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Panting, saliva, and heat: How he cools himself
A panting cat? That’s an intriguing image. Unlike dogs, cats do not use their tongues to control their body temperature. However, when it is extremely hot, such as on a scorching afternoon in Marseille, some cats may pant to relieve the excess heat.
They also use another trick: licking their fur. The evaporation of saliva provides them with a short cooling effect, similar to rubbing a damp glove over your forehead in the middle of summer.
He rubs against your legs as a symbol of attachment.
Does your cat gently rub against your calves as soon as you arrive home? It is not only to meet you. This behavior is full with meaning: it mixes affection, acknowledgment, and… marking!
That’s because the parts he rubs against you—flanks, chin, and base of tail—are densely covered in pheromone glands. These invisible molecules constitute an olfactory identity card. You become the bearer of his scent, allowing him to communicate, “This human is part of my territory.”
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