Cats and Carpet: A Match Made in Heaven
A favorite past time of nearly all feline no matter the genus is hunting beneath the surface. A piece of milk bottle ring under a rug is as exhilarating to a house cat as a rabbit beneath a layer of earth is to a bobcat. They can hear it, but even more exciting, they can feel it.
Your cats skin has up to 15 different types of skin receptors reaching out like antenna, experiencing the world at superhero levels. Spiderman has nothing compared to the amazing mechanoreceptors of a cat! These mechanoreceptors are found around their nose and front paws which is why cats dislike having their paws touched. The next set is in their whiskers or vibrissae, an extremely sensitive form of hair that is found in most mammals from mice to manatees.
Not only are there 15 types of these mechanoreceptors, but within those types, are hundreds and hundreds of super sensitive “mini feelers” that are there specifically for picking up vibrations in the air and upon the ground their feet are standing. Cats have great hearing and eyesight, yes, but the greatest technique a cat uses in hunting is feeling vibrations within the ground. Those little critters scurrying along their hidey hole tunnels are being felt by a cat way before they even get to their exit hole. Sorry little guys. It’s a tough world out there for cat prey.
Back to the carpet!
Cats love to run and play on carpeted floors. The carpet gives their clawed paws purchase and helps them in the hunt for that aluminum foil bowl that’s been getting the better of them. Rugs in kitchens and bathrooms are often just a messy pile in most cat owners’ homes and always a source of game play; a good way to stimulate a cat (see next paragraph).
The idea that there might be things to hunt beneath those plush surfaces, little critters giving off vibrations of sound and of movement, is going to drive a cat crazy (the fun kind of crazy). If you have a non-carpeted floor and have cats, rugs are extremely important. A cat can hide in a corner of a room for their whole life rather than walk across a floor like that. Without the ability to gain a “foot hold” on the surface they are walking on, the cat is likely to feel their safety and ability to protect themselves is at risk. Throw rugs! A must! Now you can have fun with your cat. Put things under them for the cat to find. Treats, kibble, noisy toys, and things you can drag beneath in an interactive session can help to mitigate behavior problems associated with an under-stimulated, bored kitty, or nervous kitty.
Also, check out the “Ripple Rug”, a play mat designed perfectly for a cats needs to hunt in hidey holes, and easy to store away when company comes. (As pictured in this post.)
