For most people who love domesticated kitties, our hearts swoon for the big cat kind too. Cheetahs, lions, tigers, you name it, and most cat lovers feel their hearts skip a beat at the sight of them. We obviously can’t keep a wild cat in our home, so the next closest thing is to spoil ourselves with a domesticated cat so that we can have a miniaturized version of our heart’s desire, right from the comfort of our humble abode.
But would you consider your lap cat similar to a cat of the wild, despite the domestication part… not to mention the desire not to hunt, at least you? Turns out that our felines might be much more similar to the cats of the wild than you think!
Perching up High
Everyone knows that our feline friends love to put themselves up high, whether that be on their cat tower or the back of your furniture, so it should come as no surprise that big cats also perch. But for them, this is to avoid predators or to stalk their prey.
Loving to Sleep
The average house cat spends roughly 16 hours of their day asleep; did you know that this applies to big cats in the wild too?? The best part is, a big cat (like a cheetah, for example) can go from fully asleep to a sprint in a split second if they hear a gazelle go by. Hey, a cat’s gotta eat!
Protective of Their Young
Just like a new mother cat, cats in the wild are very protective of their young, fiercely so. In the wild a mother cat will go to great lengths to protect her young, whether that be from other predators or male big cats that sense the young as a threat.
They Enjoy Hiding
You knew this couldn’t just be a house cat thing! Cats in the wild hide for many purposes, but they also simply enjoy it, too.
They Cannot Resist Laser Pointers (Yes, really!)
Admit it, you couldn’t watch that video without smiling from ear to ear!
Love of Grooming
Just like their little feline cousins, big cats thoroughly enjoy a regular grooming.
Rubbing Against Things (Leaving Their Scent)
Cats do this as a way to mark their territory, with the many scent glands surrounding their face. For our cats, we love it when they do this to us.
Catnip Isn’t Just for Little Kitties
Catnip is so potent that it has been proven to have an affect on larger cats, such as tigers.
They’re Picky (Not just about food)
Cats are finicky creatures, and this quirkiness is one of the things that we love about them the most. Whether it’s over what and where they eat or even how they choose to sleep, we love cats for their cat-like shenanigans.
Big Cats Like Kneading Too!
Our feline house cats aren’t the only ones that can make biscuits! This kneading habit is engrained in the minds of cats from the time they were tiny kittens nursing from their mothers. Old habits die hard, or so it seems!