Probably all cat owners can share a story about how their purring pet climbed onto the table and, brazenly looking into the owner’s eyes, threw glasses, pens or vases off the table or chest of drawers with a soft paw. Moreover, you can bark at them “no!”, but they will still do it.
There is no exact scientific explanation for this behavior, but felinologists have nevertheless come up with several scientific hypotheses. It's all about natural instincts.
Hunting Skill
Cats belong to the order of carnivores of the cat family. They were domesticated about 10 thousand years ago and for the first time people allowed furry ones into their home in the Middle East, in the Fertile Crescent region. It was there that people changed their nomadic lifestyle to a sedentary one.
At that moment, the development of agriculture began and, in order to preserve crops from rodents, they began to attract cats into the house.
But scientists believe that they were never completely domesticated: the cat’s genome contains 10 times fewer genetic signs of domestication than dogs. That is, they are only partially tamed and their predatory instincts are perfectly preserved.
That's why, scientists say, they throw objects off the table. When cheetahs hunt, they grab their prey with their claws and teeth, while domestic cats, who do not have access to antelopes and hares, “hunt” whatever is nearby. They “attack” vases, flowers and glasses.
Territory
When a cheetah marks territory, they do it collectively and wander around their grounds with their tail held high. Tigers prefer to scratch trees, loosen the ground or snow, and growl menacingly when they realize that a tiger from a neighboring pack has come too close.
Cats also guard their boundaries and therefore peel off wallpaper or “claw” furniture. And if something appears on their territory that, in the cat’s mind, is dangerous and violates boundaries, then they throw it on the floor. In this way, they clear the borders of the “stranger” and show that they are in charge here.
Yes, the cat is absolutely sure that it is she who is the owner of the territory, and not the two-legged one who puts food for him.
Thirst for attention
A hypothesis that is causing heated debate in scientific circles.
Scientists believe that cats are not at all worried about separation from their owners and loneliness. Most likely this is due to the fact that the domestication of these animals did not serve the purpose of tying them to existence next to humans. Cats are not as closely bonded to their owner as dogs are.
But there is also research confirming that a cat can develop “rebellious” behavior if the owner does not pay enough attention to it. In 2020, a study was conducted that found that every 10th cat is worried and misses its owner. Cats were more likely to behave destructively if they were left alone for six or more hours.
So, maybe cats start to get rowdy precisely because they haven’t been petted or scratched behind the ears for a long time and thus they attract attention to themselves.
