Katzen, katzen, and more katzen

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Today is Answer Your Cat's Questions Day

Answer Your Cat's Questions Day is a facetious holiday when people with cats are to look at them and meditate on what they think they are trying to ask them, and then answer the cat's questions. This day seems to follow the commonly held belief that cats aren't very communicative with humans. However, cats do try to communicate with humans, it's just that we can't always accurately interpret what they are trying to tell us.

There are multiple ways in which cats try to communicate with humans. When a cat purrs at a human, it means the cat wants their attention or care and doesn't want them to go away. It may mean the cat is happy, but it may also mean they are hurt, sick, or need help in some other way. Cats also communicate by rubbing up against people. When they do this after an owner returns home, they are acknowledging their owner's return and are welcoming them back, expressing that they have missed them. Cats do this same ritual if they have been apart from each other for a while. Even feral cats do this, after returning home from hunting.

Meowing is something cats have come up with in order to communicate with or get the attention of humans. It has developed because humans have given a response to it, and it is not something that feral cats do. The meows of a cat are unique to it and its relationship with its owner. Other cats may have completely different types of meows they use with their owners. Humans shouldn't necessarily meow back at their cats, but a soft vocalization can be like giving them a greeting.

The facial expressions cats display give us clues as to how they are feeling, and in a sense, this is a way for them to communicate. Cats have tense facial muscles when they are stressed and relaxed muscles when they are happy. They also blink slowly when they are comfortable with who they are looking at. Cats even use their tails to communicate their feelings.

When attempting to communicate with a cat, humans should verbalize with varied tones and facial expressions. There is some indication that cats can sense emotion from human facial expressions, and they react differently depending on what they are. They are particularly responsive to the communication of their owners. They may not necessarily know exactly what an owner is telling them, but they can associate what is being conveyed with past experiences, giving them a general idea if good or bad things will happen.

Answer Your Cat's Questions Day is being observed today! It has always been observed annually on January 22nd.

How to Observe:

If you have a cat, go up to it and look it in the eyes. Perhaps you will get the feeling that they are looking at you with a question in mind. The creators of the day say you should try to answer your cat's question. If you want to be scientific about the process, try to deduce what your cat is saying through their purr, meow, and body language, such as their tail, eye, and body movements. If you don't have your own cat, you could try this with any cat you come into contact with today. Anyone who is interested in learning more about communication with cats could pick up books such as Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet or How to Speak Cat: A Guide to Decoding Cat Language.

Leopard cub found in passenger's luggage at Indian airport
6 hours ago


GETTY IMAGES
The leopard cub was hidden in a plastic grocery basket

An air passenger who arrived in India from Thailand has been detained at the airport after customs officers found a month-old leopard cub in his luggage.

Suspicions were raised when officials heard noises coming from his bag, which was found to contain the 2.2lb (1kg) cub hidden in a plastic grocery basket.

The man had arrived at Chennai airport on Saturday on a flight from Bangkok.

Authorities are investigating whether the suspect is part of an international smuggling ring, officials told AFP.

The 45-year-old, who has not yet been officially named, was said to have been "evasive in his replies" when questioned about his luggage by customs officers.


GETTY IMAGES
Airport officials said the cub looked "weak"

"The animal was in a state of shock and was making trill sounds, and appeared to be weak," airport officials said.

Footage captured at the airport showed officials bottle-feeding the leopard cub milk.

Following an assessment by veterinarians, the tiny cat was later taken to the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Chennai, where it will be cared for, India's NDTV reported.

Some caracal cubs.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/animal-clinic-rescues-frozen-cat-snow-bank-montana/story?id=60904316

This is Fluffy. She lives in Montana. Her owners found her in a snowbank, frozen and non-responsive. They took her to the vet, where the thermometer couldn't even register a temperature (it only went down to 90F, Cats are usually 101F)



After two hours of warm water and blankets (and a little blow-drying), Fluffy began to show signs of life.



Fluffy has since gone on to make a full recovery, and is back home now. One change - Fluffy is now an indoor-only cat.