Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!rochester!rocksanne!sunybcs!kitty!larry
From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Re: Reason For Cat Behavior
Message-ID: <773@kitty.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 1-Feb-86 10:39:05 EST
Article-I.D.: kitty.773
Posted: Sat Feb  1 10:39:05 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 3-Feb-86 01:27:54 EST
References: <1904@rayssd.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 26

> Is there an instinctive reason why cats love long thin things?  I'm talking
> about string, belts, shoelaces, pens and pencils, etc.  They seem to love
> playing with these types of things more than anything else.  Does anyone
> have any idea?

	Our outdoor cats just LOVE snakes and worms, but as playthings rather
than food.  I suspect, though, that if we didn't feed 'em, the cats would do
more than just play with the critters...
	I would guess that cats have certain primative insticts as to the
nature of smaller animals which would be food for them.  For example, consider
some indoor cats we have which were raised indoors from birth: They have never
been outdoors other than for a few minutes at a time when they would "sneak out"
the door.  The mother of these cats never taught them to hunt, nor brought them
outdoor "food".  Nevertheless, these cats will stare out the window at birds,
"chitter" wioth excitement, and just KNOW that they want these birds.  Since no
one taught the cats that birds are "desireable", it must be the result of a
predatory instinct.
	I would therefore surmise that play behavior with long thin objects
awakens a predatory instinct for worms, snakes, etc.

==>  Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York        <==
==>  UUCP    {decvax|dual|rocksanne|rocksvax|watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry  <==
==>  VOICE   716/741-9185                {rice|shell}!baylor!/             <==
==>  FAX     716/741-9635 {G1, G2, G3 modes}    duke!ethos!/               <==
==>                                               seismo!/                 <==
==>  "Have you hugged your cat today?"           ihnp4!/                   <==