Do you speak Felinese?

[wolf63]

I was looking up something for a friend (about cats) and found this little list -

Listen to your cat. If you watch what your cat is doing when it meows, you may learn to distinguish which meows are associated with which requests (or protests) and eventually know the difference between a "let me out" demand and a "give me food" demand by sound alone.[3] Each cat is different and may have its own variations, but some common meows can include:


Short meow: standard greeting.

Multiple meows: excited greetings.

Mid-pitch meow: plea for something.

Drawn-out mrrroooow: a demand for something.

Low pitch MRRRooooowww" a complaint or displeasure.

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.

[boxtops]

Ho, yes, I recognise most of these.

There is also body language - as witnessed by Black Spot, night before last - "dammit, I've stepped in some wet paint" - little green footprints up the stairs.... body language is very significant in Felinese!

[ummmm]

I tend to know exactly what mine wants by his meows. He's a very vocal cat....so vocal I often tell him to shut up.

[rowanwitch]

don't forget tail codes... the swish that says I am not best pleased.

the upward pleased to meet you
and the little flick of the end which tells you to fluff off

And whiskers forward...I want to chase and kill something

[hippyhoppy]

Perry does the 'multiple meows' when a) he's sitting on the lounge windowsill and sees a bird froliking in the garden, or b) when he's sitting on the lounge windowsill and sees me pulling into the drive.. so like to think this means he's pleased to see us.. also the 'drawn out meow' when we've been out for tea and have bought home left over chicken/ham.. he now associates white napkins with food, so when he sees a tissue he's all over us like a rash!

Talking cat-ish.. why do they do the claw thing before they settle down, especially when it's on my silk dressing gown on the bed..?

[boxtops]

Aw hippy - Black Spot seized my new dress as I went past the other day, nice and swishy!

Our signal for "must be food" is opening the fridge door....

Our Rover's tail was misleading, he used to wag his tail when he was really happy, I swear he was brought up thinking he was a dog.

[rowanwitch]

padding is the action kittens do on the mother to stimulate milk... domestic cats effectively remain in kitten mode so the behaviour remains... mine used to like going under the covers and padding on whatever bare skin they could fing... still miss them though

[boxtops]

we call it Grunging.... cats like grunging....

[hippyhoppy]

LOL Boxy.. the fact you called him Rover may have planted the seed that he wasn't a cat..!!!

[boxtops]

I know.... and he's still Roving, silly old sod, it's been four months since we last saw him now. :-(

[hippyhoppy]

*sad face* poor you.. sorry to be so flippant..

[ummmm]

I just read this out to my OH....while I was on the phone the cat came in with multiple meows....very loud meows :-)

[jan1ne]

What a delightful and refreshing thread especially after yesterdays cat hating shennanigans.
You're absolutely right wolf63, my cat is 12 years old and even though her miowing is barely audible i can tell what she wants before i see her.

[wolf63]

I read an article once that said that there were regional differences to the accent of a cat's meows! Somebody had actually done research on it!?

My two are quiet at present - not usually a good sign.

[ummmm]

Mine is hanging out with the rabbits....

[EvianBaby]

I might show this list to my menatlly disturbed cat, I think he has some of them the wrong way round.

He purrs when he is in attack mode.

[boxtops]

Mine are lolling around in the garden enjoying the sun - hippy, don't worry, we are getting used to it now. Cats 2 and 3 are extremely happy that cat 1 is not around.... ;-(

[rowanwitch]

Zajaczek's Coco does the tail end flick a lot...but she has a lot of cattitude...
A neighbour has a young cat who does tail up...mega meows greeting to almost everyone he sees Some one will pick him up and walk off with him he's that soft...

Paint... why is it they go places they normally avoid when they have painty paws.... like on the couch...up the curtains, dark rugs....

[jomifl]

Don't forget the ears, cats often pretend to ignore something, but the directional ear swivelling gives away their interest.