Cats and dogs

Most often because it feels calm and content. Look at the whole cat: a purr together with a relaxed body means a happy cat. A cat can also purr when it is worried or hurt.

To talk to people. Kittens meow to their mother, but grown-up cats hardly ever meow at other cats.

No. A loose, wide wag with a relaxed body means a happy dog. A tail held high with short, stiff wags usually means tension, and a stiff, low wag can mean fear.

A dog's way of asking for a game. When dogs start to play, they often begin with a play bow: front down, bottom up in the air.

It tucks its tail between its back legs, pins its ears back, leans away or makes itself small. Stay calm and give the dog space.

A scared cat is crouched and tense, with its tail pressed to its body, flat ears and wide pupils. It may hide. Let it stay in its hiding place and give it space.

It is a friendly sign. You can blink slowly back, and turn your head a little to the side, to show that you are not a threat.

Much better than ours. A dog has more than 100 million smell sensors in its nose, and people have about 6 million. Experts estimate that a dog smells things about 1,000 to 10,000 times better than we do.

Cats see much better than people when it is dim, which helps them at dusk, at night and at dawn. Their whiskers also help them find their way through tight, dark spaces.

A lot. Cats sleep about 12 to 18 hours a day, in many short naps.

Most dogs need at least one or two walks a day. Walking keeps a dog fit and is good for its mind. Some dogs need more.

Scratching is normal for cats. They stretch, play and mark their territory, and scratching wears off old outer claws so that sharper ones show. A sturdy, tall scratching post gives a cat the right place to do it.