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Pet Medication Home -> Cat Communication
Explained
"How To Know What Your
Cat Wants When It Talks To You - Cat Communication Explained"
Many people think cats are asocial, but in fact they
are very social animals. They bond with other cats in their house
or neighborhood, their owners, even other pets like dogs and birds.
They communicate to each other and us a variety of ways.
A keen sense of smell is important in cat communication.
When her human returns home, a cat carefully sniffs then proceeds
to rub her face against the owner's legs. She is placing her scent
on you, marking you as her territory. As you have gone through your
day, scent molecules have attached to your clothing. Your cat must
mark you again to cover up those other smells.
Cats also communicate through body language. Your
cat's posture, gestures, facial expressions, tail, ear and whisker
position can all be aan indication of how your cat is feeling.
A bristling tail held straight up, or one that thrashes
back and forth are warnings. If a cat is feeling defensive, the
tail is usually arched. Hissing and backing away with ears flat
against the head are other defensive poses. You can tell a lot about
a cat's state of being from its eyes. Wide, dilated eyes communicate
anger or fear. A contented cat slowly blinks its eyes, or keeps
them half-closed.
There are probably many more movements that send signals,
but they are so subtle, only another cat can notice and interpret
them. This explains why cats seem to "read one another's minds."
Two cats might gaze at each other without moving for a very long
time, then suddenly erupt into action. What was the signal? A twitch
of lip, lift of a lip, tilt of the head? Only the cats know.
Did You know there are at least nineteen different
types of "miaow"?
When it comes to sound, cats say more than meow. Their
vocalizations fall into three groups, murmurs, open/closed mouth
and intensity sounds. Murmured sounds include the low sound cats
make when treats are coming, as well as the famous purr. Purring
is usually interpreted as a sound of contentment, but it is really
more a vocalization of intense emotion. In fact, an injured cat,
or one being handled by a stranger - like a vet - often purr.
Open/closed mouth vocalizations include all the variations
and intonations of "meow" that a cat uses to greet you,
or ask for food, or otherwise demand attention. Intensity vocalizations
are created when the cat holds her mouth open the entire time she
is making sound. These are the highly emotional vocalization of
fear, anger, and extreme pain.
Some cats are more talkative than others. Many owners
notice a difference in the types of noises their cats make for them
as opposed to strangers or other cats. A few owners believe their
cats have learned to mimic the syntax and pitch of some human words.
Whether that is true or not, it is certain that the more time you
spend with your cat, the more she'll communicate with you.
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