Introduction Hunting and feeding Food - soliciting food from humans Hunting - stalk, pounce (use claws), kill (use teeth), consume Fights over territory - despotic cats that bully others Taking excess food home - to nest for kittens (i.e. our house) or for kittens can practice Playing with toys - same behaviour patterns Self-grooming behaviour - fastidiousness Scratching/clawing - need to clean off old sheath of claws to reveal newer sharper ones Sleeping - warmth Bury urine/faeces - helps to keep them secret and safe Social animals Parent/kitten-type relationship with people Social signalling - ears, tails, body positions. etc (what are they saying) Greetings and interactions with people and other cats they know well Head rubs Chin/cheek wipes Tail help straight up 'Chirrup noise' Meow - advertising presence Staying safe Spraying urine - strategic places when anxious or to stake claim to territory Faeces - strong signal for bold cats Scratching - leaving scent from glands between toes Strategic scratching - different height than for sharpening claws Choices if in danger - freeze, run away, fight Bottle-brush cat - hair stands on end when alarmed to try to make themselves look bigger Growling Hissing Spitting Escalation of aggression - staring, vocalising, fighting Body language of fear Breeding Tom cat smell - territory marking with urine Inter-male aggression (including vocalisations) Roaming - finding a mate Mounting and mating behaviour Instinctive care for kittens Communal care for kittens if related females kept together Interactions with humans Eye contact - threat, how cats will avoid people who try to be friendly because they look at them and go to people who don't Places friendly cat will try to rub on you - head and cheek glands and those at the base of the tail 'Safe areas' to be stroked - avoid tummy which can trigger a defensive attack Titbits and training Toys and games - how to mimic prey
