by Nomi Berger
 
Imagine two movable satellite dishes capable of swiveling, capturing and amplifying sound! Now, imagine them in miniature. This is the purr-fect description of a cat’s most impressive and extraordinarily designed ears.
 
Blessed with hearing that far surpasses that of dogs and even humans, cats not only have the broadest range when it comes to detectable sounds, they can even hear lower and higher frequencies than either dogs or humans. Whereas dogs can hear frequencies between 67 hertz to 45,000 hertz and humans can hear between 64 hertz to 23,000 hertz, cats can hear frequencies between 45 hertz to 64,000 hertz.
 
As one of nature’s truly efficient species of hunter/predators, cats in the wild were equipped to be seen, not heard. Since they preferred being the hunter and not the hunted, they moved stealthily and swiftly in search of prey. This innate ability was deftly embedded in their DNA, thereby benefiting today’s kittens’ and cats’ elegant ease whenever they stalk and pounce -- whether it’s a fellow feline or a fun feline toy.
 
By utilizing more than 32 different muscles in their outer ears (humans have six!), cats can swivel their ears up to 180 degrees, giving them the capability to better track specific sounds. The very act of swiveling each ear not only improves their hearing by an additional 15 to 20 percent, it enables them to pinpoint the exact origin of that sound. It’s also a “visual” way for them to express themselves to other cats – either outdoors or in a multi-cat household – and to their owners. Astute pet parents find these telltale ear movements extremely helpful in interpreting and better understanding their cats’ feelings, moods and even health.
 
Consider, then, the following positions of your own favorite feline’s ears:

· Ears that point forward: This so-called “neutral” position generally signifies that she’s feeling calm and/or content, and friendly. Take the hint and gently pick her up for some quality snuggle time.

· Ears that point upward: This position is often teamed with a high-alert stance – as in “standing at attention” -- and an equally alert facial expression, making confident and curious cats, inclined to “patrol” their home excellent guard cats. When your kitty’s ears are pointing upward, it’s also the ideal time to engage her in fun and games.

· Ears that are flattened and pointing backward: Forewarned is forearmed. This position, known as “airplane mode,” indicates that she’s frightened, irritated, overstimulated or uncomfortable -- all portents of potentially aggressive behavior to come. What she needs most, then, is space and privacy in order to decompress, usually by hiding in her favorite spot until she feels more secure and more balanced again.

· Ears that face sideways: If this position is accompanied by a defensive stance, it could progress to her ears flattening and pointing backward, indicating, once again, the possibility of fight or flight behavior. If, however, this position is accompanied by her moving quietly, slowly and almost gingerly, she may either be ill or in pain and doing her best to disguise it. Better safe than sorry. Schedule an immediate visit to your vet and have her undergo a thorough physical examination.

by Nomi Berger
 
Most cat owners are happily familiar with the warm and fuzzy feeling of being headbutted or “bunted” by their favorite felines. But have you ever wondered what’s behind that ever-so-famous behavior? If so, read on.
 
Pheromones, pheromones, pheromones! Kitties have glands on their foreheads, cheeks, behind their ears, and on their chins that contain this all-important substance. Produced as a form of scent communication in their environment – between fellow cats as well as on objects and, best of all, people – these pheromones are deposited by the acts of rubbing and headbutting.
 
Cats may headbutt and rub their face on such familiar objects as their cat tree or pieces of furniture. In so doing, they’re “marking” or claiming these objects in a paws-itive way, i.e. personalizing their surroundings and creating a safe space for themselves. They’re usually purring as well because they’re not only feeling relaxed and content, they’re thoroughly enjoying the scent of their very own pheromones. This form of solitary face rubbing may also be one of the ways in which they soothe themselves and regulate their own emotional state.
 
If a cat headbutts you, her pet parent, by tapping her head against you and rubbing her cheek along the body part nearest to her, she’s clearly ”marking” you as well. By connecting to you through her scent, she is, in effect, “choosing” you and therefore bonding with you. While you may not detect it, the mere fact that you smell like her is extremely reassuring to her. The clearest sign of affection there is, by claiming you, she’s, metaphorically, admitting you into her “inner circle” of favorites.
 
Sometimes, however, if your kitty headbutts you, it’s her way of letting you know that she wants attention. Your response, when she “presents” her head to you in this way, should be plentiful scratches under the chin and on the head – two kitty cat passions! If her headbutting is consistently providing her with the scratches she craves, she’ll most assuredly continue this successful attention-seeking practice, thus creating a pleasant ongoing cycle or …  a mutual admiration society of two.
 
Whenever an unfamiliar or newly adopted cat headbutts you, she’s usually checking you out – friend or foe. The wisest course of action is to move slowly and lower your head enough for her to sniff it and monitor her reaction. If she responds by headbutting you again, you could lightly headbutt her in return or, after an initial hand sniff for safety’s sake, gently scratch her head instead.
 
Many cats in a multi-cat household will headbutt their fellow felines as a show of affection. While the message will be clear to one and all, reactions to it can vary. Some cats may respond in kind while others may choose to ignore the gesture. Confident cats are known to headbutt more often and with more force than shy cats, and that the most self-assured among them will also be the household’s dominant cat.
 
Headbutting is even the way outdoor, semi-feral and feral cats communicate their connection with one another and establish a social bond between them. When cats within a colony headbutt each other, they’re actually mixing their scents in order to create a single scent. This unique blend is subsequently designated the colony’s scent and distributed to all of the cats in that particular colony.