| Issue 33: September 10 |
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Dear Fancy,
Our cat, Catsby, makes a series of cute chirp-like sounds as we're preparing her meals. We think it's her way of expressing excitement in anticipation of chowing down her food. Is this normal for cats? Are we interpreting her cat-talk correctly? –Catsby's Human "Staff"Dear Human Staff, Though some cats are more chatty than others, nearly all vocally communicate with their human families.
Inter-cat communication is accomplished mostly through body language and other non-vocal signals which may seem quite subtle to humans but are loud and clear to cats. Verbal exchanges between cats are usually restricted to mother-and-kitten communications and special circumstances such as territorial face-offs. Living in human households, cats learn that their human companions tend to respond better to vocal cues and directives. We cats are equipped to produce quite a variety of vocalizations, and many of us perfect our talking techniques to better communicate with our people. And yes, I think you're right: Catsby's saying "Yum, I'm looking forward to some tasty food." She also may be saying "Thank you!" For a more detailed look at "cat talk," and how understanding it can improve the quality of life for you and your cat, please see this new article: Translating Cat Talk.  Fancy Share:                
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