| 3 Ways to Communicate With Your Cat Oct 29th 2012, 14:00 Scientists have discovered that cats have developed an elaborate communication system with hundreds of vocalizations to tell humans what they want or need. [1] Read on to find out not only how cats communicate vocally, but how you can communicate with them so that they understand you too. [2] - Listen to your cat. If you watch what your cat is doing when she meows, you may be able to distinguish which meows are associated with which requests (or protests).[3] Some common meows can include:
- Short meow: Standard greeting
- Multiple meows: Excited greetings
- Mid-pitch meow: Plea for something like food or water
- Drawn-out mrrroooow: A demand for something
- Low pitch MRRRooooowww: A complaint or displeasure
- Lower than mid pitch MEEOOOOOOwww: Begging, for something such as food
- High-pitch RRRROWW!: Anger, pain or being fearful
- Chatter (rapid teeth-chattering): Excitement, frustration
- Chirrup (a cross between a meow and a purr with rising inflection): Friendly greeting sound, often used by a mother cat to call to her kittens
- Purr: Invites close contact or attention
- Hiss: A serious sign of aggression.
- Watch your cat. Since cats are more "fluent" in body language, certain gestures will accompany vocalizations to reinforce their message.
- Tail straight up with a curl at the end: Happy
- Tail twitching: Excited or anxious
- Tail vibrating: Very excited and happy to see you
- Tail fur sticks straight up while the tail curls in the shape of an N: Extreme aggression
- Tail fur sticks straight up but the tail is held low: Aggressive or frightened
- Tail held low and tucked under the rear: Frightened
- Dilated pupils: Very playful or excited; it can also mean aggression
- Slowly blinking eyes: Affection, indicating the cat is comfortable with whoever might be around her
- Lifting the nose and tilting the head back slightly: "I acknowledge you." Cats sitting in windows may greet you in this manner as you walk by
- Rubbing against you means she is marking you as her own
- Wet nose "kiss": An affectionate gesture when the cat taps her wet nose to you
- Ears back: Fear, anxiety, or in a very playful mood; also used when sniffing something they want to know more about
- Tongue flicks out slightly and licks lower lip: Worried, apprehensive
- Rubbing head, flank and tail against a person or animal: Greeting ritual
- Head-butting: Friendliness, affection
- Face sniffing: Confirming identity
- Clawing: A cat will drive her claws in and out of you as a sign of happiness or playfulness; either way your cat knows and loves you
- Licks you: The ultimate sign of trust. Your cat may consider you to be a part of her family, like a mother cleaning her kittens. It might just be that you have something tasty in your hand though.
- Talk back to your cat. As already mentioned, cats are always learning how to communicate with us. The more that you communicate with your cat, the faster she will learn.[4]
- Use a slightly raised tone of voice to indicate friendliness and a lowered tone of voice to indicate displeasure or aggression.[5]
- Repeat the same word, sleep or bed, each time you go to bed. Eventually, your cat will begin to associate the repetitive word sound with your actions and may even get to the bedroom before you. Use the word shower consistently each time you are ready to take one, and eventually your cat may beat you to the bathroom and even curl up in the sink to wait for you.
- If you blink slowly when making eye contact with your cat, she will usually respond by coming over to be stroked. This is seen as a very non-threatening gesture.
- Be consistent. A common blunder many pet owners make is to say "no" and pet the cat at the same time. This is very confusing to the cat. So for example, if you want your cat to go away, a firm "later" and gentle push, without showing affection, will let the cat know that her presence is not desired at this time. Most cats will try two to three times to invade a person's space, often from different directions. When saying "Later", be patient.
- Develop a "command tone" to use with your cat when she is doing something that you consider to be wrong. Use a voice that comes naturally to you and can be replicated easily, but that is also distinct from your everyday talking voice. If you use this voice sparingly but seriously, your cat will learn to associate the voice with the idea that she is displeasing you.
- Make a quick and sharp hiss or spit sound as a "no" command. This is similar to the sound made by her own kind when they say "no."
- Remember that vocalizing is generally not your cat's preferred mode of communication. A cat's "first language" consists of a complex system of scent, facial expression, complex body language and touch. Cats soon realize that we don't understand the non-verbal signals they send to each other, so they vocalize in an attempt to communicate in our language. By observing which sounds elicit which actions from us, a cat is always learning how to make requests or demands.[6]
- Treat your cat with love and respect, and they will become a very happy and loving companion and friend. Talk to them softly and watch how they listen. They might respond with a purr or other pleased reaction.
- With patience, cats can be trained to respond to commands, much the same as dogs. You can even teach your cat to shake your hand.
- Siamese and other Oriental cats have been observed to be especially "talkative", while long-haired cats tend to be quieter.[7] Of course, there are always exceptions.
- Never yell at or physically discipline a cat. This only frightens and angers the cat, and is counterproductive. You can add a hard edge to your voice. The cat will pick up on that and sense unhappiness.
- Resist the urge to angrily say the cat's name when disciplining her. Say 'No' if you mean 'No' and leave it at that.
- Urinating, spraying, and maddening (depositing feces in a prominent spot) are often a cat's attempt to mark territory that she feels is being threatened. It may also be an indication of urinary tract, bladder infection or other serious health issues. If this is a problem, the cat may need to be treated, neutered/spayed or separated from other cats. Consult your veterinarian.
- Try not to call for your cat too much. Otherwise, this will have the effect of the boy who cried wolf. When you really want or need your cat to come to you, she won't.
- When you want to be nice or forgiving, use a soft voice.
- If a cat starts "attacking" your hair (licking, some small amount of chewing), she is grooming you. This shows that she considers you family. It's rare for a cat to do this, but when she does, it means she really loves and respects you.
Edit Warnings - This is not, by any means, a complete list of cat gestures and vocalizations. The cat communication system is surprisingly complex and extends beyond the scope of this article. Consult the sources below for more details, and always pay attention to your cat. Each one is different.
- Hold your cat carefully, not tightly when you pick her up. Holding too tightly may be seen as a sign of aggression and you can be severely scratched and hurt.
- When you communicate with your cat, don't speak in a way that she will find upsetting. She may attack you.
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