Why do cats do that?,They're cute, they're lovable,,and judging by the 26 billions views

of over 2 million YouTube videos,of them pouncing,,bouncing,,climbing,,cramming,,stalking,,clawing,,chattering,,and purring,,one thing is certain:,cats are very entertaining.,These somewhat strange feline behaviors,,both amusing and baffling,,leave many of us asking,

"Why do cats do that?",Throughout time, cats were simultaneously

solitary predators of smaller animals,and prey for larger carnivores.,As both predator and prey,,survival of their species depended

on crucial instinctual behaviors,which we still observe in wild

and domestic cats today.,While the feline actions of your house cat

Grizmo might seem perplexing,,in the wild, these same behaviors,,naturally bred into cats

for millions of years,,would make Grizmo a super cat.,Enabled by their unique muscular structure

and keen balancing abilities,,cats climbed to high vantage points

to survey their territory,and spot prey in the wild.,Grizmo doesn't need these particular

skills to find and hunt down dinner,in her food bowl today,,but instinctually, viewing the living room

from the top of the bookcase,is exactly what she has evolved to do.,As wild predators, cats are opportunistic

and hunt whenever prey is available.,Since most cat prey are small,,cats in the wild needed to eat

many times each day,,and use a stalk, pounce, kill, eat

strategy to stay fed.,This is why Grizmo prefers to chase

and pounce on little toys,and eat small meals over the course

of the day and night.,Also, small prey tend to hide in tiny

spaces in their natural environments,,so one explanation for Grizmo's propensity

to reach into containers and openings,is that she is compelled by

the same curiosity,that helped ensure the continuation of

her species for millions of years before.,In the wild, cats needed sharp claws

for climbing, hunting, and self-defense.,Sharpening their claws on nearby surfaces

kept them conditioned and ready,,helped stretch their back and leg muscles,,and relieve some stress, too.,So, it's not that Grizmo hates your couch,,chair,,ottoman,,pillows,,curtains,,and everything else

you put in her environment.,She's ripping these things to shreds

and keeping her claws in tip-top shape,because this is exactly what her ancestors

did in order to survive.,As animals that were preyed upon,,cats evolved to not get caught,,and in the wild, the cats that were

the best at avoiding predators thrived.,So at your house today,,Grizmo is an expert

at squeezing into small spaces,and seeking out and hiding

in unconventional spots.,It also explains why she prefers

a clean and odor-free litter box.,That's less likely to give away

her location to any predators,that may be sniffing around nearby.,Considering everything

we do know about cats,,it seems that one of their most

predominate behaviors,is still one of the most mysterious.,Cats may purr for any number of reasons,,such as happiness,,stress,,and hunger.,But curiously,

the frequency of their purrs,,between 25 and 150 hertz,,is within a range that can promote

tissue regeneration.,So while her purring makes Grizmo

an excellent nap companion,,it is also possible that her purr

is healing her muscles and bones,,and maybe even yours, too.,They developed through time,as both solitary predators

that hunted and killed to eat,,and stealthy prey that hid

and escaped to survive.,So cats today retain many

of the same instincts,that allowed them to thrive in the wild

for millions of years.,This explains some of their seemingly

strange behaviors.,To them, our homes are their jungles.,But if this is the case,

in our own cat's eyes,,who are we?,Big, dumb, hairless cats competing with

them for resources?,Terribly stupid predators they're able

to outsmart every day?,Or maybe they think we're the prey.