Cats have several odd habits, such as knocking things over, napping in tight, seemingly uncomfortable positions, and staring blankly at walls. What is it about a blank wall that your cat finds so fascinating?
What Causes Cats to Gaze at Walls?
Your cat's newfound obsession with your paint color could be due to a number of factors. Some people joke (or even believe) that their cat is keeping an eye on a ghost or other supernatural entity. But there's undoubtedly a more reasonable, natural explanation. The majority of the reasons your cat would stare up at your walls have to do with cats' inherent curiosity and their dual roles as predator and prey.
They are able to detect something
Cats have excellent eyesight. While they don't have as many cones as we do, which means they can't see as many colors, they do have a lot more rods and can see in low light. In addition, they have a larger field of vision than we have. In fact, your cat's vision spans 200 degrees, whereas ours is only 180 degrees. This means that your cat's peripheral vision is significantly wider than that of humans. Your cat may appear to be staring at nothing, yet it could be watching a bug or a shadow on the wall.
Cats may have episodic memory as well. This is a sort of long-term memory in which cats are able to recall individual events, settings, and experiences. This means that your cat may recall sun reflections dancing on a particular portion of a particular wall at a particular moment.
If your cat stares at the same wall at the same time every day, it's possible that they're anticipating their favorite game.
They are able to hear something.
Cats have the fantastic hearing ability. They can actually hear a greater range of frequencies than most mammals, including humans and dogs! So it's possible that your cat can hear things that you can't! Buildings are not only prone to settlement, but they also include pipelines and air ducts. Water rushing through a pipe or air hissing through a duct may be heard by your cat. Of course, our homes are not impenetrable to creatures from the outside. If a mouse or other animal enters your home, your cat may stare at the wall because they can hear them scamper. However, the sound does not have to originate from within the wall. Your cat may be in danger if you live in an apartment building.
When Do You Need to Be Concerned?
In rare cases, your cat's wall staring could be a sign of a medical problem.
Cognitive Dysfunction in Cats
Cat dementia is a condition that affects some older cats. It is technically recognized as feline cognitive dysfunction, although it is more frequently known as cat dementia. This is similar to the symptoms of dementia and senility in adults. Cats suffering from cognitive impairment may yowl loudly at night and stare blankly at walls.
Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome is a condition that affects cats.
If your cat not only looks at blank walls but also attacks their own tail, frantically starts grooming the base of their tail out of nowhere, or just seems abnormally sensitive to touch, they may have feline hyperesthesia syndrome. This disease has only lately been identified and described. It's not a common diagnosis, but it's unclear whether that's because it doesn't happen very often or because it's difficult to recognize.
Cats suffering from hyperesthesia syndrome frequently transition from a manic condition of frantic grooming and tail swatting to a trance-like state of looking blankly at a wall. Try to get a video on your phone if you see any of these signs. Having a video of your cat's behavior can help your vet diagnose any medical issues that may be causing strange behavior at home.
Cats stare at walls for a variety of reasons. Most of the time, they just noticed or heard something we didn't, and they're keeping an eye on it or attempting to figure out what it is.
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