Posted on 03/03/2011 12:25:31 AM PST by Slings and Arrows
We love our cats but don't always understand cat communication. Our feline friends use a combination of vocalizations, body language and smells to talk with each other and their special people. Here are 12 ways cats communicate.
1. Meows: These are rarely aimed at other cats. Instead meows are requests pointed at humans. For example, cats meow to be petted, for you to open the door or for you to wake up and fill their bowls. The more demanding Kitty becomes, the lower the pitch of the meow.
2. Purrs: These vocalizations signal nonthreat. A cat's purr has been described as a feline smile, and cats purr in the presence of other pets and humans. Purrs often express happiness.
3. Hisses: Keep your distance if you hear a hiss. Cats hiss at other pets and people. Hisses can be defensive or offensive, and arise from frightened or hostile felines.
4. Growls: This is a serious warning from a cat that an attack may be coming. Hisses that don't succeed turn to growls when the cat can't escape.
5. Chattering: This odd sound indicates frustration. Cats that watch critters through the window may chatter when unable to reach the evil squirrels.
6. Spit: This not-so-pleasant communication is the equivalent of a feline gasp of surprise.
7. Body Position: These movements indicate attitude. Confident cats face forward, while fearful cats stand sideways with arched backs to look larger than they really are. Defensive or submissive cats want to look small and nonthreatening, so they crouch low, with feet tucked, and ears and tail held close to the body. Cats show trust by placing themselves in vulnerable postures such as rolling.
8. Fur Position: The hair on a cat can telegraph emotional state. Fur is smooth in relaxed cats. Any kind of arousal -- fear, aggression, happiness, stress -- may prompt fluffed fur that stands straight off the body. For instance, you'll see a bottle brush tail when kitty becomes excited.
9. Ear Position: The ears of relaxed and interested cats face forward. Ears turn sideways in uneasy cats. Fearful kitties hold ears sideways like airplane wings. Ears that flicker back and forth very quickly indicate great agitation. The cat slicks his ears tight to the head in preparation for attack. Cats with one ear forward and one sideways aren't clear how they feel.
10. Eye Reactions: They dilate suddenly (pupils go from slits to round) any time the cat feels sudden excitement. That arousal might be anything from the sight of a dog to a bowl of favorite food or a feather toy. Cat stares indicate a challenge. Squinting shows strong emotion and possibly impending attack. But a slow eye-blink to other cats or people signals nonthreat and is known as a "kitty kiss" when aimed at people.
11. Tail Position: While these vary somewhat between cats, a tail held straight up, with just the end tipped over, is a feline "howdy" that signals to other cats and people a friendly greeting -- it means kitty wants to interact with you. Relaxed cat tails are held in a gentle U, and the greater his interest, the higher the cat holds his tail. Tails tucked between the legs or wrapped around the crouched body show fear. The end of the tail flicking back and forth indicates frustration that may progress to tail-thumping wags that warn of imminent attack. A bottle-brush tail held straight up or behind the cat shows aggression, but if it's held in an inverted U it is a defensive posture.
12. Rubbing/Scratching Behavior: When cats rub against you or scratch objects they are leaving the equivalent of scented Post-It notes. Scent glands in the forehead, cheeks, paw pads and tail leave behind the kitty's signature scent. Cats rub or scratch to mark territory as owned -- including scent-marking a beloved human with cheek rubs.
Understanding cat vocabulary can help you become more attuned to what your cat has to say. But every cat is different, so pay attention to what your favorite feline does. Some cats develop their own way of communicating -- a particular meow, for example -- the same way people who speak the same language may have different regional accents. Watch your own kitty to learn the way he or she talks.
To be more specific, she is an alarm cat. Any serious intruder would not be deterred by a cat.
My dog does the same posturing at anyone who comes on "his" property. But when anyone enters the house, he's all wagging tail and licking tongue. He's a good alarm, not a good guardian. But I can live with that.
My cat...well...he just runs and hides whenever anyone comes to the house. He'll check in later when things settle down.
Never set a cat down outside in a new place they don’t know. We had one run off on us once like that; we never saw him again. - Ours now won’t come inside; just a second or two and zap back to the door wanting outside again.
It’s watching the free people channel.
Like the little homeless kid with its nose pressed against the glass, watching, looking longingly at the happy family inside. Longing . . . but afraid someone inside will eat it if it drops its guard. After all, at Thanksgiving, there was a big cooked animal or bird on the table, and THEY ATE IT !!!!
De nada.
Now, I did have a cat that meowed in a Texas accent. Had the whole twang going and everything. She was part Burmese and multi-syllabically chatty...I used to swear she was trying to speak English.
I had a cat like that. She would jump up on the nightstand or desk in my bedroom and proceed to just look at me. Finally she would reach her paw over and touch me and meow. I would say in a minute I am about done. Ten mins. later she would do the same thing until you gave in.
So what does it mean when a cat suddenly reaches out and grabs you by the wrist , either with her paws or her TEETH, when you’re petting her, and she seems to be enjoying it (eyes closed, purring)? I don’t know if she’s playing, or she suddenly feels threatened by me and is lashing out, or if it’s aggression , or what: All I know is, it’s startling, unpleasant, and makes me feel like I’m living in a house with a tiny, rabid Bengal tiger. :-( Anyone else experience this, and how did you stop it (if you did )?
Since then I've been closing the bedroom door and keeping him away from the grandkids. What do you think of that behavior? He also has been known to unexpectedly claw at ankles when someone walks by at NIGHT.
We've had him since he was a kitten, and he's now 11. My brother won't help me with my cat when I go out of town. He says he's nasty. You can see his pic if you click on my name.
Please see #51...
When we got ours as babies, they were silent - never a peep. Now they are only quiet when asleep! We love the tribble sounds - those usually seem to mean, "come play with me!"
Other whines, mews, squeaks and yowls we've been able to translate:
"Come find me!"
"Crap - I'm stuck in the closet again!"
"I said, RUB. MY. BELLY!"
"Pick me up!"
"I did not give you permission to pick me up."
"Why mommy? Why are you torturing me with a hair brush?"
"I love you!"
"You just suck."
and my favorite from my boy cat..."HI MOMMY HI DADDY I JUST WENT AND GOT SOMETHING TO EAT AND USED THE LITTER BOX AND NOW I'M BACK TO SNUGGLE IN BED IS IT TIME TO GET UP SOON??????"
Can't seem to convince him he doesn't need to announce his return to our bed at 3am.
I always thought that meant, "OK, I'm done being petted for now."
He's very handsome.
Part Russian Blue?
We don't know. He came to our door when he was a tiny kitten and asked if he could live here. We said, 'sure.'
Vet time - he may have a hidden injury that you poked, causing him pain and provoking a defensive reaction.
We took him to the vet on Monday. They’ve been afraid of him for years, but they managed to give him his shots. Even though they suited up, they couldn’t examine him. Told me they’d only do it if he would be sedated.
Well, that's a little more polite than my Finbar was.
An orange tabby kitten was sitting on my porch when I came home from work one day in 2000.
He followed me into my house, checked out each and every room, sampled some of my calico's food and then said, "Yes, I believe this will do."
He will also be 11 this fall and I adore him. He's very affectionate and full of mischief. :)
That's a cute story!
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