<P> Though cats and dogs are often characterized as natural enemies, they can live together if correctly socialized . </P> <P> Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals . Ethologically, the human keeper of a cat may function as a sort of surrogate for the cat's mother, and adult housecats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioral neoteny . The high - pitched sounds housecats make to solicit food may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly hard for humans to ignore . </P> <P> Domestic cat's scent rubbing behavior towards humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means for social bonding . </P> <P> Domestic cats use many vocalizations for communication, including purring, trilling, hissing, growling / snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing . (By contrast, feral cats are generally silent .) Their types of body language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of the whole body, and kneading of the paws, are all indicators of mood . The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats; for example, a raised tail acts as a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicates hostility . Tail - raising also indicates the cat's position in the group's social hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate animals . Nose - to - nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed by social grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head . </P>

Why is a mother cat called a queen