judging by the 26 billions views of over 2 million YouTube videos of them pouncing, bouncing, climbing, cramming, stalking, clawing, chattering, and purring,

從超過 260 億觀賞次數的兩百萬支貓咪猛撲、彈跳、攀爬、縮成一團、鬼鬼祟祟地靠近目標、磨利貓爪、牙齒打顫以及發出呼嚕聲 YouTube 影片來看，

one thing is certain: cats are very entertaining.

有件事是確定的：貓真的極具娛樂性。

These somewhat strange feline behaviors, both amusing and baffling, leave many of us asking, "Why do cats do that?"

這些有些奇怪的貓科動物行為，好玩有趣又莫名奇妙，讓許多人不禁想問：「為何貓那麼做？」

Throughout time, cats were simultaneously solitary predators of smaller animals and prey for larger carnivores.

隨著時間，貓同時是小型動物的孤獨掠食者，也是大型動物的獵物。

As both predator and prey, survival of their species depended on crucial instinctual behaviors, which we still observe in wild and domestic cats today.

同時身為掠食者和獵物，牠們物種的生存取決於決定性的本能行為，也就是我們今日仍從野生和家貓身上觀察到的行為。

While the feline actions of your house cat Grizmo might seem perplexing,

你家貓 Grizmo 的貓科動物行徑也許看似不解，

in the wild, these same behaviors, naturally bred into cats for millions of years, would make Grizmo a super cat.

在野外，這些相同行為數百萬年來已經自然繁殖成為貓的一部分，能讓 Grizmo 成為超級貓。

Enabled by their unique muscular structure and keen balancing abilities,

因為牠們獨特的肌肉結構和敏捷的平衡能力，

cats climbed to high vantage points to survey their territory and spot prey in the wild.

貓咪可以攀爬到高處有利的位置以便勘測領域並發現在野外的獵物。

Grizmo doesn't need these particular skills to find and hunt down dinner in her food bowl today.

Grizmo 並不需要這些特殊技巧來尋找和追捕牠今天食物碗裡的晚餐。

But instinctually, viewing the living room from the top of the bookcase is exactly what she has evolved to do.

但本能地，從書櫃最上頭俯瞰客廳便就是牠已經進化到這麼做的證明。

As wild predators, cats are opportunistic and hunt whenever prey is available.

身為野生掠食者，貓是會投機取巧的而且隨時追捕能找到的獵物。

Since most cat prey are small, cats in the wild needed to eat many times each day and use a stalk, pounce, kill, eat strategy to stay fed.

因為貓的獵物大部分都是小型動物，在野外的大貓必須一天吃好幾餐，並使用偷偷靠近、猛撲、獵殺和吃的技巧來填飽肚子。

This is why Grizmo prefers to chase and pounce on little toys and eat small meals over the course of the day and night.

這也是為何 Grizmo 偏好追逐和撲向小玩具，而且一整天下來少量多餐。

Also, small prey tend to hide in tiny spaces in their natural environments.

另外，小型獵物傾向躲藏於自然環境中的狹小空間。

So, one explanation for Grizmo's propensity to reach into containers and openings

因此，一項對於 Grizmo 傾向把手伸進去容器和開口裡的解釋，是因為牠受到相同的好奇心驅使。

is that she is compelled by the same curiosity that helped ensure the continuation of her species for millions of years before.

那相同的好奇心，在數百萬年前，幫助確保了牠的物種的延續。

In the wild, cats needed sharp claws for climbing, hunting, and self-defense.

在野外，貓需要鋒利的爪子來攀爬、狩獵和自我防衛。

Sharpening their claws on nearby surfaces kept them conditioned and ready, helped stretch their back and leg muscles, and relieved some stress, too.

在附近表面磨利牠們的貓爪，能讓牠們保持最佳狀態、蓄勢待發，能幫助伸展牠們背部和腳的肌肉，而且也能釋放出一些壓力。

So, it's not that Grizmo hates your couch, chair, ottoman, pillows, curtains, and everything else you put in her environment.

所以，並不是 Grizmo 討厭你的沙發、椅子、軟腳墊、枕頭、窗簾以及你放在牠所處環境的其它一切物品。

She's ripping these things to shreds and keeping her claws in tip-top shape because this is exactly what her ancestors did in order to survive.

牠把這些物品撕成碎片，讓牠的貓爪在一流的狀態，因為這正是牠的祖先們為了生存會做的事。

As animals that were preyed upon, cats evolved to not get caught.

做為被獵捕的動物，貓進化到不要被逮到。

And in the wild, the cats that were the best at avoiding predators thrived.

而在野外，貓咪因為最會閃躲掠食者才得以生生不息。

So, at your house today, Grizmo is an expert at squeezing into small spaces and seeking out and hiding in unconventional spots.

因此，今天在你家裡，Grizmo 是一個會擠進狹小空間找到並躲藏在不合常理地點的專家。

It also explains why she prefers a clean and odor-free litter box.

這也解釋了為何牠喜歡乾淨無氣味的貓砂盆。

That's less likely to give away her location to any predators that may be sniffing around nearby.

因為那比較不會把牠的所在地點洩露給任何可能在附近嗅味道的掠食者。

Considering everything we do know about cats, it seems that one of their most predominant behaviors is still one of the most mysterious.

考慮到我們知道貓的一切，牠們最主導的行為之一看起來仍然是牠們最神秘的行為之一。

Cats may purr for any number of reasons, such as happiness, stress, and hunger.

貓也許會因各種原因發出呼嚕聲，像是感到開心、有壓力和肚子餓。

But, curiously, the frequency of their purrs, between 25 and 150 hertz, is within a range that can promote tissue regeneration.

但奇妙的是，牠們發出的呼嚕聲頻率，介於 25 到 150 赫茲，剛好是在可以促進組織重生的頻率範圍內。

So, while her purring makes Grizmo an excellent nap companion, it is also possible that her purr is healing her muscles and bones, and maybe even yours, too.

因此，Grizmo 的呼嚕聲讓牠成了最佳小睡伴侶，牠的呼嚕聲同時可能正在使牠的肌肉和骨頭恢復健康狀態，也許也在使你的肌肉和骨頭恢復健康。

They developed through time as both solitary predators that hunted and killed to eat and stealthy prey that hid and escaped to survive.

隨著時間，牠們也發展變成為了吃而狩獵和獵殺的單獨掠食者，以及為了生存而躲藏和逃跑的鬼鬼祟祟的獵物。

So, cats today retain many of the same instincts that allowed them to thrive in the wild for millions of years.

因此，今日的貓保留了許多相同的本能，那些本能讓牠們在野外中生生不息數百萬年。

This explains some of their seemingly strange behaviors.

這解釋了一些牠們看似奇怪的行為舉止。

To them, our homes are their jungles.

對牠們來說，我們的家是牠們的叢林。

But if this is the case, in our own cat's eyes, who are we?

但如果是這樣來看的話，那在家貓的眼中，我們又是誰呢？

Big, dumb, hairless cats competing with them for resources?

是跟牠們競爭資源的巨大、愚蠢、無毛貓？

Terribly stupid predators they're able to outsmart everyday?

還是牠們每天可以以智取勝的超級愚笨掠食者？

Or maybe they think we're the prey.

又或者牠們認為我們才是獵物。