WEBVTT

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Why do cats do that?

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They're cute, they're lovable,

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and judging by the 26 billions views
of over 2 million YouTube videos

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of them pouncing,

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bouncing,

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climbing,

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cramming,

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stalking,

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clawing,

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chattering,

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and purring,

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one thing is certain:

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cats are very entertaining.

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These somewhat strange feline behaviors,

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both amusing and baffling,

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leave many of us asking,
"Why do cats do that?"

NOTE Paragraph

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Throughout time, cats were simultaneously
solitary predators of smaller animals

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and prey for larger carnivores.

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As both predator and prey,

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survival of their species depended
on crucial instinctual behaviors

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which we still observe in wild 
and domestic cats today.

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While the feline actions of your house cat
Grizmo might seem perplexing,

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in the wild, these same behaviors,

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naturally bred into cats 
for millions of years,

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would make Grizmo a super cat.

NOTE Paragraph

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Enabled by their unique muscular structure
and keen balancing abilities,

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cats climbed to high vantage points
to survey their territory

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and spot prey in the wild.

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Grizmo doesn't need these particular
skills to find and hunt down dinner

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in her food bowl today,

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but instinctually, viewing the living room
from the top of the bookcase

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is exactly what she has evolved to do.

NOTE Paragraph

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As wild predators, cats are opportunistic
and hunt whenever prey is available.

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Since most cat prey are small,

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cats in the wild needed to eat 
many times each day,

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and use a stalk, pounce, kill, eat
strategy to stay fed.

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This is why Grizmo prefers to chase
and pounce on little toys

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and eat small meals over the course
of the day and night.

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Also, small prey tend to hide in tiny
spaces in their natural environments,

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so one explanation for Grizmo's propensity
to reach into containers and openings

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is that she is compelled by 
the same curiosity

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that helped ensure the continuation of
her species for millions of years before.

NOTE Paragraph

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In the wild, cats needed sharp claws
for climbing, hunting, and self-defense.

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Sharpening their claws on nearby surfaces
kept them conditioned and ready,

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helped stretch their back and leg muscles,

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and relieve some stress, too.

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So, it's not that Grizmo hates your couch,

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chair,

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ottoman,

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pillows,

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curtains,

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and everything else 
you put in her environment.

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She's ripping these things to shreds
and keeping her claws in tip-top shape

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because this is exactly what her ancestors
did in order to survive.

NOTE Paragraph

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As animals that were preyed upon,

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cats evolved to not get caught,

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and in the wild, the cats that were 
the best at avoiding predators thrived.

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So at your house today,

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Grizmo is an expert 
at squeezing into small spaces

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and seeking out and hiding
in unconventional spots.

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It also explains why she prefers
a clean and odor-free litter box.

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That's less likely to give away 
her location to any predators

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that may be sniffing around nearby.

NOTE Paragraph

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Considering everything 
we do know about cats,

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it seems that one of their most 
predominate behaviors

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is still one of the most mysterious.

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Cats may purr for any number of reasons,

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such as happiness,

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stress,

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and hunger.

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But curiously, 
the frequency of their purrs,

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between 25 and 150 hertz,

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is within a range that can promote
tissue regeneration.

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So while her purring makes Grizmo
an excellent nap companion,

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it is also possible that her purr
is healing her muscles and bones,

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and maybe even yours, too.

NOTE Paragraph

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They developed through time

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as both solitary predators 
that hunted and killed to eat,

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and stealthy prey that hid
and escaped to survive.

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So cats today retain many 
of the same instincts

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that allowed them to thrive in the wild
for millions of years.

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This explains some of their seemingly
strange behaviors.

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To them, our homes are their jungles.

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But if this is the case, 
in our own cat's eyes,

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who are we?

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Big, dumb, hairless cats competing with
them for resources?

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Terribly stupid predators they're able
to outsmart every day?

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Or maybe they think we're the prey.