have a highly developed sense of smell, and they can detect the presence of other cats on their owner’s clothes or body. This can trigger feelings of jealousy or insecurity in some cats, leading to changes in behavior. Some cats can become clingy or needy or intrude in your personal space when you are busy or occupied with something else. However, cats are complex creatures, and their behaviors can be influenced by various factors, including their personalities, past experiences, and overall environment. As a result, cats can show signs of jealousy in subtle or obvious ways.

Common signs of jealousy in cats.

  • They are blocking access to furniture or doorways.
    Anecdotal Evidence: my cat Chettoh, even when he wasn’t competing with another cat, always tried to grab my attention, for example, lying sideways across the hallway or blocking access to the bathroom or the entrance/exit door.
  • They make eye contact with a person or animal they dislike.
    No direct evidence for this. Napo, my other cat, doesn’t live in the same place as Chettoh, even though they both know about each other’s existence from the odorous clues each of them leaves on my hands and clothes;
  • They rub on everything their competitor has touched.
    Chettoh has been rubbing on my ankles much more since I began caring for Napo. Also, he’s taken up the habit of jumping on the table where I’m preparing dinner not just to solicit food but to offer his head for cuddles;
  • They solicit attention but then bite or scratch when petted.
    Anecdotal Evidence: this is typical Chettoh behavior. Oftentimes, my cat meows insistently, without apparent purpose. He doesn’t want food or drink, and isn’t sick either. Occasionally, he even tricks me into thinking he wants to play. However, when I approach him, if I’m slow to guess his real intentions, I may feel his inch-long fangs on my hand;
  • They bite or scratch when someone tries to move them away from something they want.
    Anecdotal Evidence: Like most animals, Chettoh is interested in everything that moves because it might be prey. Whenever something falls to the ground, he jumps at full speed to check, eat, or play with it. One day, I was frantically typing on my PC. When the mouse slipped from my hand and landed under a table, I tried to retrieve it, but Chettoh beat me to it. Before I realized it, he’d bitten and scratched my left hand so hard it got infected. Although my doctor prescribed antibiotics and an anti-tetanus injection, it took me nearly a month to recover;
  • They groom excessively.
    Anecdotal Evidence: Chettoh spends 80% of his time napping. The remaining 20% is divided between grooming (18%) and (2%) watching me while I’m eating or working. As is normal for healthy cats, Chettoh is quite clean. Lately, however, his grooming has turned excessive, so much so that the fur on his rear parts isn’t so thick anymore, and completely missing in some areas;
  • They lose their appetite.
    Chettoh has always been a picky eater. There is no way of having him eat cheap food, as he’ll only nibble at top quality kibbles. I’ve always blamed this to his only son status. When there are several cats in a home, they usually gulp whatever they find in their bowls, for fear that a rival might eat it first. Since he’s detected Napo’s scent on myself, however, Chettoh barely touches his food.

(N.B.! Some of the information in the list above has been taken from: Cats – Parade Pets).

How to prevent and temper cat jealousy.

Fig. 3: Wolfram “Wolfie” Chettoh, my cat, in an image inspired by Edward Hopper’s art. Made by the author with Midjourney AI.

Cat jealousy can be hard to prevent, but there are some ways to reduce the chances of triggering it or to deal with it when it happens. Here are some practical tips on how to make a cat feel more secure and happy in its environment:

  1. Determine the trigger of your cat’s jealousy and try to eliminate or minimize it as much as possible. For example, if your cat is jealous of a new pet, introduce it gradually and carefully, making sure your cat doesn’t feel left out or replaced. Give your cat plenty of attention and praise when it behaves well;
  2. Give your cat enough personal space and resources not to share or compete with others. If you own more than one cat, provide them multiple litter boxes, food bowls, water bowls, toys, scratching posts, beds, hiding places, etc. Make sure that each cat has its own designated area where it can feel safe and comfortable;
  3. Teach your cat to accept and tolerate others using positive reinforcement techniques such as treats, toys, play, and affection;
    IMPORTANT: avoid punishing or scolding your cat for showing signs of jealousy, as this can make it more anxious and resentful. Instead, reward it for being calm and friendly around others;
  4. Spending quality time with your cat daily gives them your undivided attention and love. Play with it, cuddle with it, talk to it, groom it, and make it feel special and appreciated. This will help to strengthen your bond and reduce the cat’s insecurity and jealousy.

(N.B.! Some of the above mentioned remedies against cat jealousy are taken from: Do Cats Get Jealous? | PetMD).

Conclusion

Cats are amazing animals that have a lot of intelligence and emotions. They can also get jealous when they feel that their territory or relationship is being threatened by someone or something else. This can cause them to act out in harmful ways. However, there are ways to prevent and temper cat jealousy by understanding the causes, recognizing the signs, and providing the best care and environment for your cat. By doing so, you can ensure that your cat is happy and healthy and that you have a harmonious relationship with it.

EP. 10: HOW TO TALK TO YOUR GENIUS CAT

On By AlessandraIn Cats, Wolfram "Morsy" Chettoh

Some experts (for example, Kalla J. Knopman in the already mentioned How to Measure  Your Cat’s IQ) say we shouldn’t talk “human” to cats. Instead, we should try to imitate their language so that they, in turn, can imitate us.

My experience with Wolfram Chettoh, whom I’ve owned for more than thirteen years, tells a different story. Cats have no problem understanding our language. Sometimes they may ignore us, but it’s almost always a pretense. So, there is no need to make ourselves ridiculous with pitiful attempts at feline language. Cats will usually act disgusted and annoyed when not outright scared.

Indeed, devilish genius cats can choose several ways to communicate with humans.

Wolfie Chettoh can do the following:

VERBAL COMMUNICATION:

(1) meowing:

Figure 1: Wolfie “Morsy” Chettoh in August 2018. Photo by the author.

This is standard cat talk. However, Chettoh seldom meows, with rare exceptions. When he was a kitten, Chettoh used soft meowing for whatever necessity. Then, his communication techniques began to diversify as his cognitive function evolved.

(2) complaining:

Figure 2: Wolfie “Morsy” Chettoh in July 2011. Photo by the author.

This is a long, high-pitched lament. Chettoh complains when he fears I might forget about him. It happens either when I come home after a long day at work, and I’m not fast enough to take care of his needs before anything else or when I’m about to leave. Chettoh always knows when I’m getting ready for work (see the previous post). Other occasions to complain are when I’m doing something stupid and pointless (from a cat’s point of view), like trying to fix a bathroom leak or another emergency around the house. Chettoh doesn’t like intense noises, like hammering on something or vacuum-cleaning.

A variant of the complaint sound is the “hurry up” call. This is a fast, impatient “meow,” telling you to get a move on when filling Chettoh’s bowl.

(3) chirping:

Figure 3: Wolfie “Morsy” Chettoh in July 2012. Photo by the author.

A deep, short rumble is Chettoh’s way of thanking you. Most of the time, Chettoh is a well-behaved cat, so he’ll say “thank you”  when you feed him, stroke his head, or indulge him, like when he wants me to pick up and carry him to his food bowl. In general, Chettoh chirps to greet you when he wakes up after one of his frequent naps.

(4) growling:

Figure 4: Wolfie “Morsy” Chettoh in April 2020. Photo by the author.

Chettoh seldom growls, but when he’s distraught. As I explained in the previous posts, he’s been my favorite pet for thirteen years. During this time, we only had a few fights, most of which can be attributed to my (often) limited understanding of a cat’s personality and behavior. For example, I thought I’d lost my precious iPhone a couple of years ago. Before I found out I’d forgotten it in a restaurant, I was so upset that I began muttering: “Oh my goodness! Where is the f… phone? What am I going to do? My phone! Oh no, I lost my phone!” And so on. Now, cats are good judges of human moods. Chettoh, in particular, immediately understands when I’m annoyed, even from rooms away. The only problem is that he usually thinks I’m angry AT HIM. Consequently, before I turn aggressive (I wouldn’t, but that’s what his predator mind tells him), he hits first. Before fully grasping what was going on, I realized the growling little monster had sunk his teeth and claws into my right shin.

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION:

(5) purring:

As a kitten, Chettoh seldom purred. Only when I picked him up, and he wanted to show his harmlessness, did he display this most peculiar cat behavior. Getting older and more socially clever, Chettoh purrs much more often. For example, he purrs when he greets me after work, when he’s eating, when he lies on my computer keyboard (and I’m trying to use it) when my friends come to visit, and they want to cuddle him, and also when I’m sad, and he wants to cheer me up. However, as most cat owners know, cats purr not only when they are happy or friendly. Some cats will purr when sick or aching, like a she-cat I used to have as a teenager, who softly purred right until she died (probably from eating poisoned food).

Figure 5: Wolfie “Morsy” Chettoh in June 2019. Photo by the author.

(6) twitching the tail:

Figure 6: Wolfie “Morsy” Chettoh in October 2022. Photo by the author.

Like most adult cats, Chettoh “speaks” a lot with his tail. This happens when he is happy (vertical, parading tail) or angry (low, left-to-right, fast swishing tail). Indeed, a sure indicator that a cat is about to attack is the rapid movement of its tail. This happened on the occasion I told above. However, I didn’t know my kitty enough at the time to catch the red flag. Chettoh also uses his tail when he’s too lazy to meow. For example, when Chettoh is pretending to sleep next to where I’m working at home, if I ask him a question like: “Did you eat your food?” or: “Would you like some more food?” he twitches his tail twice. Of course, if the question is, “Did you make that mess in the carpet?” he puts on his “Sleeping Furry Beauty” act, worthy of an Academy Award. Sometimes, Chettoh uses his tail to express curiosity. When he’s investigating a strange noise, for instance, or trying a new kind of food, he shapes his tail like a question mark.

(7) rubbing the head on your leg, ankle, or a nearby object:

Apart from the usual rubbing against your ankles, which many cats use to transfer their scent and claim you as “property,” grown cats may use this kind of non-verbal communication for more complex reasons. Lately, for example, Chettoh has adopted what I call the “Muttley talk,”  from the name of the dog character in the 70s Hanna-Barbera Productions TV series Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines. In that funny cartoon, Muttley, the dog, used to point at his chest to ask for a medal. Similarly, when Chettoh wants to be stroked, he first jumps on the nearby tallest spot, then rubs his head on something and repeatedly points at it with his right paw.

Figure 7: Wolfie “Morsy” Chettoh in November 2022. Photo by the author.

Rating Chettoh’s non-verbal communication:

According to Kalla J. Knopman’s Measure Your Cat’s IQ,

(a) “if your cat has a unique way of expressing itself […], give kitty 5 points.”

       As explained above, Chettoh has many peculiar ways to express himself, like the “Muttley Talk,” so I’ll award him five points;

(b) “Give 3 points if the kitty meows to get your attention when another cat or human does something wrong.”

       Chettoh doesn’t meet many people, so when he meows at someone, that’s usually me. Three more points to Chettoh, then.

EP. 7: CATS AND SYMBOLS. DO THEY REALLY GET THEM?

On By AlessandraIn Cats, Wolfram "Morsy" Chettoh

Does Wolfie Chettoh understand symbols? The answer is yes, if you consider a sad Covid face mask a symbol.

Let’s consider Stage 2: Preoperational Stage test, or ‘the subject learns to understand images and symbols’ (I took this terminology from Calla H. Knopman’s Measure Your Cat’s IQ.)

Wolfram Chettoh hates being alone. Although he pretends aloofness, wherever I go, he follows. According to cat psychologists, an explanation for this behavior might be that cats see humans as parental figures who take care of their needs. So, Chettoh is just afraid that in case of a sudden urge (to eat, drink, or be cuddled), his foster mum might not be around to satisfy it.
When I’m working at my desk, he’s pretending to sleep nearby. I say ‘pretending’ because he’s actually keeping tabs on me. If I move to another room for just a few minutes, he waits for me to come back; if it takes longer, he joins me: to the kitchen to be taken care of before anything else, or to the bathroom, to sleep on the sink while I’m doing whatever I’m doing. Not to the bedroom, though. The bedroom is off-limits for Chettoh. For years, I let him sleep at the foot of the bed. Then I realized that when I was gone, he immediately relocated to my pillow. Once I got fed up with having to remove a layer of black hair before sleeping, I shut the culprit out.
But what Chettoh hates the most is when I leave home for longer. Having been my devilish pet for twelve years, he learned my habits well. He knows, for example, that on weekdays I’m out for work from about 7:30 AM until 4:00 PM. He’s also aware that on Sunday nights, I usually go out for pizza with friends. So, he gets nervous whenever I don’t follow the usual routine.
For example, if I suddenly change my slippers for a pair of shoes and – in Covid times – put on a face mask, Chettoh rightly understands I’m about to leave. In this case, he waits for me by his food bowl, which happens to be near the main entrance, and demands (with loud, heartbreaking meows) an extra supply of kibbles and cuddles.

EP. 4: HOW TO MEASURE YOUR CAT’S INTELLIGENCE

On By AlessandraIn Cats, Wolfram "Morsy" Chettoh1 Comment

Cat’s intelligence has long fascinated pet owners and researchers alike. The latest scientific findings shed light on various aspects of feline cleverness, allowing us to appreciate their unique abilities. Measuring the intelligence of cats involves assessing their cognitive abilities and problem-solving skills. One standard marker of cat intelligence is their ability to adapt to new environments and learn from experiences.

I had my cat Chettoh take a challenging test to assess his IQ (which I suspect must be way above the feline average). I found this test in Calla H. Knopman’s book Measure Your Cat’s IQ, which I mentioned in a previous post.

The Cats as Analytical Beings Test comprises four stages, each harder than the previous one. Depending on a given step’s outcome, a devilish genius like my Chettoh can either improve his entry score (5 points) or subtract from it.

Stage 1: Sensorimotor test, a.k.a. ‘out of sight, out of mind test.’

The aim is to test the cat’s ability to understand object permanence.

According to the book, one must:

“[…] Show the kitty a toy and keep their attention by playing with it. Then hide the toy behind your back or someplace out of sight and see if your cat finds it. Kittens and young children would have no idea what happened to their toys. [However], most adult cats immediately go behind your back to retrieve the toy, wondering what is wrong with you. […]”

Unfortunately, Chettoh doesn’t like to play. One might argue that a fourteen-year-old cat is an elderly cat: of course, he doesn’t want to play. I doubt that’s the problem, though. Chettoh never loved cat toys, not even when I first brought him home on April 24th, 2009, in a shoebox with a punched lid.

Soon, I realized that eating, sleeping, licking his fur, and using the litter took up 98% of his time. Sometimes, he enjoyed a bit of hand-to-hand fight (literally) with his human mom. If I only tried to stroke him, he would become a biting and scratching little panther. This attitude soon earned him a second nickname: Morsy, Italian slang for ‘someone who bites.’

So, I can’t use a toy to assess Chettoh’s sensorimotor prowess. Still, I have another story that serves as a perfect example of his uncommonly analytical mind.

Like many cats, Chettoh occasionally suffers from hairballs. This happens mainly during the shedding season. And the consequences are rather unpleasant: he often barfs, usually in the house’s most hidden and hard-to-reach corners. Trying to solve the problem, I went to a pet shop and bought a medication tube. According to the instructions, the yellowish jam had to be spread over the cat’s food. Only a few small doses would suffice to eliminate the worst hairball symptoms.

Well, it didn’t work. Chettoh became pickier than usual with his food. He refused to eat whenever he smelled the tiniest amount of yellow jam. Out of ideas, I resorted to reading the small printing on the patient information leaflet. “In case of difficult cats,” it said, “the product should be smeared on the animal’s paws.”

At first, this second attempt was a roaring success. But, as often happens, it was too good to be true. Sure, Chettoh gulped all his food, carefully licking every last scrap of medication from his front paws. Also, he stopped throwing up.

However, he soon developed an unquenchable craving for the yellow jam. He began refusing even his favorite food (fish and chicken cakes). All he cared for was a generous amount of that devilish drug on his paws. 

I tried to wean him out of that medicine by gradually reducing the amount I put on his paws and hiding the green tube.

Unfortunately, Chettoh knew the kitchen cabinet where I kept it and waited long hours in front of it, looking sad.

Finally, after long, frustrating weeks, I succeeded.

So, I know the answer to the sensorimotor test. My cat can understand object permanence.

EP. 3: CATS INTELLIGENCE: INTRODUCING WOLFRAM “WOLFIE” CHETTOH

On By AlessandraIn Cats, Wolfram "Morsy" Chettoh

Wolfie Cheetoh is my favorite – and only – cat. He’s an eleven-year-old male. I love him as a son, even though he often bites and scratches me, barfs on my bed, and clawed my sofas to shreds.

In short, a typical cat.

So, why am I blogging about him?

Because I just found out how brilliant he may be. Much more than your average kitty. I just read Calla H. Knopman’s Measure Your Cat’s IQ: Tales from the Devilish Genius to the Feeble-Minded Fuzz Ball. This book is chock full of ideas to estimate your cat’s IQ.

For example, you should notice how he reacts when you feed him. 

Suppose the cat doesn’t eat his food but only stares at it, especially when it’s a vegetarian, biological, green variety. In this case, you’re likely dealing with a “devilish genius.”

More testing is necessary to confirm whether Wolfram “Wolfie” Cheetoh is a real Einstein cat, but he already had a terrific start.

Further assessments of Chetto’s IQ level can be found in Ep.4, Ep.7, and Ep.10 of this blog.