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MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Cats Swat & Slap Things

If you have a feline fur-baby, then you know that cats love to knock things off tables, slap other cats, and swat at all manner of swattable items. But why do cats slap & swat things?

Your first answer would probably be, “Because cats, as much as I love them, are charming little jerks”. But, while I don’t disagree with you, there are some other reasons they’re so slap-happy. Cats actually have nerve receptors in their paws that help them process sensory information. So, whenever they swat or slap something, they’re really using those receptors to try & figure out what that object is. You (a human) might think that a slower, more drawn-out motion would be more effective. But, would you rest your whole hand on a foreign object that might strike back?

Cats, much like kids, also like to play with their food. It’s natural for them to swat at things that could end up being their next meal. A cat’s instincts tell it that that paperweight on your desk, or that ornament on your Christmas tree, could potentially be a mouse or some other varmint. So, poking it with a paw should send it scurrying & give the cat a fantastic snack, or at least result in a fun game. Speaking of games, a cat swatting at you or other cats is its idea of a good time, as well as it’s way of asserting its dominance. Just as long as there’s no hissing, clawing, or other aggressive behavior, then there’s really nothing you need to worry about concerning their swatting and/or slapping.

Your cat’s probably not as much of a jerk as you thought, actually. The more it swats & slaps at things, the more likely it is your cat is really just a major attention-seeker. Cats with a tendency to push objects off tables & such are actually just trying to capitalize on your tendency to come running as soon as it happens. Swatting at you usually commands your full attention, too, and that fact is not lost on your crafty kitty.

In the end, though, you love your cat. And your cat knows you love it, and it loves you right back. And that mutual affection is what makes it all worth it, in spite of all the chaos they can create.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airton Heating & Air Conditioning

Kelpie & Vivienne – Pets of the Week

These two, 3 month old sweet kittens are looking for their forever home! They have been raised by a foster family and are ready for adoption separately or together!

Wake-Up Crew- July 13, 2021

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MUNDANE MYSTERIES: The White Stuff On Your Baby Carrots

As my wife & I were having salad for dinner last night, my curiosity got piqued as I was about to add some baby carrots into the mix. “What’s that white stuff showing up on my baby carrots?”, I asked. Seriously, what is it really? I say seriously because, when you talk about carrot-themed misconceptions, the old “carrots help you see in the dark” sits at the top of the list. But, not too far behind that, there’s the myth that the white stuff that sometimes shows up on baby carrots is chlorine. Thankfully, that’s not true. But, like plenty of other rumors, it IS rooted in fact.

In case you didn’t know, baby carrots are actually just pared-down regular-sized carrots, usually made from irregularly-shaped full carrots. Newly-made baby carrots get rinsed in a highly diluted chlorine solution to kill bacteria, which is a process recommended by the FDA to mitigate the risk of food-borne illness. But that chlorine solution ultimately gets washed off with tap water before the baby carrots get bagged. So, if that’s the case (which it is), then what is the white stuff then?

Well, that “white blush” (or “carrot blush”, as it’s sometimes called) is actually unrelated to chlorine, mold, or any other toxic substance. Whole carrots have a fairly thick skin that can retain water, but baby carrots (being pared down from whole carrots) are more exposed to the air. And, when they lose too much moisture, their outer layers start to look white. So, in other words, that white stuff is merely a sign of dehydration. All you need to do is soak them in water to rehydrate them & restore their color. Seriously, it’s that easy.

Now, once you’ve soaked your baby carrots, if they still show signs of that white blush then there could be a different issue (possibly damage to the baby carrot’s exterior). You see, the baby carrots’ cells respond to stress with a process that produces lignin, a polymer which forms on the surface of the baby carrot that also happens to look white. The good news, however, is that your baby carrots are still perfectly safe to eat.

So, remember: white spots on your baby carrots = totally fine. Blue, purple, green, or any other color, however…well, you probably just need to get new carrots.

Hungry to get a particular Mundane Mystery solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airton Heating & Air Conditioning

Wake Up Crew – July 12, 2021

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MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Ritz Crackers Have Ridged Edges

When you talk about crackers, one particular name comes to mind: Ritz. The delicious Ritz crackers, with their 7 holes & golden-brown exterior, are instantly recognizable & enjoyed around the world. But one design feature has puzzled diners for years: why do Ritz crackers have those scalloped, ridged edges? Well, according to a TikTok video, originally posted by the official Ritz Crackers account, it’s because Ritz crackers double as cheese cutting tools.

Food hacks & secrets are popular on TikTok, but they aren’t always accurate. This video, however, is different from most in that it comes from the official Ritz TikTok account. So, in this video, a Ritz employee uses the scalloped-edged cracker as an improvised knife. After rolling the ridges across a thin slice of Swiss cheese, they were able to easily pull the slice apart. The cheese square that was sliced was the perfect size for serving on a Ritz cracker, and, after snack time, there were no dirty utensils to clean.

Now, not everyone is convinced of the cracker’s hidden purpose. Some folks have pointed out that the cheese in the video was pretty thin to begin with, and that the person still had to pull the slice apart after pushing into it fairly hard. So, for most snacking situations, you would still need a knife to cut the cheese.

Do the scalloped edges on Ritz make it a better cheese-cutting tool than other crackers? Possibly. It’s also possible the design was chosen to give the snack a sense of class, since, during the Great Depression, Americans were looking for fancy items to enjoy on a small budget. Heck, even the Ritz’s upper-crust name was chosen for that very reason.

So be classy & clean by using your Ritz crackers to cut your cheese from now on. It’s the way they were intended!

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning

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