What Are a Cat’s Natural Behaviors?

1 Overview

Solitary by nature, jealous. Cats hunt alone and keep that trait; even multi-cat homes under human care coexist, but each claims territory and belongings. They are very jealous, especially among peers—pet one and the others crowd in for attention.

Smart and emotional. Cats are highly gifted (no IQ test, but surely not below dogs) and have a strong sense of meal times. But they are stubborn—force achieves nothing; gain trust with kindness and patience, or you won’t win them over.

Sleepy and nocturnal. Cats sleep about two-thirds of life—longest among common pets. Unlike people’s 8–10 h continuous sleep, cats nap in segments under 1 h, mostly light, waking at small sounds.

Clean and hygienic. Using a litter box shows it; they wash their face after eating/drinking and groom themselves (ingesting hair—give hairball paste to help pass hairballs). Brushing in shedding season aids new growth; baths need not be frequent—monthly in summer, every 1–2 months otherwise.

Carnivores, picky eaters. Cats are pure carnivores; eating grass only aids gut motility, not digestion. Once used to a food they keep it—transition changes over a week or more, gradually, or the cat may refuse food or get gastroenteritis with diarrhea.