While to humans poop is one of the grossest things imaginable, to most animals, cats included, poop is a message – a language even. People post on community boards or neighborhood websites when they want to let their neighbors know something. Well, tens of thousands of years before Facebook or Nextdoor were even conceived, cats were already posting on their own neighborhood forum – let’s call it Poop Space.

When humans smell cat poop, all they smell is, well, cat poop. When a cat smells another cat’s poop or pee, they can usually tell whose it is, if it comes from a male or female cat, if they’re ready to mate and even the general health of the other cat. Poop and pee contain chemical markers called pheromones which convey all this important information and more. Nature always makes due, and in lieu of a written language, it gave cats the ability to effectively communicate with their excrement.

This is why in the wild, poop and pee are used to mark territory by many animals, including both big cats from the Panthera genus, like lions, tigers and jaguars, and small cats from the Felis genus. Poop markings are the cat equivalent of a “Do Not Trespass” sign with the owner’s name and address on it. Big cats will often simply leave their poop around their home range as a way of clearly marking an area as theirs.

Now if a big dominant tiger has claimed an area by pooping in what they consider to be their territory, the last thing a little wild cat wants to do is challenge that tiger by leaving their own poop out in the open. Smaller, submissive cats realized that they would be much better off not advertising they had “broken into” the big cat’s territory and learned to hide their presence by burying their poop and pee. Burying their poop and pee also helps keeps them safe from being tracked by other predators too.

This self-preserving behavior eventually became instinct and was passed down to most cats, including our house cats (Felis catus). To this day, small wildcats and feral house cats will often bury their poop and pee within their territory but may often leave excrement exposed at the edges of their range as a way of keeping other animals out.

Domestic cats will rarely mark their indoor territory with poop and pee (thankfully!), and even though there aren’t dangerous predators inside the home, they’ll still instinctively bury their waste in their litter box. This is partially a learned behavior, and cats that are separated from their mothers too early will have to be taught how to bury and cover their poop.

Here at The Cultured Cat, one of our cats, Shadow, was abandoned at a very early age and try as we might, he never fully picked up on this behavior. He’ll go in the box and instinctively knows that there’s something he’s supposed to do with his paws, so he’ll paw at the wall or the sides of the litter box for a few seconds. Then he’ll jump out, leaving his poop and pee fully uncovered. He still goes in the box and tries to cover though, so we give him points for effort.

It’s been said that house cats will poop and pee in their box as a way of showing submissiveness to their human guardians, but this is still a very debated theory. A cat who refuses to go in their box may be trying to assert dominance over their humans, but the most often there will be other reasons for this behavior such as territorial disputes with other cats inside or outside the home, or health issues.

If your cat is suddenly refusing to use their box or going in inappropriate places, it could be a sign of urinary tract infections, stomach problems or other illnesses. Be sure to keep an eye on your kitty’s behavior and take them to the vet if anything looks out of the ordinary.

In order to make litter time easier on you and your cat, explore our collection of specialized litter and care supplies.

Enjoying a steaming mug full of your favorite tea is a great way to start your morning routine or wind-down after a long day of work. Taking some time to savor a soothing drink can help to slow down a racing or anxious mind and serves as a gentle reminder that no matter what lies ahead, you are here now and it’s all ok.

If your house is anything like mine though, you might find your relaxation interrupted by a cat or two jumping up on your lap and peering into your mug, curious to see if you’re secretly stashing tuna in there. Sharing some food or a drink with your pet can be a great way to bond, so how about you re-brew those leaves and give your furry friend some of your tasty plant water.

While not all teas are safe for cats, there are more than a few that you can safely give them, either for flavor or medicinal effect. Here are 5 tasty brews that you and your cat can enjoy together:

1. Green Tea

Green tea is an incredible drink for both humans and animals alike. Unlike black tea, green tea is low enough in caffeine that it’s perfectly safe for cats in small quantities.

But why would you want to give your cat green tea you ask? Well, green tea has been around for thousands of years and is considered one of the world’s healthiest drinks. It’s full of antioxidants that give it anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties.

If you haven’t started drinking green tea yourself, you might want to give it a try. Especially in the summer, iced green tea provides a refreshing energy boost while helping you to cut down on those sugary drinks. You can also brew your cat’s green tea in cold water to cut down on the caffeine content without sacrificing the antioxidant boost.

2. Catnip Tea

This classic feline herb makes a great tea, both for humans and our furry companions. When most cats breathe in nepetalactone, the minty molecule and active ingredient in catnip, their nervous system gets stimulated, sending their energy levels into overdrive and making them even more hyperactive than usual. Other cats respond differently to catnip, becoming so deeply relaxed they almost appear sedated. This is what makes catnip a very useful medicinal herb for anxious or easily frightened cats.

While catnip doesn’t have a stimulating effect on humans the way it does in cats, it’s still a tasty tea that some researchers have suggested can promote relaxation in people similar to valerian root.

Catnip is also a natural way of easing stomach discomfort, menstrual pain and other digestive issues in both humans and cats as it relaxes the smooth muscles of the stomach and intestines. So if you or your cat are suffering from some tummy trouble or simply want to share a soothing drink together, consider brewing a cup of catnip tea.

3. Licorice Root Tea

Licorice is a sweet-tasting medicinal root that your cat will love. It’s been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine and can be really helpful for both you and your feline. Licorice root tea acts like a natural steroid, gently relieving allergies and skin conditions in both cats and humans when used internally and topically as an herbal rinse.

When drank, licorice root tea is prized for its anti-inflammatory effects and can offer your feline natural relief from arthritis pain and respiratory congestion. Just don’t give your cat this herbal brew if they suffer from high blood pressure, as it can worsen the condition.

4. Chamomile Tea

Safe, gentle and soothing, chamomile is one of the most commonly used teas around the world. This herb is mild, yet effective, and often recommended for colicky human babies. Chamomile tea can be used to help relax an anxious cat or to help them get through a bout of indigestion. Chamomile gently relaxes the body’s muscles, relieving stomach cramps and muscle tension.

You can even use a chamomile infusion to help soothe your kitty’s irritated skin by gently rinsing the affected area once or twice a day. Your kitten will appreciate the relief!

5. Valerian Root Tea

While valerian root has been used since ancient times by people to relax and promote restful sleep, the compounds in this plant have the opposite effect on cats. Not only do cats actually like the strong, earthy (read: stinky) scent given off by this herb, it actually functions as a potent stimulant if you’re a feline. Valerian root tea can make even the most sedentary cat seem like an energetic and playful kitten again.

If your cat is one of the few felines who doesn’t respond to catnip, valerian root can have him bouncing off the walls in no time.

Bonus: Cistus Tea

Cistus incanus, also known as rock rose, is a great wellness tea for cats, humans and many other pets. This delicious, berry-flavored tea has a whole bunch of medicinal and anti-viral effects and been used for centuries in parts of Europe as, you’ll never believe it, a natural tick repellant!

It’s reported that when drunk daily, it provides a deterrent effect that keeps ticks away. While its mechanism of action has still yet to be studied more, cistus tea is a safe and effective way to keep yourself and your cat safe from ticks.

How to Brew Tea for Your Cat

Making tea for your cats is pretty simple. Just take 1 teaspoon of the herb your working with combine with a cup of warm water. Steep for 5 minutes, strain out your herbs and cool down to room temperature. You don’t want to burn your kitty’s tongue! You can then pour it into their favorite bowl or mug and serve.

To make a lighter infusion you can use cold water and steep for 8-10 minutes instead. This method is recommended to reduce the caffeine content of green or white teas.

Teas can have diuretic effects and some cats already struggle to stay hydrated, so don’t give your cat more than half a cup of tea a day. Always make sure your cat has unrestricted access to fresh, clean water too, even while they’re enjoying a nice tea break with you.

Next time you sit down with a relaxing brew in hand in your favorite cat mug, don’t forget you can share some of those good feels with your cat. You may even be helping them live a happier, healthier life by pouring them a bowl too.

If you’re like many cat owners, you’ve probably wondered why your cat likes to stare at you so much. Maybe you’ve looked up from your couch or desk to find your kitty intensely staring at you from across the room. Even after you notice them, they’ll just keep on staring straight into your soul.

Perhaps you’ve even woken up in the middle of the night or early morning with the feeling that you’re being watched. You slowly open your eyes and scan the room, unsure of who or what you’re going to find. As you look around, you see a pair of glowing eyes looking at you from the edge of your bed. Unblinking, Unmoving. And then you hear a purr.

Is this normal cat behavior creepy or cute, or as some cat owners have suspected, is your cat plotting to eat you while you sleep? Read on to find out the real reasons why your cat likes to stare at you all the time!

Cats Are Visual Hunters

Even though cats have been lounging alongside humans for around 10,000 years, this is just the blink of an eye in evolutionary terms. They retain many of their wild features, including an impressive hunting ability.

Cats have very sharp senses which they use to create mental maps of their environment and pinpoint the location of water, rivals and prey. Any slight movement or sound in their surroundings is enough for them to know exactly what’s out there, and where.

As with any animal that now lives alongside humans, we’ve become a very important part of a cat’s not-so-natural environment. We feed them, protect them, offer them shelter and give them love. For a cat, this means that keeping an eye on us is of the same paramount importance as constantly scanning the backyard for squirrels and intruding cats. For all they know, we could walk out of the door any minute without refilling their food bowl!

If the cat in question is a recent addition to your home, or if you find yourself at the receiving end of a cat’s icy stare while visiting someone else’s house, then you can be sure that cat is checking you out closely to make sure you’re not a threat. You’ve just entered their space and they’ll be keeping a close eye on you until they’re sure you’re safe.

Cats Communicate Through Their Eyes

Any cat owner will tell you how expressive a cat’s eyes can be. A cat owner who is attuned to their animal can tell when their kitty is happy, upset, focused or angry just by the shape of their eyes and pupils. Humans aren’t the only ones who have figured this out, either.

A cat’s stare is part of their body language and is the result of hundreds of thousands of years of feline evolution. Other cats and animals can pick up on these visual cues too and use them to know when a cat is safe to approach or when it’s better to stay away.

When your cat is staring at you, it’s trying to open up a direct line of communication with you. Maybe they’re hungry and want more food, or maybe they simply want some attention and love. If you catch your cat staring at you, try to take a minute to communicate back with them and figure out what exactly they’re trying to say.

As an important member of their family, your cat may simply want to make sure you’re watching them back. After all, watching out for each other is how animal groups stay safe in the wild. So go ahead and give them a nice, slow blink to show them you care.

Cats Are Curious Creatures

Cats are well known for their curious nature and will often explore anything and everything in their environment. Whether they’re climbing atop boxes, burrowing into our dressers or climbing up a tree, their curious nature both helps them learn about the world around them and keeps them entertained.

It’s quite possible that one of the reasons cats like to stare at us is simply because they’re curious about the things we do.

Many of our daily human activities must seem so strange and intriguing to our feline friends, especially to younger cats who aren’t used to seeing us go about our day. Whether we’re quietly staring at bound papers for hours, wielding metal claws to cut up food, moving our fingers repetitively over buttons with strange symbols on them or any other of the dozens of routine actions we consider so normal, these are all novel and exciting behaviors to your cat. This means that our cats may simply stare at us because they find us interesting and entertaining!

Does Your Cat Watch You While You Sleep?

One of the harder behaviors to explain is why cats will often like to stare at their humans while they sleep. No matter how many cute and cozy beds are put in the bedroom, some cats just prefer to sit at the foot of their human’s bed and watch them sleep at night. Some cat owners find it unnerving to be woken up by the penetrating stare of a feline in the dark. They are obligate carnivores after all, right? What would happen if you forgot to give them dinner one night? Would they be hungry enough to eat you, as some internet trolls like to fearmonger?

No! Your cat wouldn’t eat you, no matter what horror story you might have read online. The most likely reason your cat likes to keep their eyes on you overnight is for the same reasons mentioned above. In fact, since cats are nocturnal or crepuscular, they often have nothing better to do at night that see what their humans are up to. While outdoor and feral cats are outside mating, hunting and marking their territories, our indoor floofs are stuck inside with us.

If you’d really prefer to not wake up to a cat staring contest, then make sure to leave out interactive toys they can play with overnight by themselves. There are plenty of awesome toy options that will keep them busy and tire them out enough so you can sleep in peace.

So if you constantly notice your cat staring at you, day or night, take it as a compliment. They find you interesting enough to take time out of playing and napping to observe you! If they’re always watching you at night, don’t freak out, they just enjoy your company. If their soul-penetrating stare is just too much for you, simply put some of these on their kitty heads. Problem solved!

On the other hand, they may just think we look cute while we’re asleep too. After all, I can’t think of anything more adorable than a sleeping cat.

 

Have you caught your cat staring at you before? Let us know why you think they do it below!