Nearly all of us know about cats mimicking a snake’s hiss as a way of defending themselves. The snake is obviously known throughout the animal world as a dangerous creature. The whole defensive measure is based on that. It is also based on the sound of the snake.
The interesting thing about the cat is that it also mimics the snake’s appearance when curled up asleep.
I am referring to domestic tabby cats. The cat in the collage above is a small/medium sized wild cat, the ocelot, but it has a tabby-type coat. You don’t refer to wild cats as having tabby coats but they are. And the ocelot’s high contrast markings very much mimic the coiled snake.
It has been suggested that the tabby coat is not simply the best form of camouflage but that it goes a step further and is an imitation of the camouflage markings of a snake.
When a cat is sleeping it is vulnerable to attack. A large bird such an an eagle might see a curled cat as a snake and steer clear. Certainly in the wild, the ocelot curled up on a tree-stump looks uncannily like a snake from a distance. And the when the cat hisses, spits and wags his tail like a rattle snake the predator is suitable convinced.
See a magnificent serval hiss.
Photo originals descending order:
Interesting. It seems very feasible that cats strike with their paws faster than a snake because one the main reasons why the African-Asian wildcat was domesticated in the first place was to catch snakes. The African-Asian wildcat is a good snake catcher. I guess the cat has to move faster than a snake to do that.
Hi Michael,
Cats have some snakelike qualities.
To that I might add that I’ve heard – but don’t quote me on this – that cats strike with their claws quicker than a snake.
It might be true. I have relatives that live down south. Their cat catches and brings rattlesnakes into the house on a regular basis.
As an aside, but related is the fact that the quickest of the professional boxers also strike faster than a snake. I think I saw that one on either Animal Planet or some kind of Myth De-bunkers show a few years ago. I don’t remember which show exactly.
=^..^= Hairless Cat Girl =^..^=
Good, nice to know you are enjoying reading about the domestic cat at a fundamental level. I think there is quite a lot we don’t know and are yet to learn.
I’ve just bought a book on cat behavior by Desmond Morris and some of the information in there is fascinating! One of the things he mentioned were the comparisons of a coiled snake and curled up cat, but he also talked about a cat hiss and how it was more just similar to that of a snake. Also brought to attention was the ‘shake’ a cat does right before it pounces, which he likened to a snake swaying from side-to-side before striking. Just found your page, but I will be rummaging through it 🙂
I am pleased you found it interesting. Pleased too that you have looked after a cat (or cats) for 50 years.
I did not know this. I’ve had cats for 50 years. Very interesting.