Don't you think of cats as people who like to sleep on rainy days? And have you ever heard that "when a cat washes its face, it will rain?"
Do cats sleep better on rainy days?
It is said that cats sleep an average of 16 hours a day. On rainy days, cats tend to sleep much longer than usual. What exactly is the relationship between cats and rain?
The low pressure and humidity make me feel heavy
When the air pressure drops due to rain or a typhoon, do you ever feel unwell, with worsening headaches, stiff shoulders, or pain from old wounds? In fact, the same thing happens to cats! When air pressure drops, blood vessels swell, irritating the surrounding nerves and joints and causing pain. This is the same phenomenon that occurs in cats' bodies as when a bag of potato chips swells up on a mountain. Cats are sensitive to changes in their environment and physical condition, so they are also keenly aware of changes in air pressure. They then decide, "I'm not feeling well, so I'll try not to move," and go into a sleep state. Perhaps some cats are experiencing the same lethargy and pain as humans. Cat fur also retains moisture easily and is slow to dry. On rainy days, damp fur becomes heavy, making them sluggish. Slowing down prevents them from hunting and could even put their lives at risk, so many cats choose to "conserve their energy" by sleeping on rainy days.
There are exceptions! Kittens can get really excited when it rains!
Some fearless and curious kittens seem to become more energetic on rainy days. The one I rescued as a kitten was so excited, he would fight the raindrops trickling down the window and chase the sound of the rain hitting the roof! He would run all over the house. In the case of kittens, curiosity sometimes takes over and makes them more active. The same is true in the world of stray cats, so on rainy days, lost kittens that have been separated from their parents are often found.
Is it true that if a cat washes its face, it will rain the next day?
It's very cute to see a cat washing its face. There's a proverb that says, "When a cat washes its face, it will rain," but is that really true?
The saying that "if a cat washes its face, it will rain the next day" is a lie!
Even if a cat washes its face, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will rain the next day. In fact, if you have a cat, it's a sight you can see every day! This behavior is named after the way cats groom the fur and whiskers around their faces, which looks like they're washing their faces. If you observe closely, you'll see that cats wash their faces in a variety of situations, such as when they wake up, after eating, when they're stroked on the head, when their whiskers fall out, and after playing. When they wake up, they wash their faces for the same reasons that humans wash their faces, such as to remove eye boogers from around their eyes and to smooth out bedhead (or maybe hair?) that they developed while sleeping! In other words, cats are creatures that wash their faces regardless of the weather.
However, it's true that you wash your face more often on rainy days!!
As mentioned earlier, cat fur has the property of easily absorbing moisture and taking a long time to dry. This is no exception for the whiskers, which act as the most sensitive sensors in a cat's fur. A cat's whiskers have many roles, such as maintaining a sense of balance and sensing airflow. They are so sensitive to even the slightest changes that some cats will be unable to walk if their whiskers are cut. When the humidity is high, the moist whiskers become heavy and droop, causing the sensation around the whiskers to change from normal. It seems that more cats are concerned about this change and are washing their faces. Many cats start to wash not only their face, but also behind their ears and head thoroughly, so it's fascinating to watch!
Why do cats hate water?
Cats are said to be animals that don't like getting wet. Many owners have had the experience of having trouble shampooing their cats. Why do cats dislike water?
Wet fur can be deadly!
So far, we've learned that there is a strong relationship between cat fur and water. Tracing this relationship back, we arrive at the African wildcat, the ancestor of desert-dwelling cats. In deserts with extreme temperature differences, a drop in body temperature can be fatal. In other words, cat fur, which easily absorbs moisture and is difficult to dry, was a life-threatening issue for African wildcats living in the desert. Cats' dislike of water is an instinct inherited from their ancestors. Incidentally, cat fur is made up of two layers: a top coat and an undercoat. Both are fluffy, so warm air accumulates between the hairs, keeping the cat's body warm. However, the oils produced from the surface of the skin do not reach the tips of the hair, making it difficult for them to repel moisture.
summary
The mysterious legend of cats and rain is deeply connected to their fluffy, soft fur. We see cat fur every day, but if you pay attention to the difference between rainy and sunny days, you might discover something even more interesting!
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