Window Cats

A quiet field guide

The animals who live in our windows.

Cats are the most successful companion animal we've ever raised, and they've barely done any of the work. Here is a small guide to who they are, what they like, and why they spend whole afternoons watching the rain.

Meet the residents
A grey tabby cat sitting on a windowsill in soft morning light, looking out the window.
Resident, morning watch. Unbothered by the birds.

The residents

Four temperaments, one species.

Every cat is different, but they fall into a handful of familiar moods. These are the four you'll most likely meet.

Close-up portrait of an orange tabby cat with amber eyes.
The confident one

Orange tabby

Sunny, sociable, and completely certain of their plan. Will greet you at the door, then walk away before you finish the hello.

A fluffy black cat lounging on a windowsill in golden light.
The shadow

Black cat

Soft, steady, and easy to lose in a dim room. Chose you, and has quietly made that permanent.

A siamese cat with striking blue eyes sitting in soft daylight.
The commentator

Siamese

Poised and famously talkative. Has an opinion on the food, the furniture, and the weather, and will share all three.

A small grey kitten curled up asleep in soft lamplight.

Habits of the household

How they spend the day.

Cats look lazy, but it's strategy. Most of their life is spent resting, and the rest is spent with great enthusiasm.

  • 16–20hours a day sleeping, more as a kitten or a senior
  • 100ma jump from a standing start — about four times their body length
  • 250+muscles in each ear, so it turns on the faintest sound
  • ~25miles an hour in a short burst, faster than most dogs
A cat sitting calmly on a windowsill in soft morning light, looking out.

Why they stare out the window.

It's not boredom. A cat watching the glass is following a live television: birds, leaves, the neighbours' cat, the weather. It's the one part of the day the whole outside world comes to perform for them, and they're paying close attention.