We think of cats as predators who catch mice and small mammals and birds – as indeed they are. But city people that most of us are, we forget that cats are also prey of bigger predators, especially those of the canid family. Dogs, wolves, foxes, coyotes all will catch and kill cats in the wild. So will bigger cats, such as mountain lions, if they can.
So cats need a complex set of instincts, not only for catching prey, but also for avoiding their own predators. This often involves hiding, seeing while remaining unseen.
Dappled shade offers camoflage for cats
Cats in the wild frequently sleep in hidden places, in bushes or dens, where they will not be visible while they are asleep or vulnerable.
Some skills probably serve both purposes. Hiding in the bushes allows cats to watch for prey while remaining unseen themselves.
Hiding under a rhubarb plant
Cats are good climbers, which may help them catch birds and squirrels but is also a predator avoidance skill since few of the dog species can climb: a cat in a tree is safe from their primary canid predators.
Cat up high near the ceiling
A pile of boxes will do to get up higher