The cat is yawning. What is frequent yawning a sign of? What is a yawn
Yawning itself is completely natural, physiological process organism. The nature of yawning is explained very simply: oxygen starvation. Breathe in when yawning large volume air, which means that the blood is more fully saturated with oxygen. But this is a person. But what about yawning in animals, in particular, in cats?
How cats and cats yawn
During yawning, the cat opens its mouth wide, the corners of the mouth are pulled back, the teeth are exposed, the tongue is extended and wrapped in a tube. The eyes of the animal at this moment are tightly closed, the ears are pressed to the head, and the cat itself freezes for a few seconds. Inhale deeply and exhale sharp and short.
If we compare the process of yawning of a cat with a human, then they are absolutely identical. Thus, a cat, like a person, compensates for the lack of oxygen.
Yawning in cats is caused by the same reasons as in humans.
Video: cat yawns
Reasons why a cat or cat yawns
There are many reasons why a cat yawns. But they are either called physiological reasons or psychological.
natural causes
TO natural causes yawns in cats include all physiological and behavioral processes that require a rapid enrichment of the body with oxygen.
After waking up
During sleep, a cat's metabolism is slowed down. The work of all organs proceeds in an energy-saving mode. The body of the animal is relaxed. Oxygen consumption is reduced. When the animal awakens, it must quickly alert itself. Disperse foggy perception, put muscles in order, because relaxation is the first enemy of any animal, as it threatens with trouble. To quickly restore the work of all parts of the brain and the body as a whole, sipping and yawning help the cat. With the help of sipping, stiff muscles are stretched, blood circulation is increased, and yawning provides an influx of oxygen.
Yawning cat supplies the body with a large portion of oxygen, and sipping stimulates blood circulation in the muscles. Before physical activity
Yawning before physical activity replaces a warm-up for a cat. If a person warms up the muscles with a set of exercises, then the cat prepares itself by the process of yawning.
Before going to sleep
Everyone yawns before going to bed. Drowsiness attacks only when the whole body requires recharging in the form of sleep. Having exhausted all energy reserves, it must be restored by shutting down. But during sleep, all processes slow down very much, so by yawning the body increases the amount of oxygen that will be required to maintain the functioning of all systems. This process is identical for all living beings.
Yawning before going to bed will provide the body with an influx of oxygen, which is required for the work of all systems during cat sleep. Video: everyone yawns
Stress
During stress, there is a sharp release of adrenaline into the blood, contraction of blood vessels throughout the body, and an increase in heart rate. Stress is caused by fear, aggression, pain. This process is also the same in the entire animal world. Decay products in the blood chemical substances can cause toxicity in the body. Yawning in this case is a great helper. Saturating the blood with oxygen, it helps rid the body of harmful impurities, improve the functioning of all organs of perception: vision, hearing, smell and touch. Stress yawning is highly recognizable, as it occurs against the background of unusual situations for the cat (for example, a visit to the veterinarian) and has a high frequency of repetition.
After meal
By nature, it is laid down that spending a lot of time on the process of digestion is detrimental to a cat. She can't afford to lie still and wait for it to end. Of course, this does not apply to pets, but there is no escape from the reflex developed by millennia of evolution. Therefore, yawning helps the cat to cope with digestion faster, again by saturating the blood with oxygen.
There is another reason why representatives yawn cat world. This is a demonstration of one's leadership position at the hierarchical levels of the community. With a yawn, the cat shows its superiority, in this process all its teeth are perfectly demonstrated.
forced reasons
The forced causes of yawning include various pathological processes in the body, as well as the impact of meteorological phenomena.
Diseases
When a neurotic disease occurs, the cat often yawns. Moreover, yawns are short, frequent, convulsive. As a rule, this symptom is not isolated. There is a group of signs:
- scratching;
- head tremor;
- frequent swallowing.
First of all, the veterinarian will suspect not just stress, the examination will be aimed at detecting a brain tumor. The fact is that the cause of yawning in this case is not a lack of oxygen, but the pressure of the tumor on certain parts of the brain and their irritation, which causes the yawning reflex.
Yawning, the cat partially relieves stress and pain.
Atmospheric pressure drops
Cats, just like people, are weather dependent. drops atmospheric pressure cause the same headaches as in humans. It has already been proven that some cats suffer from hypertension, which is exacerbated by a drop in atmospheric pressure. Cats are more sensitive to this, so they react by yawning, trying to restore the blood supply to the cells of the body with an influx of oxygen.
There is a sign among the people: a cat often yawns - to warm, clear weather.
imitative reflex
Cats that have a strong bond with their owner are sensitive to physical state person. They are not alien to the response to human behavior. When someone nearby yawns, the interlocutor involuntarily also begins to yawn. So are cats. Being next to the owner, they have a reflex, and the cat yawns, imitating the owner.
An attentive owner will always notice that something is wrong with the cat. If yawning is permanent and accompanied by other symptoms, then it is urgent to consult a specialist and start treatment as soon as possible in case of health deviations.
In all other cases, it is enough to provide the animal with a calm and measured life, devoid of stress and rough exposure. environment. The owner needs to ensure that the pet has enough time to sleep. Do not wake up the cat. This is not a problem if there are no small children and other animals in the house. In other cases, you need to take care of the arrangement of a secluded bed.
The cat must receive balanced diet premium, but if the animal eats natural food, then do not forget about additional vitamins. It is advisable to try to eliminate the stress associated with travel as much as possible: the cat does not like a change of scenery.
A cat is a very active animal, it needs movement. An animal that does not have sufficient mobility begins to suffer from oxygen starvation. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the pet, regularly involve him in outdoor games, and provide him with toys.
During outdoor games the animal's body is supplied with oxygen, which means that there will be no situation of oxygen starvation Yawning in a cat is rarely a sign of pathology. Usually this is a completely physiological process. But if a pet has appeared in the house, it is necessary to monitor and care for it. Only a loving owner can subtly notice the mood and well-being of a cat. Caring is fundamental to the relationship between humans and cats.
And the cat brethren yawn even very often. However, this behavior, contrary to popular belief, is not necessarily a sign of laziness! Why do cats just sit and yawn? In what situations does this happen and what does it mean? The point is that on this question there is no specific answer. Too many theories on this topic.
Getting Started Information; no wonder, but not only all mammals, but also ... birds and even fish just sit and yawn! It turns out that this reflex occurs in many species of animals, which leads to the conclusion that yawning in itself cannot be a useless phenomenon - after all, nature knows what it is doing! See if any of the explanations below apply to your pet.
Yawning cat wakes up to life.
Classic. It is difficult to find a simpler explanation. Cats just sit and yawn after sleeping for several hours, when they just wake up or try to wake up. Interestingly, our pussies, unlike humans, don't just sit and yawn when they wake up. They, as a rule, squint their eyes, arch their whole body and stretch their front paws, while the hind legs, on the contrary, are drawn in, as in the photo. At the same time, yawning, they show their throat and teeth widely.
Yawning relieves stress.
This explanation applies in principle to both cats and dogs. In stressful situations (for example, when another animal comes into view, or when the pet simply feels threatened from the outside), the easiest way to relieve anxiety is to yawn. There is another reason here: furry, just does not want to show fear. This is a signal for a potential enemy - I'm not afraid of you, but I don't want to fight you either.
The cat yawns when it is stuffy.
Just like us! This has been scientifically proven. A cat that yawns when it's stuffy. Good yawn, this is the most The best way air flow into the body. Which of us, being too long in a stuffy room, does not have the same reflex?
A cat yawns when it doesn't know what to do.
Again - typical for cats and dogs. When a pet doesn't know what to do certain situation. Apparently, a yawn that causes a strong influx of air stimulates the body, and it is easier for the animal to make a decision. Some argue that in such situations, the little rogue gets precious seconds to reason - what to do here? Probably, they called their pet more than once, and instead of going straight to you, he sat down halfway, looked at you and yawned. Apparently he was thinking whether it was worth approaching the owner calling him, what benefits would he have from this?
A cat yawns when she is bored.
Is not a fact. Although some argue that a yawn is a sign of boredom in a cat and then try to provide entertainment to the pet in the form of a fishing rod or mouse. Others believe that a pet through a yawn shows, rather, that he is calm and unflappable, and not that he is bored. It's hard to get a definitive answer here. It is best to test this assumption on your own pet. If he yawns widely, but not only just woke up, but there is no danger in the vicinity, just try to play with him. He doesn't move, doesn't react? Well, probably, but it's just relaxation, not boredom.
Each of us has seen in his life how cats or cats open their mouths wide for a few seconds and close their eyes. These actions are very similar to human behavior during the process of yawning. And indeed, maybe cat yawns?
What happens when a cat yawns?
Yawning in a cat is an uncontrolled respiratory process of the body, which consists in a deep slow breath and a quick sharp exhalation. The result of the process is the enrichment of blood with oxygen and an increase in the rate of vascular blood exchange in the brain. And this leads to the enrichment of brain cells nutrients coming from the bloodstream and cleansing them from carbon dioxide and harmful substances. Consciousness clears up, well-being improves, some lightness appears in the body, stress is relieved.
When a cat yawns: what are the reasons for this phenomenon
So, a cat has a yawning reflex in the following cases:
1) After sleep. When the cat sleeps the work of the brain slows down. Blood flow slows down, brain activity slows down, carbon dioxide accumulates in the blood. Accordingly, upon waking up, it is necessary to establish brain activity, therefore, nature provided for yawning - the rapid enrichment of blood flow with oxygen.
2) During stress. Stress leads to the release of harmful substances into the blood, and they already reduce brain activity. Accordingly, in order to remove these substances, it is necessary to yawn tightly, to relieve, so to speak, tension. You can watch a picture when a pet yawns due to stress, for example, in veterinary clinic when the four-legged waits for a specialist in line with the owner. At this moment, the pet is surrounded not only by a lot of smells, but also by a new environment, which can easily confuse a pet that does not go outside.
3) After eating. For the breakdown of products, part of the energy, blood flow is not directed to the brain, but to digestive system to ensure the breakdown of recently eaten food. The number of yawns at this moment increases in order to maintain brain activity at the right level. It is worth noting that more heavy cat food, poorly digestible, cause more frequent urges yawns than easily digestible.
4) As a result of overwork. After a long trip somewhere in the carrier, the pet can simply get tired. Brain activity will be reduced. To restore it, the cat yawns reflexively.
5) Because of some neuralgic disease. If blood flow is disturbed and harmful elements are removed from the animal's body, in particular the brain, the pet may yawn regularly. And if other symptoms or behaviors are observed at the same time, you can safely go to the veterinarian and look for the cause of the disease.
To stop your pet from yawning:
1) Let the animal get enough sleep, that is, organize the daily routine.
2) Supply physical activity i.e. play more. The latter can easily be done if one uses special toys for cats, allowing you to use all muscle groups in the body of the mustachioed-striped.
3 Balance your diet. Food should be easily digestible
4) Try to reduce the amount stressful situations. In case of such occurrence, use special preparations on herbs to relieve tension, fear, stress, allowing the four-legged to relax.
5) To be regularly examined by a veterinarian, in case of diseases, to take timely measures for treatment.