Q: I’ve noticed my cat’s ears twitch a lot. Why does he do that?
A: Our feline friends are blessed with Bionic Woman-like hearing. (Gotta love nostalgic television references). Cats can hear better than humans in higher ranges and even better than dogs. A cat’s ears are shaped somewhat like cones. I’ve found that if you want to hear something better, cup your hand around your ear and it helps – that’s kind of how a cat’s ears are constructed. And because they have a lot of muscles in their ears, they can rotate their ears to catch a lot of noise. Sometimes a cat’s ears twitch because they’re listening to something we have more than likely missed. On the other hand, a cat’s ears can also be an indicator of their mood. A not-so-happy cat will flatten his ears (and if it reaches that point, I’d get away fast because the hissing and claws are likely next). A cat who’s happy and in a good mood will have their ears up like normal. I know I can make my cat’s ears twitch if I touch the tips or hairs inside, so sometimes they might twitch because of some type of irritation. If you notice your cat’s ears look “dirty,” it could be because they are infected by earmites and they might be twitching because they’re itchy. If that’s the case, I’d definitely get your cat to a vet to get medicine to relieve the twitch. Keep an eye on your feline – watching what’s going on around him and taking a look at possible factors – should lead you to the answer of why his ears are twitching.
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Q: Is catnip bad for cats? I gave some to my cat for the first time the other day and he went crazy. Now I’m worried.
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A: I can’t find any proof that catnip is harmful to cats. Sometimes if they ingest too much of the fresh stuff growing around outside, it could cause vomiting or diarrhea, but from what I could find that’s one of the worst symptoms – and one that you can control if your cat is indoors. Catnip is actually a perennial. It’s in the mint family and the fresh stuff has a very distinctive odor. It’s even been found to be beneficial to humans in certain situations. It seems as though each cat has a different reaction to catnip. Some will play more and even become slightly aggressive, while others will become far more sedate and sort of “chill.” A certain percentage of cats, though, aren’t affected at all by catnip and the little ones (usually under about six months) don’t seem to have a reaction either. If you can handle the sometimes odd and crazy behavior (as you’ve already discovered) of your cat on catnip, I can’t find a reason not to let them partake.
Ask the Shelter is a weekly feature aimed at pet education. If you have a question, contact Jennifer Vanderau, director of communications for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, at [email protected] or 717-263-5791.
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHY
