“Sleep is like a cat: It only comes to you if you ignore it.” - Gillian Flynn
Happy Friday! Here's the scoop:
This hormone practically turns lions into house kittens
These cat photography tips will trick people into thinking you're a pro
A heartwarming cat flop compilation
The real reasons why cats have whiskers
Did you know?
Humans only have 206 - do you know how many cats have?
(scroll to the bottom to find the answer!)
This Secret Ingredient Turns Lions into Lambs
A recently published study showed that spraying the noses of lions with oxytocin made them friendlier and less likely to roar. Lions tend to form strong social bonds, unlike some other big cats, so this made them the perfect subject for the study.
Oxytocin is sometimes called the “cuddle chemical,” since it is the chemical that human mothers and babies get when they bond through eye contact. This has been shown in other species as well, and some therapists suggest couples experiencing problems should share more eye contact to release oxytocin.
23 lions participated in the study and were lured with meat to get the oxytocin sprayed up their noses. After the study, each lion showed less aggression towards strangers and were essentially better at sharing their toys. This is great news for conservationists, as it may mean a solution for aggressive newly rescued lions, or for introducing lions to new additions.
How to Take Dramatically Better Photos of Your Cat
Ready to level up your cat photo game? An expert cat photographer shared some of his top tips for taking the best photos of your feline friend.
Make your cat feel comfortable. If you’re planning a cat photo shoot, make sure that the environment is stress free and that you yourself are not stressed out either - cats are sensitive and won’t enjoy a tense photography session. This might mean abandoning the cute outfits if your cat doesn’t like them, or giving a few extra treats!
Be patient. Your cat may be gorgeous, but they probably won’t be an expert model.
Keep the background plain and simple, as this will help the photo focus on your cat as the star.
Take multiple pictures at once by holding the shutter down on a camera. This way if your cat is on the move, you’re more likely to get one good shot instead of a blurry one.
Get on the same level as your cat to shift the perspective of your photographs.
Use toys to your benefit, getting the attention of your cat when you want it.
Try and use the best lighting. If you don’t want to purchase equipment, natural light is your best bet.
If you’re interested in giving it a try, learn a bit about photo editing and play around with editing the light and color in your photos.
Did this post inspire you to take a fantastic shot of your cat? Send it to us (meow@dailypurrcats.com) along with a description to be featured as one of our Cat of the Day features!
A Year of Cat Flops
If you need a bit of cat cuteness to tide you over for the weekend, this video should do it! A man recorded every time his cat chose to flop onto his arm to cuddle for an entire year - check out the floppy fluffball here.
Why do Cats Have Whiskers?
Most cats have around 12 whiskers on each upper lip, three above each eye, a few shorter ones on their chin, and a few on the backs of their legs. But why do they have them? Maybe you already know, but even we didn’t know all three of the reasons cats have whiskers.
First of course, is that they give them a sense of touch. Just like our fingertips send signals to the brain when we touch something, cats’ whiskers do the same. This helps them evaluate their environment and avoids threats, as well as letting them know if they can fit into an area.
Second, some whiskers function to tell a cat where they are in relation to the ground, to give them a sense of orientation. And third, some research has shown that cat whiskers may be used to communicate with other cats, showing if they are threatened or relaxed.
That’s one cat mystery solved!
Did you know?
Answer: 230!
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