Just Random Things

cat licking itself #cat #cats #meow #cutecats #kitten #babycat Cats need to communicate with each other for bonding, and relating with each other; they need to collaborate, play, and share resources. When they communicate with people, they do so to get what they need or want, such as food, affection, or play. Cats use a range of communication methods such as vocal, visual, tactile and olfactory. Cats mostly meow to communicate with people, rarely with other animals. As such, the cats' communication methods have been significantly affected by domestication.[1] Up to 21 different cat vocalizations have been studied.[2] It is now evident that domestic cats meow more than feral cats. Cat vocalizations have been categorized according to a range of characteristics. Originally suggested by Mildred Moelk, cat sounds are often divided into three main classes: sounds produced with the mouth closed (murmurs – purring, trilling) sounds produced when the mouth is first opened and then gradually closed (meowing, howling, yowling) sounds produced with the mouth held tensely open in the same position (growls, snarls, hisses, spits, chattering, and chirping). In 1944, Moelk published the first phonetic study of cat sounds.[4] She listened very carefully to her own cats and organized their sounds into 16 phonetic patterns divided into three main categories. She also used a phonetic alphabet to transcribe or write down the different sounds.[5] She claimed that cats had six different forms of meows to represent friendliness, confidence, dissatisfaction, anger, fear and pain. Moelk classified eight other sounds involved in mating and fighting by listening to the animals in her yard and on the street. Brown et al. categorized vocal responses of cats according to the behavioral context: during separation of kittens from mother cats, during food deprivation, during pain, prior to or during threat or attack behavior, as in disputes over territory or food, during a painful or acutely stressful experience, as in routine prophylactic injections and during kitten deprivation.[6] Less commonly recorded calls from mature cats included purring, conspecific greeting calls or murmurs, extended vocal dialogues between cats in separate cages, "frustration" calls during training or extinction of conditioned responses. Miller classified vocalizations into five categories according to the sound produced: the purr, chirr, call, meow and growl/snarl/hiss.[7] Owens et al. categorized cat vocalizations based on their acoustic structures. There are three categories: tonal sounds, pulse sounds, and broadband sounds. Tonal sounds are further categorized into groups of harmonically structured sounds or regular tonal sounds. Pulse vocalizations are separated into pulse bursts and hybrid pulse bursts with tonal endings. Broadband sounds are separated into four groups: non-tonal broadband sounds, broadband sounds with tonal beginnings, broadband sounds with short tonal elements, and broadband sounds with long tonal endings

two kitten playing with each other #kitten #cats #cuteanimals #cutecats #cat #pets #cutepets When you have a multi-cat household, it's always best when your cats get along. But sometimes figuring out when playtime between two cats has crossed the line into something more serious can be tough to determine. When your cats are chasing each other, hissing, and pouncing, you may find yourself wondering, "Are my cats playing or fighting?" To answer the question, observe how they hold their ears and tails and how they act around each other outside of playtime. Watch Their Body Language Body language can tell you a lot. Both playing and fighting can involve jumping on each other, chasing, and even a little hissing. It's not unusual for play fighting to appear a bit aggressive. Your cats might also "play bite" without causing injury.1 Cats that are play fighting tend to take turns, letting one cat be at the bottom of the wrestling huddle and then the other. They might even take brief breaks to rest. If your cats' bodies are relaxed or their ears are pointed forward, they're likely just playing.2 If your cats flatten their ears, hold their ears back, or puff up their fur or tails, this is a sign that they're fighting, not playing. Defensive, puffy postures and leaning away from each other while hissing with bared teeth are signs that your cats feel threatened and aren't having fun. Chasing a tired cat until it hides could also be a bad sign. Inflicting injury is another indication things have gone too far. How Do They Act When They're Not Playing? Watching how your cats act around each other when they're not playing can help you see more clearly how serious the situation is. If they groom each other, cuddle with each other, or generally live peacefully together, they're likely just playing. However, some cats may feel bullied or tense around each other because they're fighting, not playing. In those situations, they may avoid each other, or even hiss or growl when the other is near. They may freak out a little if they accidentally touch each other. You might also see signs of insecurity in one or both cats. These signs can include hiding, pooping outside the litter box, spraying in inappropriate places outside the box, or becoming extra destructive and even lashing out at you. How You Can Help Them Get Along If you think your cats are fighting, don't despair—you're not powerless. First, try to redirect your cats' attention with a feather wand when things start to get tense between them. (Just remember, do not step in between fighting cats or try to grab one and pull it away from the other.) Plug in Comfort Zone Multi-Cat Diffusers throughout your house in the rooms where your cats like to hang out. These diffusers emit odorless, drug-free vapors that mimic a cat's pheromones. They signal to your cat that everything is safe, secure, and calm. When there's tension between two cats, these diffusers can help induce a more calming, happy atmosphere. You can also use the BreakAway Comfort Zone Calming Collar on every cat in the house to provide comforting vapors 24/7. Cats that don't have enough activities may take out their nervous energy on each other. Set up window perches, condos, and cat trees in multiple rooms to give them more spaces to claim as their own territory. Give them interactive toys and engage them in lots of playtime. You can also try clicker training to give them a mental workout.3 If you have a cat harness and leash, you could even take them on walks in your backyard. Reintroducing Your Cats If you find you can't redirect their attention at all and these other activities aren't helping, you may need to reintroduce your cats as if they're meeting for the first time. This involves keeping them in separate rooms, swapping scents, and feeding them on opposite sides of a closed door. Once they're calm when sensing the other, feed them on opposite sides of a screen or gate. Then graduate to limited, supervised visits. Over time, they'll learn the other isn't a threat. It can be tough to know where the line is between playing and fighting. If you see signs of fighting between your cats, some extra supervision and playtime can help. Remember: it's always okay to talk to a cat behaviorist or your veterinarian if you're not sure what to do next. With the right steps, most cats can learn to be friends again.

Welcome to JRT, a channel dedicated to cute, fluffy cats and curious, rambunctious dogs. We are here to fill your life with more furry and funny things the adorable friends in our lives do. Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday we'll have a new compilation of the funniest home videos of cats, dogs, birds and all kids of animals being equally hilarious and adorable. Be sure the Subscribe to our channel to never miss one! So sit back, relax and have a laugh on us. #dogs #cuteanimals #dogpalying #dogplayinginsnow #cutedogs #enjoy #wildanimals #creatures #nature #dogshavingfun #cute #cutevideos #cutepetvideos dogs having fun in snow.

An aurora[a] (plural: auroras or aurorae),[b] also commonly known as the polar lights,[c] is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of brilliant lights that appear as curtains, rays, spirals, or dynamic flickers covering the entire sky.[3] Auroras are the result of disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by the solar wind. Major disturbances result from enhancements in the speed of the solar wind from coronal holes and coronal mass ejections. These disturbances alter the trajectories of charged particles in the magnetospheric plasma. These particles, mainly electrons and protons, precipitate into the upper atmosphere (thermosphere/exosphere). The resulting ionization and excitation of atmospheric constituents emit light of varying colour and complexity. The form of the aurora, occurring within bands around both polar regions, is also dependent on the amount of acceleration imparted to the precipitating particles. Most of the planets in the Solar System, some natural satellites, brown dwarfs, and even comets also host auroras. #aurora #auroras #northpole #southpole The word "aurora" is derived from the name of the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, who travelled from east to west announcing the coming of the sun.[4] Ancient Greek poets used the corresponding name Eos metaphorically to refer to dawn, often mentioning its play of colors across the otherwise dark sky (e.g., "rosy-fingered dawn").[5] The words "borealis" and "australis" are derived from the names of the ancient gods of the north wind (Boreas) and the south wind (Auster). Most auroras occur in a band known as the "auroral zone",[6] which is typically 3° to 6° wide in latitude and between 10° and 20° from the geomagnetic poles at all local times (or longitudes), most clearly seen at night against a dark sky. A region that currently displays an aurora is called the "auroral oval", a band displaced by the solar wind towards the night side of Earth.[7] Early evidence for a geomagnetic connection comes from the statistics of auroral observations. Elias Loomis (1860),[8] and later Hermann Fritz (1881)[9] and Sophus Tromholt (1881)[10] in more detail, established that the aurora appeared mainly in the auroral zone. In northern latitudes, the effect is known as the aurora borealis or the northern lights. The former term was coined by Galileo in 1619, from the Roman goddess of the dawn and the Greek name for the north wind.[11][12] The southern counterpart, the aurora australis or the southern lights, has features almost identical to the aurora borealis and changes simultaneously with changes in the northern auroral zone.[13] The aurora australis is visible from high southern latitudes in Antarctica, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. The aurora borealis is visible from being close to the center of the Arctic Circle such as Alaska, the Canadian Territories, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. On rare occasions the aurora borealis can be seen further south, for example in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Scotland, Ireland, Denmark, and the northern part of the contiguous United States. A geomagnetic storm causes the auroral ovals (north and south) to expand, bringing the aurora to lower latitudes. The instantaneous distribution of auroras ("auroral oval")[6] is slightly different, being centered about 3–5° nightward of the magnetic pole, so that auroral arcs reach furthest toward the equator when the magnetic pole in question is in between the observer and the Sun. The aurora can be seen best at this time, which is called magnetic midnight. Auroras seen within the auroral oval may be directly overhead, but from farther away, they illuminate the poleward horizon as a greenish glow, or sometimes a faint red, as if the Sun were rising from an unusual direction. Auroras also occur poleward of the auroral zone as either diffuse patches or arcs,[14] which can be subvisual.

The view of a storm from above A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body.[citation needed] It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm), heavy precipitation (snowstorm, rainstorm), heavy freezing rain (ice storm), strong winds (tropical cyclone, windstorm), wind transporting some substance through the atmosphere such as in a dust storm, among other forms of severe weather. Storms have the potential to harm lives and property via storm surge, heavy rain or snow causing flooding or road impassibility, lightning, wildfires, and vertical and horizontal wind shear. Systems with significant rainfall and duration help alleviate drought in places they move through. Heavy snowfall can allow special recreational activities to take place which would not be possible otherwise, such as skiing and snowmobiling. The English word comes from Proto-Germanic *sturmaz meaning "noise, tumult".[1] Storms are created when a center of low pressure develops with the system of high pressure surrounding it. This combination of opposing forces can create winds and result in the formation of storm clouds such as cumulonimbus. Small localized areas of low pressure can form from hot air rising off hot ground, resulting in smaller disturbances such as dust devils and whirlwinds. There are many varieties and names for storms: Blizzard – There are varying definitions for blizzards, both over time and by location. In general, a blizzard is accompanied by gale-force winds, heavy snow (accumulating at a rate of at least 5 centimeters (2 in) per hour), and very cold conditions (below approximately −10 degrees Celsius or 14 F). Lately, the temperature criterion has fallen out of the definition across the United States.[2] Bomb cyclone – A rapid deepening of a mid-latitude cyclonic low-pressure area, typically occurring over the ocean, but can occur over land. The winds experienced during these storms can be as powerful as that of a typhoon or hurricane. Coastal storm – Large wind waves and/or storm surge that strike the coastal zone. Their impacts include coastal erosion and coastal flooding.[3] Derecho – A derecho is a widespread, long-lived, straight-line wind storm that is associated with a land-based, fast-moving group of severe thunderstorms. Dust devil – A small, localized updraft of rising air. Dust storm – A situation in which winds pick up large quantities of sand or soil, greatly reducing visibility. Firestorm – Firestorms are conflagrations which attain such intensity that they create and sustain their own wind systems. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires, forest fires, and wildfires. The Peshtigo Fire is one example of a firestorm. Firestorms can also be deliberate effects of targeted explosives, such as occurred as a result of the aerial bombings of Dresden. Nuclear detonations generate firestorms if high winds are not present. Gale – An extratropical storm with sustained winds between 34–48 knots (39–55 mph or 63–90 km/h).[4] Hailstorm – A type of storm that precipitates round chunks of ice. Hailstorms usually occur during regular thunderstorms. While most of the hail that precipitates from the clouds is fairly small and virtually harmless, there are occasional occurrences of hail greater than 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter that can cause much damage and injuries. Hypercane – A hypothetical tropical cyclone that could potentially form over 50 °C (122 °F) water. Such a storm would produce winds of over 800 km/h (500 mph). A series of hypercanes may have formed during the asteroid or comet impact that killed the non-avian dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Such a phenomenon could also occur during a supervolcanic eruption, or extreme global warming. Ice storm – [5] Ice storms are one of the most dangerous forms of winter storms. When surface temperatures are below freezing, but a thick layer of above-freezing air remains aloft, rain can fall into the freezing layer and freeze upon impact into a glaze of ice. In general, 8 millimetres (0.31 in) of accumulation is all that is required, especially in combination with breezy conditions, to start downing power lines as well as tree limbs.[6] Ice storms also make unheated road surfaces too slick to drive upon. Ice storms can vary in time range from hours to days and can cripple small towns and large metropolitan cities alike. Microburst – A very powerful windstorm produced during a thunderstorm that only lasts a few minutes. Ocean Storm or sea storm – Storm conditions out at sea are defined as having sustained winds of 48 knots (55 mph or 90 km/h) or greater.[4] Usually just referred to as a storm, these systems can sink vessels of all types and sizes. Nor'westers – A powerful storm coming from North-western direction, associated with heavy Gust, Hail and Thunderstorm. Usually occurs in Eastern India and Bangladesh in the late Spring and early Summer. Snowstorm – A heavy fall of snow accumulating at a rate of more than 5 centimeters (2 in) per hour that lasts several hours. Snow storms, especially ones with a high liquid equivalent and breezy conditions, can down tree limbs, cut off power connections and paralyze travel over large regions. Squall – Sudden onset of wind increase of at least 16 knots (30 km/h) or greater sustained for at least one minute. Thunderstorm – A thunderstorm is a type of storm that generates both lightning and thunder. It is normally accompanied by heavy precipitation. Thunderstorms occur throughout the world, with the highest frequency in tropical rainforest regions where there are conditions of high humidity and temperature along with atmospheric instability. These storms occur when high levels of condensation form in a volume of unstable air that generates deep, rapid, upward motion in the atmosphere. The heat energy creates powerful rising air currents that swirl upwards to the tropopause. Cool descending air currents produce strong downdraughts below the storm. After the storm has spent its energy, the rising currents die away and downdraughts break up the cloud. Individual storm clouds can measure 2–10 km across. Tornado – A tornado is a violent, destructive whirlwind storm occurring on land. Usually its appearance is that of a dark, funnel-shaped cloud. Often tornadoes are preceded by or associated with thunderstorms and a wall cloud. They are often called the most destructive of storms, and while they form all over the planet, the interior of the United States is the most prone area, especially throughout Tornado Alley. Tropical cyclone – A tropical cyclone is a storm system with a closed circulation around a centre of low pressure, fueled by the heat released when moist air rises and condenses. The name underscores its origin in the tropics and their cyclonic nature. Tropical cyclones are distinguished from other cyclonic storms such as nor'easters and polar lows by the heat mechanism that fuels them, which makes them "warm core" storm systems. Tropical cyclones form in the oceans if the conditions in the area are favorable, and depending on their strength and location, there are various terms by which they are called, such as tropical depression, tropical storm, hurricane and typhoon.[7] Wind storm – A storm marked by high wind with little or no precipitation.[8] Windstorm damage often opens the door for massive amounts of water and debris to cause further damage to a structure.[9] European windstorms and derechos are two type of windstorms.[10] High wind is also the cause of sandstorms in dry climates. #storm #climate #satisfying #thunder #nature #beautiful #typesofstorm

A group of pigeons satisfying to watch #pigeons #wildlife #beautiful #satisfying #birds #birdwatching #Columbidae The domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica or Columba livia forma domestica[2]) is a pigeon subspecies that was derived from the rock dove (also called the rock pigeon). The rock pigeon is the world's oldest domesticated bird. Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets mention the domestication of pigeons more than 5,000 years ago, as do Egyptian hieroglyphics.[3] Research suggests that domestication of pigeons occurred as early as 10,000 years ago.[3] Pigeons have made contributions of considerable importance to humanity, especially in times of war.[4] In war the homing ability of pigeons has been put to use by making them messengers. So-called war pigeons have carried many vital messages and some have been decorated for their services. Medals such as the Croix de Guerre, awarded to Cher Ami, and the Dickin Medal awarded to the pigeons G.I. Joe and Paddy, amongst 32 others, have been awarded to pigeons for their services in saving human lives. Despite this, city pigeons today are seen as pests, mainly due to their droppings. Feral pigeons are considered invasive in many parts of the world, though they have a positive impact on wild bird populations, serving as an important prey species of birds of prey. Pigeons have served key roles in human society, such as food, pets, holy animals, messengers and in other roles for thousands of years. The earliest recorded mention of pigeons comes from Mesopotamia some 5,000 years ago. Pigeon Valley in Cappadocia has rock formations that were carved into dovecotes, perhaps an example of the earliest man-made structures to house pigeons. Despite the long history of pigeons, little is known about the specifics of their initial domestication. Which subspecies of C. livia was the progenitor of domestics, exactly when, how many times, where and how they were domesticated, and how they spread, remains unknown. Their fragile bones and similarity to wild birds make the fossil record a poor tool for their study. Thus most of what is known comes from written accounts, which almost certainly do not cover the first stages of domestication.[6] There is strong evidence that some divergences in appearance between the wild-type rock dove and domestic pigeons, such as checkered wing patterns and red/brown coloration, may be due to introgression by cross-breeding with the speckled pigeon.[7][8][9][10] Ancient Egyptians kept vast quantities of them, and would sacrifice tens of thousands at a time for ritual purposes. Akbar the Great traveled with a coterie of thousands of pigeons.[citation needed] As the New World was colonized, the domestic pigeon was brought there as an easy source of food and as swift messengers. Around the 18th century, European interest in fancy pigeons began, and breeders there greatly expanded the variety of pigeons, importing birds from the Middle East and South Asia and mixing different breeds to create new ones.[6] From a genetic perspective, there are two loose ancestral clades of pigeons, but there is striking genetic homogeneity due to frequent interbreeding and human directed cross-breeding. The first ancestral clade contains pigeons with exaggerated crops, tails, and manes; the second contains tumblers (the most diverse group), homing pigeons, owl pigeons, and those with exaggerated wattles.[6] Because domestic and feral pigeons have extensively interbred with wild rock doves, wild-type pigeons may not truly exist anymore, or are nearly extinct. This frequent breeding further muddies the true origins of pigeons