Pet Sounds

Why do cats rub on your legs? Discover 12 common animal signals

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While we take for granted our ability to understand the pets who live near us, animal vocalizations and visual clues can and often are misinterpreted. Similar sounds or actions might mean different things, depending on the context. Take a look at these examples of similar signals in different situations and how their meanings differ.

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We usually associate a cat’s purr with a calm, comfortable moment, but that is not always the case. Purring can also be exhibited in uncomfortable or stressful conditions. When a cat is stressed or even hurt, they will sometimes purr.

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We tend to perceive the wag of the dog’s tail as a positive thing, but many different, subtle cues can be given off with the tail. Is the tail wagging more to the left or the right? How fast is the tail wagging? Is it above the midline or below?

All of those different movements mean entirely different things. Some of them are happy. Some are pre-aggression warning signs. Learn to read the context and what the dog is reacting to, in order to find out what a dog’s tail is communicating.

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It is no secret that dogs bark for many different reasons, such as alerting you to strangers, expressing excitement, or signaling distress. Recognizing the type of bark can help you address their needs more effectively.

As always, context matters. A dog barking at a mail carrier might be different from barking during playtime. Paying attention to these cues will help you understand the meaning of your dog’s barking.

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Similarly to dogs barking, cats meow for various reasons, such as seeking attention, expressing hunger, or signaling discomfort. Each type of meow has a unique sound and meaning.

When and in what situations a cat meows is essential for understanding their message. A cat meowing at the door might want to go outside, while a meow in the kitchen might indicate hunger.

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Not all growls indicate aggression. As every dog owner knows, some might be playful. Learning to differentiate between the two can prevent potential conflicts.

A growl when encountering another dog is a clear sign of aggression. A growl while playing tug-of-war using a stick can be a playful one.

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Anyone who looks at the ears of a cat will notice that they are highly expressive. For example, forward-facing ears indicate curiosity or happiness, while flattened ears can signal fear or aggression.

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A dog’s ears are highly expressive and can tell us a lot about their mood. Erect ears might indicate alertness, while flattened ears can signal fear or submission.

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A cat will use its eyes to communicate trust and affection. When a cat blinks slowly, it is expressing a sign of trust, and it can even be reciprocated to strengthen your bond with your cat.

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Whether it is the dreamy gaze of a dachshund or the alert eyes of a Jack Russell, dogs’ eyes are very expressive and are used to communicate many different emotions. For example, a direct stare indicates dominance, and a soft gaze shows affection.

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You might think that a cat rubbing against your leg is always a sign of affection. And in many cases, this is true, but it is also a way of marking their territory by rubbing their smell into your legs.

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Dogs tilt their heads when uncertain about something or trying to hear better. This is often seen when they are curious or waiting for more information from their environment or their owner.

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Whenever a cat rolls on its back, it is showing that it feels safe and trusts you. This can also be an invitation to play.

Right place, right time

Can lightning restore your sight? 10 incredibly lucky stories!

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Whether you swear by fate and never leave home without your lucky charm or think luck is just a matter of chance, one thing is certain: some people are just luckier than others. If you still have doubts, here are 10 unbelievable stories of incredibly lucky people!

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Sometimes luck isn't about being in the right place but about not being in the wrong one. That was certainly the case for Maarten de Jonge, a Dutch cyclist who escaped death on two separate occasions.

Several years ago, two Malaysia Airlines flights were involved in tragic accidents: one was shot down near Ukraine, and the other mysteriously disappeared over the Pacific. Maarten de Jonge had tickets for both flights but made last-minute changes to his plans, choosing not to board. That's following your instinct!

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Selak, famously known as "the luckiest man in the world," didn't just cheat death once or twice; he miraculously survived seven close encounters with death!

This Croatian man survived a train derailment, a plane crash, a bus accident, two car explosions (wow!), and even got hit by a bus! And that's not all. Once, while driving, he swerved to avoid a truck, but his car skidded off the road. He was ejected from the vehicle, landing safely in a tree. His car? It fell 300 feet off a cliff. We still can't decide if Selak was the luckiest man alive or the unluckiest!

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If you're skeptical about luck, just wait until you hear what happened to Edwin E. Robinson in 1980. A retired 62-year-old truck driver, Robinson had lost his sight and much of his hearing after an accident. But 9 years later, everything changed.

He was in his backyard as a storm raged when, suddenly, lightning struck him. If you think it was all bad for Edwin, just wait! When he came to, not only was he unharmed, but he had regained both his sight and hearing! What!?

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Imagine winning a free car; just a dream, right? Well, for Heather Hoffman from Vancleave, Mississippi, it became a reality not once but twice!

The first time, Heather entered a sweepstakes where prizes included a grocery shopping spree or a car. Not expecting much, she participated. A few days later, she received the call: she had won the car! A couple of years later, while walking through a dealership with her husband, Heather entered a drawing for a new car by placing her name in a barrel. When she received the news on April Fool's Day, she thought it was a joke, but it wasn't; she had won again!

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Winning the lottery may be all about luck, but some people deserve every bit of it. One of them is Virginia Bruschi from Pennsylvania!

Virginia had just bought her first lottery ticket when her sister called with urgent news: she needed to travel to California to treat her youngest child. Without hesitation, Virginia took unpaid leave from work and immediately flew out to California, where she spent a month helping her sister care for her two nephews while their little brother recovered. When she returned home, she found she had won the lottery!

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Speaking of the lottery, it seems the game has its favorites, and one of them is Joan R. Ginther, who won not once, not twice, but four times!

Between 1993 and 2010, she hit the jackpot four times, and these weren't small prizes: she accumulated a total of $20.4 million. Sounds incredible, right?

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Often, luck strikes when you least expect it. And so it did for Barbara Liposchak and her husband. They were living in a tiny apartment, searching for their dream home. One afternoon, after visiting their daughter, they happened to stop at a garage sale. The sale was in a beautiful house that had all the features they had been looking for. "Too bad this place isn't for sale," they expressed, when the owner replied, "It is for sale, starting Monday." They couldn't believe it. But that wasn't all: Not only was the house close to their daughter's place, but it was also $40,000 underpriced!

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Harrison Okene faced both misfortune and fortune in the same event. In 2013, the ship on which this Nigerian cook was traveling sank. Although the vessel was submerged and fully covered by water, Okene managed to find refuge in an air pocket within the wreckage.

Amazingly, he survived for 60 hours and was eventually found by rescuers, who couldn't believe their eyes. He was the sole survivor of the tragedy and all thanks to an air pocket!

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Vesna Vulović, a Serbian flight attendant, survived an accident that specialists deemed "impossible to survive." In 1972, Vesna was on a plane that exploded. She fell from 33,000 feet without a parachute and miraculously survived! Despite multiple fractures and months in the hospital, her story is considered a miracle.

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In 2012, Norwegian Anders Helstrup was skydiving with the Oslo Parachute Club when something extraordinary occurred. As usual, he had a camera on his helmet, but when he reviewed the footage, he couldn't believe what he saw. As he was falling, something similar to a rock passed a few meters from him without hurting him. Upon investigation, they discovered it was a meteorite!