There have been lots of theories about how domestic cats purr. At one time some experts thought that it was caused by turbulent blood! And Dr. Desmond Morris gets close to understanding how the purr sound is produced with his report on the ‘false vocal cord theory’ (in Cat World). He says the air passes …
There are two very well-known biologists and cat behaviourists who, in my view, agree on this point which is that the domestic cat sees us as surrogate mothers. We don’t quite know how they really process their observations of us but in terms of their behaviour towards us it reflects a kitten-to-mother relationship. These celebrity …
A kitten’s cry to demand something or other, usually warmth, food and security is more attractive than the baby’s cry. Discuss! Both the kitten’s cry and the baby’s cry are sounds which get the maternal and paternal juices flowing normally. It doesn’t always apply. Not everybody has the usual maternal instincts. There is a comment …
This is a brief discussion on the well-known domestic cat’s meow and talkative cat breeds. You will see some websites proclaiming confidently that certain cat breeds are more talkative than others but I wouldn’t be so certain. Often it is an individual cat trait and it also depend a lot on the relationship between cat …
Yes, caracals hiss to communicate. The sound is a defensive demand signalling ‘piss off’ to put it in the vernacular. And we often see it online because they are a feisty medium-sized wild cat inclined to feel threatened with humans around. In terms of vocalisations, the caracal is like the domestic cat in possessing a …
The question in the title is asking if Burmese cats make a lot of noise! The simple but slightly vague answer is that they will probably be more vocal than your typical domestic cat either purebred or non-purebred because they have some Siamese cat in them and the Siamese is known to be vocal. I …
Talkative domestic cats are good. They improve the human-to-cat relationship. Cat owners want their cat to initiate an interaction with them, don’t they? You don’t just want a decorative cat. When cats start the conversation, the interactions are better and they last longer. Please tell me if your cat is a chatterbox and if so …
I, and many others, have said it before, individual domestic cats have their own way to deliver the classic meow. There are a million different ways and this is one the most charming that I have heard. I can think of another I loved which you can hear by clicking on this link. Here is …
Female cat has a beautiful, unique two-stage meow Read More »
Maine Coon cats are said the best the best exponents of the trill. Translated into the English language it means “Come with me” and is part of a greeting process. The sound is initially made when a mother wants her kittens to come near to her or follow her. It doubles up as a greeting …
The domestic cat chirrup or ‘rising trill’ translated into English Read More »
Do you want to know what the meow means in the English language? Here it is: “I require your immediate attention.” The meow is also spelled ‘miaow’. It always has the same basic message as stated. It is a general request. It normally means that the cat wants food as almost all cat caregivers know. …
I have a translation of the cat’s purr into English. It means ‘I am inoffensive’. This is an all-encompassing meaning. A general meaning. The nearest human signal/message is the smile. In terms of the unwritten message, it can also mean: ‘I am content’ (we all know this one such as when coming onto your lap). …
Normally domestic and unowned cats have a tendency to retreat and hide when confronted with something or someone that frightens them. They do this silently as making a sound during this action would be pointless. But if they are cornered and can’t run off, they will be forced to defend themselves and part of that …
3 sounds that a domestic cat might make when cornered and frightened Read More »
Although caterwauling is commonly associated with unsterilised female cats on heat calling for a mate at night, this loud feline vocalisation can also be used in different contexts with the general message: “I am angry. Clear off, or I will attack you”. Perhaps, slightly confusingly, caterwauling is for some people uniquely associated with females on …
We remain unsure about domestic cats’ reaction to music. More than 30 years ago, the great Dr. Desmond Morris said that domestic cats react idiosyncratically to the sound of music. What he was saying is that each individual cat reacts in their own way to human music because at that time no one had written …
This is an infographic which explains definitively in my opinion why domestic cats purr from a behavioral standpoint. There has to be a reason which encompasses a spectrum of circumstances under which domestic cats purr. You can’t simply say that cats purr when content. They do but that’s part of the picture. The infographic provides …
