Who hasn't wondered why animals do what they do? After observing my cat's behavior, I got curious about why she was doing many of the things she does, so I did some fun and nerdy research. Here is a list of some of the things I observed in different pets and animals along with the information I gathered through my research.

Tail Wagging

Different animals can wag their tails for various reasons. Dogs start wagging quickly when they are happy or excited. This can be funny too, especially if there is another dog behind them while they are wagging and they accidentally whip the other dog in the snoofer. However, depending on the type of motion, it could be a threatening gesture. Their behavior needs to be closely watched when around other animals and pets to make sure a fight doesn't break out. Cats usually sway their tail rather than wagging it. A happy cat might calmly move their tail, but if they move their tails back and forth quickly like a dog, you better run. That's not a happy kitty and they may be about to show signs of aggression. If a cat is quickly flicking their tail, it means they are unhappy. You might see this at the vet, when they can't catch the mysterious red dot or when someone pets them a nanometer too close to their ear. Other animals move their tails around to help them sense their surroundings and hunt for prey. In other situations, tail movements and other gestures can be used to attract a potential mate.

Tail Chasing

Dogs and cats and possibly other animals can chase their tails either to use their excess energy or because they have OCD.

Licking

Animals typically lick other dogs and humans (or toys) to show affection. However, the tongue is also a sensory tool like a hand. Licking is also used for grooming purposes. This is because mother dogs, cats and other creatures lick their babies, so this method of cleaning carries on into adulthood. Imagine how weird it would be if humans licked their babies.

Biting

Dogs primarily use their mouths to interact with their surroundings, therefore it is very important that they know how to control their biting. Within the first few weeks puppies are born, they are teething so they want to bite things. The mother dog keeps an eye on her pups and disciplines them when or if they chomp too hard on one of their siblings. This part of a puppy's life is very important in order for them to act nicely around other dogs and not be too violent when they grow up. A puppy who is not yet seven weeks old and is taken away from its mother could have trouble controlling their mouths when they grow into adult dogs.You may notice a dog nip or snap at you or another dog. You may think, "Fido loves me! Why is he trying to bite me?" Dogs (especially puppies) will act like they are biting you but they are not putting any power in their biting. This is the natural way that litter-mates play. Working at a doggy day camp, I noticed one dog was biting another dog's face playfully and in a very non-threatening manner. The dog was also biting the other dog's ankles and holding on to its leg. The other dog didn't even care. I told the dog, "Stop it Winston, Lincoln is not a chew toy!" Winston didn't listen but it is ok because they were just playing. However, if the dog is snarling, barking or growling at another dog while biting at the dog, this is when it is important to intervene and prevent a potential dog fight. Here is an example of a gentle dog versus a vicious and angry dog biting.

Head Tilts

Call your dog's name and they may adorably tilt their head to the side as they look at you with those big cute eyes. The exact reason they do this is unknown, but it has been thought that this is because they are listening to what you are saying and trying to make sense of those foreign human words.

Howling

Howling is primarily done by wolves in the wild to communicate with their long distance pack members or establish dominance. Domesticated dogs still do it because it is one of their natural instincts. Why do they howl at the moon though? They don't howl at the moon, it just looks like they do since they tilt their heads back and often need to communicate with their pack come nightfall.

Bark At Nothing

Dogs aren't barking at nothing, they can see demons and ghosts.Thank you dogs for protecting us.

Animals are fascinating and wonderful gifts to the world and life wouldn't be as interesting without them. There are so many things that we don't know about them, and this article only addresses the few things we can kind of know. Who knows, animals may be wondering the same things about us.