msf@rayssd.UUCP (Michael S. Frank) (01/25/86)
Is there an instinctive reason why cats love long thin things? I'm talking about string, belts, shoelaces, pens and pencils, etc. They seem to love playing with these types of things more than anything else. Does anyone have any idea? -- Michael Frank allegra!rayssd!msf <Include generic and specific disclaimers> <about everything I say, do, and think! >
wiebe@ut-ngp.UUCP (Anne Hill Wiebe) (01/28/86)
Why do cats love long thin things, especially flexible ones? They're imprinted with a strong attraction for tails of prey such as mice. This most particularly applies when the "tail" is moving away from them along the ground: I've never known a cat so torpid that it isn't at least interested in that sight. Their eyes are especially adapted to see moving things much better than stationary ones. In fact, cats also have an astonishing instinctive ability to sink their teeth (on the first try, within a fraction of a second) into a particular tiny spot on a mouse's neck that allows their tooth to penetrate between vertebrae and sever the spinal cord! (I read this in a very authoritative book on cat behavior; I could probably come up with the reference if anyone cares ... it also describes the progression of learning that goes on as a newborn kitten learns to play, in stages. Fascinating.) - Anne Wiebe (wiebe@ut-ngp.UT.EDUC) University of Texas at Austin
jcp@osiris.UUCP (Jody Patilla) (01/29/86)
> In fact, cats also have an astonishing instinctive ability to sink > their teeth (on the first try, within a fraction of a second) into > a particular tiny spot on a mouse's neck that allows their tooth > to penetrate between vertebrae and sever the spinal cord! My cat, in his encounter with the one and only mouse he has ever seen in his sheltered life, dispatched it very neatly exactly as described above. I was amazed. Of course, with cockroaches, he just goes SPLAT, and then licks his paws...... -- jcpatilla Mountain View is paid a diplomatic visit by giant Lunar reptiles that want our hot tubs but can't find any so they leave.
larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) (02/01/86)
> Is there an instinctive reason why cats love long thin things? I'm talking > about string, belts, shoelaces, pens and pencils, etc. They seem to love > playing with these types of things more than anything else. Does anyone > have any idea? Our outdoor cats just LOVE snakes and worms, but as playthings rather than food. I suspect, though, that if we didn't feed 'em, the cats would do more than just play with the critters... I would guess that cats have certain primative insticts as to the nature of smaller animals which would be food for them. For example, consider some indoor cats we have which were raised indoors from birth: They have never been outdoors other than for a few minutes at a time when they would "sneak out" the door. The mother of these cats never taught them to hunt, nor brought them outdoor "food". Nevertheless, these cats will stare out the window at birds, "chitter" wioth excitement, and just KNOW that they want these birds. Since no one taught the cats that birds are "desireable", it must be the result of a predatory instinct. I would therefore surmise that play behavior with long thin objects awakens a predatory instinct for worms, snakes, etc. ==> Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York <== ==> UUCP {decvax|dual|rocksanne|rocksvax|watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry <== ==> VOICE 716/741-9185 {rice|shell}!baylor!/ <== ==> FAX 716/741-9635 {G1, G2, G3 modes} duke!ethos!/ <== ==> seismo!/ <== ==> "Have you hugged your cat today?" ihnp4!/ <==
djd@bcsaic.UUCP (dennis j. doherty) (02/03/86)
> > In fact, cats also have an astonishing instinctive ability to sink > > their teeth (on the first try, within a fraction of a second) into > > a particular tiny spot on a mouse's neck that allows their tooth > > to penetrate between vertebrae and sever the spinal cord! > > My cat, in his encounter with the one and only mouse he has ever > seen in his sheltered life, dispatched it very neatly exactly as described > above. I was amazed. Of course, with cockroaches, he just goes SPLAT, and > then licks his paws...... > > -- > jcpatilla > > Mountain View is paid a diplomatic visit by giant Lunar reptiles > that want our hot tubs but can't find any so they leave. When I lived in New Jersey we had a case of large cockroaches every once in a while wandering into our apt. My all white cat (gandalf) would stalk them and then play with them until it was dead(and no more fun!!). Yours in UNIX Dennis J. Doherty {decvax|btlunix}!bcsaic!djd "I could rule the world if I could only get the parts" the Waitresses. WARNING: This Message contains backgroud masking that makes a verbal statement which is audible when the message is played backwards.
rcj@burl.UUCP (Curtis Jackson) (02/03/86)
In article <773@kitty.UUCP> larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) writes: >outdoor "food". Nevertheless, these cats will stare out the window at birds, >"chitter" wioth excitement, and just KNOW that they want these birds. Since >no one taught the cats that birds are "desireable", it must be the result of a >predatory instinct. > I would therefore surmise that play behavior with long thin objects >awakens a predatory instinct for worms, snakes, etc. I agree heartily. One of my two indoor cats, Sam, went absolutely nuts one night when I had the educational channel tuned in to watch an Audobon society special on endangered birds. He got so upset that I finally moved one of the dining room chairs in front of the TV, where he sat with his face 6 inches away from the screen for a full half-hour, pawing at birds on the screen at every opportunity. He didn't mess with the Sandhill cranes, though ;-) -- The MAD Programmer -- 919-228-3313 (Cornet 291) alias: Curtis Jackson ...![ ihnp4 ulysses cbosgd mgnetp ]!burl!rcj ...![ ihnp4 cbosgd akgua masscomp ]!clyde!rcj