Yikes! This is why I apparently shouldn’t sign up for days I don’t normally take—I forgot all about this diary until just a bit ago. Thankfully, I have a cool video that will save the day.
Cats are weird, as I’m sure anybody who owns one (or ten) can attest. I’ve often wondered why my own weirdo Zoe does certain things, like insist on climbing to the top of the fridge or squeeze into enclosed spaces to sleep. Many on the interwebs have also wondered why cats are so damn terrified of cucumbers. In the below video, cat guru Tony Buffington offers some scientific explanation for cat behavior.
As Buffington explains at the beginning of the video, most weird cat behaviors boil down to this:
As both predator and prey, survival of their species depended on crucial instinctual behaviors, which we still observe in wild and domestic cats today. While the feline actions of your house cat Grizmo may seem perplexing, in the wild these same behaviors, bred into cats for millions of years, would make Grizmo a supercat.
Vox rounds up a few explanations from the video:
Why cats love the highest spot in the house: "Enabled by their unique muscular structure and keen balancing abilities, cats climbed to high vantage points to survey their territory and spot prey in the wild. Grizmo doesn't need these particular skills to find and hunt down dinner in her food bowl today, but, instinctually, viewing the living room from the top of the bookcase is exactly what she's evolved to do."
Why cats sharpen their claws on the couch: "In the wild, cats needed sharp claws for climbing, hunting, and self-defense. Sharpening their claws on nearby surfaces kept them conditioned and ready, helped stretch their back and leg muscles, and relieved some stress, too. So it's not that Grizmo hates your couch, chair, ottoman, pillows, curtains, and everything else you put in her environment. She's ripping these things to shreds and keeping her claws in tip-top shape because this is exactly what her ancestors did in order to survive."
Why they are always finding strange places to sleep: "As animals that were preyed upon, cats evolved to not get caught. And in the wild, the cats that were the best at avoiding predators thrived. So at your house today, Grizmo is an expert at squeezing into small spaces and seeking out and hiding in unconventional spots. It also explains why she prefers a clean and odor-free litter box; that's less likely to give away her location to any predators that may be sniffing around nearby."
Buffington closes with a chilling question:
To them, our homes are their jungles. But if this is the case, in our own cats’ eyes, who are we? Big, dumb, hairless cats competing with them for resources? Terribly stupid predators they’re able to outsmart everyday? Or maybe...they think we’re the prey?
Now, on to the tops…
Top Comments (June 30 2016):
From Mopshell:
WARNING: Before reading this comment by Gertie Green in Leslie Salzillo's delightful story Woman calls Congress and asks how much Mitch McConnell costs, please ensure you've either put all eating and drinking on pause or have covered keyboard and screen with an adequate guard!
Top Mojo (June 29, 2016):
Top Mojo is courtesy of mik! Click here for more on how Top Mojo works.
Top Photos (June 29, 2016):
Tonight’s picture quilt is courtesy of jotter!