Researchers have found that cats have developed a sophisticated communication system based on hundreds of vocalizations to make humans understand what they want and what their needs are. Developing an ability to understand what your kitty wants to communicate to you, and how you can interact with him so he can understand you too, can help you cultivate a deeper relationship with your feline friend.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Interpreting Your Body Language
Step 1. Observe its tail
Like dogs, cats also communicate through the position and movement of the tail. Recognizing the language through the posture of the tail, together with the vocalizations, can help to understand the needs and desires of the cat. Some typical positions are:
- Tail upward with a curl at the end - a sign of happiness.
- Wagging Tail: The cat is excited or anxious.
- The hair on the tail is turned outwards or is swollen: the cat is excited or feels threatened.
- Vibrant Tail: The cat is very excited and happy to see you.
- The hair on the tail is straight while the tail forms a kind of "N": this is a sign of extreme aggression and you can notice it when it fights or defends itself from other animals.
- The hair on the tail is straight up, but the tail is held down: the cat is aggressive or frightened.
- The tail is held low and hidden under the back of the body: it is frightened.
Step 2. Look at the eyes
This can help you bond with him and interpret his feelings. Be aware, however, that if you stare directly at it without ever lowering your eyelids it can interpret it as aggressive and the cat may feel uncomfortable.
- If his pupils are dilated, it means that he is very playful and excited or, on the contrary, he can be afraid and even aggressive; look for other signs of behavior to understand the right state of mind in which he is.
- If he looks you in the eye it indicates that he has faith in you and feels comfortable when you are with him.
- If he squints slowly, it can mean that he is showing affection and that he is comfortable with those close to him at the moment.
Step 3. Watch for other body signals
Since cats are more "eloquent" than humans in body language, they often add gestures to vocalizations to reinforce their message.
- When a cat raises its nose and tilts its head slightly back it is saying, "I recognize you." Cats sitting on the windowsill can welcome you this way when you are about to approach.
- A cat can pull its ears back if it is fearful, anxious, or cheerful. You can also see this behavior when she cautiously sniffs something because she wants to get to know it better.
- A cat that sticks out its tongue a little and licks its lower lip certifies that it is worried or apprehensive.
Step 4. Identify behaviors that want to convey a message
Some of the cat's ways of communicating with you are based on its behavior when it is around you. Some of his ways have a consistent meaning for most cats.
- If he rubs against you, he is pointing to you as his property.
- A "kiss" with a wet nose is an affectionate gesture to show you that he likes you and that he feels comfortable with you.
- When massaging his head, hips and tail against a person or animal he is showing a gesture of greeting.
- If he hits you with the head by knocking it against your body it is a demonstration of friendship and affection.
- Cats sniff a person's face to recognize their identity based on the familiarity of the smell.
- If it "kneads" rhythmically with its paws, alternating left and right, it is a sign of happiness, satisfaction or cheerfulness. When he does this it indicates that he knows and trusts you.
- When he licks you he is showing a definitive sign of confidence. At this point the cat considers you part of its family and wants to "clean" you like a mother does with her kittens.
- If the cat tries to eat your hair, it is trying to "comb your hair". This means that he truly loves you and trusts you.
- Some cats show real affection by copying what you do. You can test this behavior by pretending to "play dead" on the floor. The cat can sniff or push you and then pretend to be dead too.
- If he bites you gently, he's warning you to leave him alone.
Method 2 of 3: Communicate with Your Cat
Step 1. Talk to your furry friend
Cats continually learn how to communicate with us. The more you talk to him, the faster he will learn.
- Use a slightly high tone of voice to indicate amiability, and a low tone to indicate displeasure or aggression.
- Repeating the terms will help your cat learn to anticipate activities. You should repeat a word like sleep or bed every time you go to sleep. Eventually, the cat will associate the sound of the repeated word with your actions, and may even enter the bedroom before you.
Step 2. Use non-verbal cues to communicate
Cats can be trained to understand words, but they are able to instinctively understand non-verbal cues. Creating a welcoming environment with clear expectations and a few pleasant surprises can help strengthen the initial bond with a new cat.
- If you blink slowly when you look the cat in the eye, it will usually respond by approaching you to pet it. This is interpreted by him as a non-threatening gesture.
- But try never to look him directly in the eye. He can perceive it as a sign of hostility or aggression.
- If the cat wants to go somewhere, such as being next to you on the sofa, but seems unsure, tap where he would like to go and speak to him in a soft, reassuring voice to invite him to come closer.
- Be consistent in your intentions and expressions. A common mistake that many pet owners make is to say "no" but at the same time to pat the cat. This creates a lot of confusion in the animal. So, for example, if you want him to go away, just a firm and firm "Later" and push him gently, without showing him affection, to make him understand that his presence is not well seen at this moment. Most cats try 2-3 times to invade a person's space, often from different directions. When you say "Later", be patient.
- Never yell at him or physically punish him. You would just scare him, anger him and it would be totally counterproductive. Instead, if you want to show disapproval, you can speak in an annoyed tone. The cat will understand, and will sense your unhappiness.
Step 3. Teach him the commands
Being consistent in terms, tone, and other accompanying cues as you train him to give him commands will help both of you agree and understand each other's expectations clearly.
- Develop a command tone and use it with your kitty when he is doing something you think is wrong. Use a voice that comes naturally to you and can easily repeat, but is also distinct from your normal, everyday voice. If you use this tone a few times, but on really important occasions and in a serious way, the cat will learn to associate it with the idea that you are disapproving of it.
- Make a quick, dry hiss or spit-like noise as a command to say "no". This is similar to the sound that cats make in their language to correct or warn; by using it, you can communicate your intent more clearly.
- With patience, cats can be trained to respond to commands, much like dogs. You can also teach them to paw you.
Method 3 of 3: Listen to it
Step 1. Understand how and why cats communicate
Vocals are usually not their preferred way of communicating. Their "first language" consists of an articulated system of smells, expressions of the face, a complex body language and contact. Cats soon realize that we humans cannot understand the non-verbal signals they send to each other, so they make sounds in an attempt to communicate in our language. By observing the sounds that we humans make based on the various actions we perform, cats learn to make requests by trying to imitate the same way we do.
Step 2. Observe her different meows according to the circumstances
If you watch what the cat is doing while meowing, you can learn to distinguish which meows are associated with specific requests (or protests). Although specific meows may vary from cat to cat, there are some typically associated with specific emotions, such as purring or hissing.
- A short meow is emitted as a standard greeting and a generic acknowledgment.
- Multiple meows indicate festive greetings. You may notice a more enthusiastic greeting with a greater meow if you have been away for a longer period of time than usual.
- A moderately high-pitched meow can indicate a request for something like food or water.
- A longer and more stifled "meeeoooow" is a more insistent question for a need or a thing he desires.
- A high-pitched, low-pitched "MEEEooooowww" indicates protest, grief, or preparation for struggle.
- A loud meow - but lower than mid-tone - often signals a more urgent request, such as food.
Step 3. Recognize a typical cat message other than a meow
Although the meow is the typical sound we associate with the cat, in reality this feline makes other quite common sounds.
- Purring is a vibrant guttural sound, indicating the desire for close contact or attention. Although cats can purr for many different reasons, they are usually associated more often with a state of satisfaction.
- The hissing of a cat, on the other hand, is a clear sign of aggression or self-defense. This indicates that the animal is very unhappy, feels threatened or frightened, or is fighting or preparing to fight.
Step 4. Pay attention to other forms of specific verses
While other types of vocalizations may be rarer than meowing, hissing, and purring, being able to understand these too can help better interpret your cat's language.
- A shrill "MMMMMMEEEEAAAAAOU!" Loudly emitted often indicates anger, pain, or a feeling of fear.
- A rapid succession of meowing, as if it were chatter, can be a sign of excitement, anxiety or frustration.
- A kind of chirping, a cross between a meow and a purr, with an upward inflection, is a sound that expresses a cordial greeting, often used by a mother cat who calls her kittens.
- A loud yelp or "meeeowww" sound can indicate sudden pain, such as when their tail is accidentally stomped.
Advice
- If you sit cross-legged on the ground and look at the cat, you are showing him that you are welcoming him, so he can come over to be stroked.
- If your cat is quite grumpy, talk to him in a low voice and try to bond with him a little every day, if possible. This can include brushing, feeding, or playing with him.
- Some cats like pats on the belly, although most of them are wary of exposing the more vulnerable underside. Try to get him to overcome this fear slowly and patiently. Most cats tend to protect the chest less than the abdomen. Eventually try to pat him on the chest, a little every day, but stop if you feel that the cat is stiffening. He will begin to trust gradually by stroking him. This approach works best if you start while the cat is still a puppy.
- Treat your pet with love and respect and he will become a very happy companion and loving friend.
- Siamese and other Oriental cat breeds appear to be particularly vocal, while some long-haired breeds tend to be quieter. Of course, there are always exceptions.
- When a cat purrs does not always mean that it is happy. Sometimes it is a sign of pain or a feeling of fear.
- When placing your cat on the ground, make sure his paws are secure before letting him go. This way your feline friend learns to feel safe with you and knows that he can count on you because you won't leave him in danger, or that you will be careful if he suddenly wants to jump out of your arms. If this is done consistently, you can prevent injuries when you are older and more prone to physical problems.
- If the cat wags its tail vigorously, it means that it is angry or playful: best to leave it alone.
- If you have a Devon Rex you have to play a lot with him, he is a breed for which play is very important.
- Always treat your kitty like a member of the family, he will appreciate it!
- When he bites you, he sometimes does it in a playful way, but on other occasions because he is tired of something.
- If your feline friend hisses, leave him alone, as this is a sign of anger.
- Maine Coon cats are very fond of playing, so you will need to spend a lot of time with them!
Warnings
- Often the cat tries to mark the territory by urinating, spraying the surfaces with urine and defecating in clearly visible areas. This behavior can also be caused by jealousy or fear of another cat or pet. It could also be a symptom of a urinary tract infection, bladder or other serious pathology. If this is the problem, the cat needs therapy or to be separated from other cats. Consult with your vet.
- When holding it, be very careful, do not squeeze it when you lift it. If you hug him too hard he could interpret it as a sign of aggression and he could scratch and hurt you badly.
- All cats should be spayed or neutered as soon as age permits, to avoid unwanted pregnancies and behavioral problems. Males, in particular, should be neutered before sexual maturity to prevent the habit of marking territory with urine from taking root.
