Ear twitch

[DrNiblik]

I have looked in my books and cannot find an answer to this. When cats move their ears around, is it a voluntary movement to direct their ears toward the sound or do their ears move in response to the sound??

[Fender963]

That is a tricky one and I'm not scientist but I'd have to say it's involuntary. Sort of like breathing. The reason I'm guessing it's involuntary is due to instincts. Before cat's were domesticated they had to be able to detect the slightest movement and sound in case it was a predator.

[DrNiblik]

I would think that cats are more predators themselves than prey, but in either case you might be right. If you spend your entire life either looking for something to eat or avoiding being eaten, you have to have your wits about you. I just noticed that when I call for Dílle, I frequently get an ear twitch and a swish of her tail in response.

[Cat's Meowm]

And we so spoil our domesticated predators, they have very selected deafness.

"Yeah, yeah, I hear ya. Make it worthwhile; or tonight you might sleep with one eye open. I'm King of the Jungle, and this palace better be designed around me cause I'm nocturnal and ya gotta sleep sometime!

"It might just be your favorite knick-knack. (Oh sorry - forgot I all ready got that one times three! Okay, that favorite picture frame. Bwahahaha.) It might be that ball toy in the track. Oh and my favorite when I'm not idolized - business and scratching the side of the box when nothing else works."

[DrNiblik]

LOL Too tight Meow Mom. That ball track thing at three in the morning is alwas a delight. That, and kicking litter all over the bathroom is a wonderful surprise!

[DrNiblik]

oops. Make that Cat's Meowm

[Cat's Meowm]

Wilbur can scratch for ten minutes at a time, but all he does is push litter on the floor. He never has yet covered his *packages*. If I don't clear it out, Princess Petey covers them. At least he leaves them in the box!
He's funny, whenever I go potty, he goes in his box too, and scratches the sides. If I shut bathroom door too tight, he howls piteously!

[DrNiblik]

Why do they do that, Meowm?! BOTH of the girls can't stand to have the door shut against them in the bathroom. My suspicion is that they can't bare to have any part of their "patrol" area blocked off

[Cat's Meowm]

Ha, so true . . . Even if they don't care, they must know what's happening!
I have yet to take a bath without Wilbur checking the temperature of bath water! (He's such a nosy punk-butt!)