Scientists have discovered that cats have a complex communication system with hundreds of sounds to convey their wants or needs to humans. Understanding how cats communicate with you, and how cats interpret human communication can help build a closer relationship with your beloved best friend.
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Method 1 of 3: Reading Cat Body Language
Step 1. Pay attention to the cat's tail
Just like dogs, cats also communicate by changing positions and moving their tails. Recognizing tail position signals along with cat sounds can help you understand your cat's needs and wants. Some common tail positions include:
- Tail straight up with a slight curl at the end: this position indicates a sense of pleasure.
- Twitching tail: the cat is feeling happy or anxious.
- Tail feathers standing up or stiff: the cat is feeling excited or threatened.
- Tail shaking: the cat is very happy to meet you.
- The tail feathers are erect while the tail is curled in an N shape: this is a sign of extreme anger and will be seen during fighting or self-defense.
- Tail feathers are erect but tail is pointing down: the cat is feeling angry or scared.
- The tail is pointing down and hidden by the buttocks: the cat is afraid.
Step 2. Look into the cat's eyes
Gazing into a cat's eyes can help strengthen the relationship and read her feelings. Just be careful, though, because staring straight in the eye without blinking can be interpreted as an offensive position, making the cat uncomfortable.
- If a cat's pupils are dilated, it may feel very excited, frightened, or angry; use other behavioral cues to find out what they really mean.
- A cat looking into your eyes is a sign that it trusts and feels comfortable around you.
- A cat that blinks slowly may be showing affection, meaning it feels comfortable with people around it.
Step 3. Pay attention to other body language
Since cats are more "fluent" in body language than humans, some body language will accompany the sound to amplify the message.
- The cat that is lifting its nose and tilting its head back slightly is trying to say “I accept you.” The cat sitting at the window may be welcoming you when you enter.
- Cats will tuck their ears back when they are afraid, anxious, or want to play. This body language also appears when he sniffs something he wants to know.
- A cat that sticks out its tongue and licks its lower lip indicates that it is anxious or restless.
Step 4. Identify the cat's communication behavior
Some of the ways a cat communicates with you are based on how it behaves around you. Certain behaviors have consistent meaning among most cats.
- A cat rubbing its body against you is marking you as its own.
- A wet nose “kiss” is a sign of affection from a cat, when he touches his wet nose to your body. This means that he likes and feels comfortable around you.
- A cat that rubs its head, body and tail on a person or other animal means that it is welcoming the arrival of that person/animal.
- Gently banging your head is a sign of friendliness and affection.
- Cats will sniff a person's face to confirm an identity based on the smell it recognizes.
- A cat will make rhythmic massaging movements with its paws, alternating between the right and left paws, as a sign of pleasure, happiness, or play. Massaging is a sign that your cat knows and trusts you.
- A cat licking you signifies high trust. The cat may consider you a part of the family, like a mother cat cleaning her kittens.
- If your cat tries to eat your hair, it may be trying to "cleanse" you. This means that he really loves and trusts you.
- Some cats will show great love by imitating what you do. You can test it by playing dead on the floor. He will sniff or move your body, then also pretend to be dead.
- If the cat bites you with a little force, this is a warning to stay away from it.
Method 2 of 3: Communicating with Cats
Step 1. Reply to talk to the cat
Cats are always learning to communicate with us. The more you communicate with him, the faster he learns.
- Use a higher-pitched voice to indicate friendliness and a lower-pitched voice to indicate displeasure or anger.
- Using repetition will help your cat learn to predict consistent activity. You need to repeat words like sleep or bed every time you go to sleep. Eventually, your cat will begin to associate these repeated word sounds with your activities and may even be in the bedroom ahead of you.
Step 2. Use nonverbal communication cues
Cats can be trained to understand words, but these animals understand nonverbal cues instinctively. Creating a warm environment with clear commands and a few surprises can help strengthen the initial bond with a new cat.
- If you blink slowly when making eye contact with your cat, he will usually respond by coming closer to be petted. This is considered non-threatening body language for cats.
- Try not to look the cat in the eye directly. This indicates that you are not friendly or that you are angry.
- If your cat wants to go somewhere like sitting with you on the couch, but he's in doubt, pat the spot and use a soothing, gentle voice to invite him to come with you.
- Have consistent goals and expressions. A mistake that many pet owners make is saying "no" but petting them at the same time. This behavior is very confusing to cats. So, for example, if you want your cat to move away, saying a firm "later on, okay?" and gently pushing her away, without showing affection, will let the cat understand that she's not wanted right now. Most cats will try to approach a person two or three times, often from different directions. When you say "later, okay," try to be patient.
- Never yell or physically punish a cat. This will only make him scared and angry, so it doesn't do much good. On the other hand, to show your displeasure, you can put a lot of pressure on your voice. The cat will understand and sense that you are not happy.
Step 3. Give the command to the cat
Using words, tone of voice, and other cues consistently when giving your cat command practice will help you and your cat agree and understand clear commands.
- Create a command tone for the cat when it does something you think is wrong. Use a normal voice, which can be easily repeated, but also quite different from everyday sounds. If you don't use this sound infrequently but seriously, your cat will begin to learn to associate the sound with the understanding that it has displeased you.
- Make a quick, sharp hissing sound as a no-no, no. This sound is similar to the sound created as a reprimand or warning in “cat language,” and using this sound can convey your meaning to the cat more clearly.
- With patience, cats can be trained to respond to commands, just like dogs. You can even teach your cat to shake hands.
Method 3 of 3: Listening to Cats
Step 1. Understand how and why cats communicate
Making noises is not a cat's primary form of communication. A cat's "main language" includes a complex system of smells, facial expressions, and body language and touch. Cats will quickly realize that we don't understand the nonverbal signals that they use with each other, so they will make sounds to communicate in our language. By paying attention to what sound makes us react, a cat always learns how to convey his request or desire.
Step 2. Observe the situation when the cat meows
If you pay attention to what the cat is doing when it meows, you can tell what meowing sounds signal a request (or protest). While certain meowing sounds can vary from cat to cat, there are certain types of meows that are usually associated with specific emotions, such as purring or hissing.
- A short meow is used as a standard greeting and greeting in general.
- Repeated meows indicate a happy greeting. You may notice a more enthusiastic welcome with a louder meow if you are away for a longer period of time than usual.
- A medium-pitched meow can signal that your cat needs something like food or water.
- A long meow is a sign of a more urgent request or desire.
- A low-pitched meow is a sign of complaining, displeasure, or preparation for a fight.
- A lower, louder meow than a medium meow often signals a request for something more urgent, such as food.
Step 3. Identify cat communication without meowing
While meowing is a sound we often associate with cat communication, cats actually make other sounds too.
- Snoring, which is a vibrating sound from the throat, indicates a call to approach or a call for attention. While cats can purr for a variety of reasons, purring is most often associated with happiness.
- Hissing noises are the most obvious sign of a cat's anger or self-defense. This sound indicates that the cat is feeling very unhappy, threatened, afraid, or preparing to fight.
Step 4. Pay attention to other special sounds
While other types of sounds may be heard less frequently than meowing, hissing, and purring, understanding these types of sounds can help you better interpret cat communication.
- Voice "RRRROWW!" a high-pitched tone often indicates anger, pain, or fear.
- Chattering sounds can be a sign of excitement, anxiety, or frustration.
- A chirping sound, which is a high pitched meow and purr, is a friendly greeting from cats, often used by mother cats to address their kittens.
- A loud screeching sound can signal sudden pain, such as when you accidentally step on the tail.
Tips
- Siamese or other oriental cats have been studied as a more vocal breed, while other long-haired cat breeds tend to be quieter. Of course, there are always exceptions to this.
- Sitting cross-legged on the ground and staring at the cat is a sign that you're accepting it, so it may come up to you to be petted.
- Treat your cat with love and respect, and he will make a lovely and loving friend to you.
- Some cats like to be petted on the belly, although most are anxious about exposing their vulnerable underside. Overcome this fear slowly and with patience. Most cats protect their stomachs more than their chests. Gently stroke the cat's chest each day, but stop if you feel the cat tense up. Over time he will trust you to caress him. This approach is especially appropriate if started when the cat is still small.
- To find out if your cat wants to be petted or not, reach out your hand. Make sure the middle finger is slightly lower. The cat will rub its nose against your hand. The cat will rub its head against your body, so that your hands will be in the desired stroking position.
- If your cat is wagging its tail vigorously from side to side, it usually means it's angry or wants to play, so it's best to leave it alone.
- If your cat bites you, it can sometimes mean that it wants to play or that it doesn't want anything.
- When placing the cat on the floor, make sure its feet are firmly on its feet before releasing it. This allows the cat to learn to feel safe with you, to rely on you not to be threatened, or to have to get used to suddenly jumping from the carrier. If done consistently throughout its life, it can prevent injury as the cat ages and is more prone to injury.
- If the cat walks or runs away from you, it's best to leave it; this shows the cat wants to be alone.
- If your cat is an irritable cat, speak gently and approach him every day if you can. This can be by brushing their fur, feeding them, or playing with them.
Warning
- Urinating, spraying urine, and collecting feces in conspicuous places are all ways a cat tries to mark areas where it feels threatened by cats or other animals. It may also be an indication of a urinary tract infection, or other serious health problem. If this is the case, the cat needs to be treated, or separated from other cats. Consult a veterinarian.
- Hold the cat carefully, not too tightly when lifting it. Holding on too tightly can be seen as a sign of anger and you could be scratched and hurt as a result.
- All cats should be neutered as soon as they are old enough to avoid behavioral problems and unwanted kittens. Male cats should be spayed before they are sexually mature so that squirting urine does not become a habit.
