Why people like cats so much

Cats feel great in any home, being content even in small apartments because of their small size, manner of occupying "upper tiers" and spending up to 18 hours a day in lazy semi-sleep. Cats can be owned by a family with many children, a lonely retiree or an active citizen who dedicates himself to work and travel. Murka is naturally correct and clean, it doesn't need regular walking and training like a dog, and daily care of it is not complicated, being under force even to a child or disabled person.

Cat magic: what makes us love cats and how they influence our lives.

The love for cats is a phenomenon that can be observed in many people. These beautiful creatures are not only cute and fluffy, but they are also able to evoke many emotions in us. Cats can become real friends and helpers in life.

Cats are some of the most popular household pets. Not only do they get along well with people, but they also evoke special feelings in us. Many people adore cats and cannot imagine their life without them.

As a solitary hunter of rodents and other small animals, the cat is a social animal, using a wide range of sound signals, body movements and so on to communicate.

In animation, cats and cats have often been the main or main characters, such as: "The Adventure of Cat Leopold," "Tom and Jerry," "Felix the Cat," and others. One of the most popular cartoon cats is Garfield, about whom cartoon series, films and drawn a countless number of comics

The history of cat domestication began more than 10,000 years ago, when people began farming. Cats quickly realized that they could get food by living near people. Thus, they began to come to people's farms and homes to eat.

Over time, people began to notice that cats could be useful animals for controlling pests such as mice and rats. So they began to tame these animals and use them as their helpers.

However, even after domestication, cats were still quite wild animals. They were not as attached to humans as dogs and did not let themselves be easily controlled. Cats were always independent and preferred to live their own lives.

Over time, however, people began to give cats more attention and care. They began to tame them by selecting the most appropriate breeds and caring for them. Most of today's cat breeds have been bred through long and careful selection.

In their own right.

Both cats and dogs, like other carnivores, are descended from the primitive, marten-like mammal Myacidae. Details of the division of these families are still poorly understood, but about 40 million years ago, North America was definitely inhabited by the ancestors of the canines, the Progesperociones. The most ancient ancestors of the felines, the Proilurus (from the Greek "ailurus" meaning "house cat"), also appeared in Eurasia 10 million years later. Between 10 million and 8 million years ago, the big cats evolved, including today's lions and tigers. A total of eight extant lineages were formed in the family. Accumulation of random mutations in DNA occurs at a certain average rate, and the number of such differences in the genomes of modern felines made it possible to notice and date all these events. Judging by the "genetic clock", the puma lineage, including cheetahs, separated about 6.7 million years ago, the domestic cat lineage 3.4 million years ago.

Their encounter with the canines by this point had long ago taken place. Representing different hemispheres, both quickly dispersed, forming complex and intricate networks of historical migrations. Cats were the first to cross the Bering Strait, arriving in the Americas some 18.5 million years ago. For local dogs, the encounter ended badly: of the more than thirty native species then inhabiting the continent, nine survived. Cats proved to be exceptional hunters and managed to displace competitors from most ecological niches. If you think about it, this is not surprising. For one thing, they are stronger: cats' skeletal muscles contain far more "fast" muscle fibers capable of rapid and powerful triggering. Dogs are more focused on long pursuit and endurance, cats – on suddenness, speed and strength. The ambush rather than paddock type of hunting, the sprint rather than the marathon distances of canines; in cheetahs these traits have reached such a level that these cats cannot stand even a few minutes of swift running.

Second, dogs have more teeth, an average of 42 versus 30 in felines. Some of them have retained surfaces suitable for grinding hard fibers, and canines often include plants in their regular diet. On the other hand, the exceptionally sharp dagger-shaped teeth of cats are in no way suited to it, nor are their intestines, which are much shorter than those of canines. They are one hundred percent carnivores, living on a purely meat and protein diet. The small number of teeth allowed them to reduce the size of the jaw: the cat's muzzle became flat, and the bite force increased. Cats are also equipped with additional weapons: unlike dogs, their claws are retractable and are not chipped on the run, and they take great care to keep these dangerous tools sharp. No one knows how the ancient confrontation between these two equally respected families would have ended, had there not been a new hero, this time born African, a reasonable man.

The fruits of civilization

The usefulness of canine skills and willingness to obey are so obvious that dogs were the very first species domesticated by man in the Paleolithic era, hunting and gathering, long before the domestication of horses and even the domestication of cereals. With cats it is much more complicated: the dog helps, the horse transports cargo, the cow gives milk, but they give nothing.

Therefore, for a long time there were only hypotheses about how, why, when and where they began to live near people. The most authoritative was and still is the "pest control" version, which links the appearance of domestic cats with the Neolithic Revolution – the development of agriculture, the emergence of permanent peasant settlements and the need to preserve food surpluses. These barns and warehouses instantly became the object of coveting by countless rodents, and cats followed, becoming cautious companions of the nascent civilization. This hypothesis has no reliable confirmation to this day, although most experts are inclined to it "on the basis of a body of evidence". Among them an important place is occupied by the burial found in Cyprus in 2004 by the French archaeologist Jean-Denis Vigneault. The burial site preserved the remains of an eight-month-old kitten, buried about 9,500 years ago, side by side with humans, at arm's length. There are no wild cats on the island, and the animal was obviously brought here deliberately, especially since this is the time when the first agricultural settlements of Cyprus were dated. People arrived here from the Levant, the territory of the Fertile Crescent, where just between 14 and 10 thousand years ago for the first time in history the transition to true sedentarization and agriculture took place. The people of the Levant came here from the Fertile Crescent. The same age as the cat's tooth found during excavations in the Levant itself, on the territory of modern Israel. And the "genetic clock" of mutation accumulation in the DNA of today's domestic cats points to the same time.

What people like in cats

Patricia Pendry ( Patricia Pendry ) of Washington State University studies human-animal interactions. She has published a study describing a particularly strong bond between highly emotional people and their cats. Dr. Pendry suggested that cats' unpredictable behavior may be of interest to humans:

"The subtle and somewhat unpredictable reactions of cats give us a sense that we are chosen-or perceived as 'special'-when a reaction from a cat does occur. I also think that because it usually takes a little longer for a reaction to appear, we are gripped by the desire to know what the cat will do," Dr. Pendry believes.

It is also possible, as some studies have suggested, that we can't help but think cats are cute because of features that are similar to human children. We instinctively respond to big eyes and playful behavior, an evolutionarily favorable trait that has helped us take care of our offspring. Kittens especially put unbridled energy into their play. Adult cats can be just as amusingly funny.

Cats have an undeserved reputation as mysterious and aloof creatures because of the unique and sometimes subtle ways they express their feelings.

A cat's face may appear attractive – or angry, depending on the circumstances – but in reality it is motionless and largely devoid of expression. And yet their tails do not signal excitement or pleasure. Recent research suggests that their temperaments may nonetheless be closer to those of a pleasure-seeking dog than many people think.

Similarly, feline vocalizations, of which there are many, range from meowing to hissing, from pecking at birds through a window to a chilling deep howl that portends a fight.

There is vocalization clearly intended to communicate with humans-say, meowing at breakfast time. However, cats mostly seem to "talk" or mutter something to themselves. However, cats have many ways of signaling their feelings through other behaviors.

Other ways cats communicate

To people they care about or are interested in, cats often offer to rub their heads on outstretched fingers or pant legs. This behavior accomplishes two things. First, they leave behind pheromones secreted by special glands, marking you as one of their own. Second, especially in the case of pant legs, they collect olfactory information about your interactions with other animals, if they deem you worthy of investigation.

Purr

People often think that purring is a sure sign of happiness, but it's not. Cats in distress may also purr. Some scientists believe that a cat can use the soothing sound to comfort itself in difficult moments. Some believe that purring may even have healing properties. Purring occurs both on the inhale and on the exhale, producing a buzzing hum of 20 to 150 hertz. It remains unclear exactly how they do this.

Often the presence of a cat is the best signal that it likes you – especially for shy cats. A cat will stay away from a person in whom it has no interest or for whom it feels uneasy.

Love without measure: symptoms of pathological love of cats – ailurophilia

Many people have heard stories about crazy cat people who have dozens of cats living in their apartments. What is the name of the disease in which the normal, healthy love of cats becomes excessive?

Ailurophilia is a mental disorder characterized by an uncontrollable, compulsive love of cats. It usually manifests in older single women, but can occur in younger women as well. Men, too, are not immune to this mental disorder.

To ailurophilia more prone to people with a certain temperament – neurotic, withdrawn, socially avoiding introverts. However, American scientists from Stanford University have discovered that cats themselves may be the cause of the pathology.

According to recent scientific facts, pathological love for cats can be caused by the intracellular parasite toxoplasma, which is carried by members of the feline family. A person becomes infected with it through contact with a pet's feces. The microorganism invades the brain and affects the nervous reactions. It is noted that with toxoplasmosis, some people become more responsive, but also feel anxiety, guilt and may develop depression.

Read also: What do you dream about a vicious attacking cat, what does such an attack in a dream according to the dreamers?

If a person likes cats very much, does it mean that he is sick with toxoplasmosis? Not at all, studies show that not all cats are infected with intracellular parasites, especially not all infected people show symptoms of the disease.

Why don't some people like cats at all?

It is hard to imagine that someone could not like a small fluffy kitten or a graceful beauty cat. However, there are people who are completely indifferent to animals. The reason may lie in biological factors. When a person looks at a kitten, he begins to release the hormone oxytocin, but there are those who experience a lack of this hormone due to an endocrine failure. These are usually dry, callous people who are indifferent to children, do not make friends and romantic relationships.

The second reason for dislike of cats is a conflict of characters. Cats are difficult to tame, train, and some people want to see an obedient pet near them, not a wayward animal.

In addition to ailurophilia, there is such a mental disorder as ailurophobia, a compulsive fear of cats. The cause is rooted in childhood mental trauma. It is treated with psychotherapy, and in advanced cases, medications are used.

To love or not to love cats is everyone's choice. One can remain indifferent to these animals, but remember that no animal deserves to be mistreated.

The Ancient Link

According to DNA analysis, the ancestor of the modern domestic cat was the African wild cat Felis silvestris lybica, which lived in the Fertile Crescent, at the intersection of ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Levant and Persia. Although it is likely that our association with felines began about 9,500 years ago, the earliest evidence of a cat-human relationship dates back 5,300 years to the village of Quanhukun, China.

Dr. Eva-Maria Gaigle, director of the CNRS French National Center for Scientific Research, says: "Cats were domesticated as commensals: they approached human settlements because there were rodents that thrived on grain. Cats adapted to this environment, which represented an evolutionary advantage for them. But people were also really interested in having cats around." So it makes sense that our sympathy stretches back centuries.

What people love about cats

You might be surprised, but some scientists think that the "unconventional and strong-willed" behavior of cats might be the first reason for our interest. Beyond that, we are always curious about how a cat will behave next. We cannot predict their behavior – it fascinates us.

It's also possible, as some research suggests, that we can't help but think cats are cute because of the characteristics they share with human cubs. We instinctively respond to big eyes and playful behavior, an evolutionary response that helps us care for our babies. Beyond that, we shouldn't forget about "comedic prowess." Videos of mischievous cats take the lead and even the top spots on the web every year.

Scientists have also noted that we find cats' faces "attractive and mysterious. We think that there is a secret behind the eyes and the cunning whiskers! The cat's "meow" also gives us a hard time, because often the vocalizations of animals are directly related to us. In this way we feel that we are communicating with cats.

Reasons to keep a cat as a pet

Many people are convinced that cats are not as useful as dogs. They cannot be taught or trained, however, after some time of living together, an ordinary cat and owner relationship can develop into a true friendship.

One of the differences between cats and most other pets is that they require very little from humans for their survival. Cats are smart enough to find almost anything they need. They are quick and nimble enough not to get caught most of the time. They don't need much time; these pets live on their own. Only they choose when you can pet them. Despite this, cats are very affectionate and devoted to their owner.

Cats are naturally clean.

There is no animal that washes its face as often as cats do. They can make a mess in your house, get dirty in something they find under your bathtub, but they are extremely uncomfortable with the feel of dirt on themselves. Even when you pet the cat, after you touch it, after a while the cat has to lick itself.

It is very adorable to watch the little fluffy lump play. They are like children running after anything that moves sharply. It's a lot of fun for them to practice sneaking and hunting. It's an extension of their natural hunting behavior, and for some reason we're interested in watching this process.

Cat Therapy

The close relationship between cat and human has been established because of some of the behavioral traits of both species. Humans are social animals, though not pack animals. Cats are the same way. A dog is always ready to serve its master, but you can't expect this from a cat. If you negotiate with it, only through treats.

Close affection is fixed in humans with the help of the hormone oxytocin, produced in the brain. The object of attachment can serve and a cat. Not without reason many cat owners believe that they have established a unique bond with their pet. Everyone is ready to tell you how a cat greets you at the entrance of your apartment or comes to caress you. It is impossible to measure the strength of attachment objectively, but scientists note that relationships with a cat are built on trust. It is important for an animal that a person gives it a safe shelter and protects it. A person appreciates that a cat calms and relieves stress.

Several scientific studies show the positive effects of cats on people's mental and physical well-being. Pets give a feeling of affection, unconditional love, which is especially important for depression and those who are lonely, isolated from communication, confined to bed, forced to care for a seriously ill relative. Scientists in the United States have shown that cat owners have a dramatically reduced risk of death from myocardial infarction, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.

It is unlikely that we will ever know who needs whom more – a cat in a person or a person in a cat. However, scientists, trying to figure out the nature of the relationship between the two species, have used quite human terms, such as "affection" and "social support."

Character and temperament of cats

A cat's temperament is the totality of an animal's reactions to external stimuli. It is an innate quality that does not change much over the course of life. The character of a cat can be changed by forming certain habits in it. Nevertheless, you can find many common features in the behavior of cats.

Researchers from the UK conducted a survey of more than 200 cat owners, in which they were able to identify a typology of feline characters:

Cats and dogs relations

Long known to all of us the saying "like a cat with a dog" is not always true. Indeed, these animals do not get along with each other in the best way, especially it can be seen in relations of street cats and dogs. In the home one can keep a cat and a dog at the same time, if they are brought up correctly. True friendship between these animals is unlikely to work (although there are exceptions), but living together is possible. It is desirable that each animal has a place where he could have privacy and rest.

Relationships between cats and dogs most often do not develop because of differences in temperament and temperament, as well as body language. With the help of the table you can visually assess how big the difference in the behavior of these animals is.

Body language	Cats	Dogs
Picture
Tail held high	Friendly, calm, confident	Anxiety, wariness
Tail wagging	Indignation, indignation	Excitement, joy
Closed mouth	Normal state	Tension
Ears drooped	Indignation, dissatisfaction	Joyful, resigned
Body tilted sideways	Desire to appear more aggressive and stronger than the opponent	Indicator of victory in a conflict situation
Recumbent position	Indicator of trust	Desire for caressing from the owner
Back arch	Self-defense, the gesture is used during the hunt	Playful mood

4. Gentleness and medicine

Fans of whiskers and striped animals associate them with affection and tenderness, adoring the cat's habit of purring, rubbing their cheeks, gently "bumping" their foreheads and "stomping" their paws. British zoopsychologists, who studied the behavior of cats, found that people more often take away shelter cats, which demonstrate friendliness and obedience, purring and rubbing intensely against different objects in the cage.

There is an opinion that cats are better than dogs to read human emotions, behaving differently depending on whether their owners are smiling or frowning at this moment. They will purr and crawl into your arms if the owner is happy to talk to you, but they won't crawl if you are tired or not in a good mood. Perhaps this empathy is based on the omen that cats sense unkind people and always run away from them.

It is impossible not to mention the internal murky "motor", which has healing powers. Purring therapist is able to soothe without words and relieve stress, calm heartache and normalize blood pressure. In many psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitation centers, hospices and other treatment facilities in the United States, cats treat patients for phobias, chronic depression and painful addictions. Studies have found a beneficial effect of feline purr frequencies on fracture healing and the entire musculoskeletal system.

5. Insidious toxoplasmas

There is also a very interesting version, that humans are attracted to cats by… intracellular parasites.

Evolutionary history tells us that the causative agents of toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii) use humans as an intermediate host, populating its body with their larvae. Cats, in their turn, turn out to be the main host of toxoplasmas and are necessary for their sexual reproduction. Research has shown that the parasites are able to influence the host's brain, "disabling", for example, the instinct of self-protection and fear of cats in infected mice. It is likely that something similar happens to the brain of a human with toxoplasmosis.

Whatever the case may be, the mutuality of cat and human has passed the test of time, revealing itself in a new way in the modern world.