A Michael Broad Blog
Although nearly always described as ‘retractile’ claws, the claws of the domestic cat are technically ‘protractile’ for the reasons stated and illustrated in the infographic below. Here is an extended treatise of the above infographic. The claws of domestic cats (Felis catus) are retractile, though the term “protractile” is technically more accurate. Here’s how …
People who are unsure about domestic cats sometimes say that they are aloof and standoffish. This alleged aloofness can be seen, they’d say, when they don’t turn their heads towards you when you speak to them. This is not aloofness in the human meaning of the word. It is the behaviour of a different …
In essence, a cat’s attraction to warmth serves both a functional and comfort-driven purpose, ensuring they stay cozy, healthy, and content. The infographic summarises the five reasons. 5 reaons why domestic cat love warmth by Michael Broad More: cat behaviour
I confirmed some of the information in the infographic by discussing it with AI (ChatGPT). Here is a transcript of that conversation. I started by reading Dr Desmond Morris’s book Catlore on this topic, hence the question in the dialogue. Question: Can domestic cats taste sweetness? Response: No, domestic cats cannot taste sweetness. Cats, …
We don’t really know what our cat companion sees in terms of sharpness of image unlike for other humans for whom we can assume that their eyesight is not dissimilar to ours. A cat can’t undergo an eyesight test! We can’t ask our cat if they have vision problems and so on. I sense …
Cats’ incredible reflexes demand respect by Michael Broad The point of the infographic is that it is useful, I believe, for cat caregivers to remind themselves of the super-sharp reflexes of their humble and unassuming cat companion as attached to the end of forelimbs are those weapons. Note: please do not declaw. It is …
“Human composers must envy the cat its ears. But it is sad for the ordinary cat owner to realise that there is a whole range of sounds that simply cannot be shared with a much-loved pet. It is one of the humbling lessons we learn from living with companion animals, namely that we are …
The infographic answers the question in the title. Here is a little bit more detail on the kinds of hair that domestic cats have up. Of course, the domestic cat has the same kind of hairs that their wildcat ancestor has, namely, four kinds as mentioned in the Infographic. There may be as many …
