The Real Meaning of Being Catty

People say that cats are not as talkative as dogs.  While we have plenty to say, we do it in a different way. Dogs may bark, growl, chortle and make all kinds of sounds to communicate with their human and other dogs.  Cats predominantly meow for one thing.  To get our human’s attention and let’s face it, manipulate you into doing what we want.  Think about that. Kittens meow for their mom’s attention but adult cats do not meow at one another.  We have other ways of communicating.

Let’s start with purring. Cats can purr when we are in contact with other cats, but also when we are interacting with humans and objects. We purr when we are kneading blankets or rolling on the ground or rubbing on items.  Most of the time we purr because we are happy.  But we can also do it when we are not feeling well.  And if we are meowing excessively or howling, a trip to the vet maybe in order to make sure that we are feeling okay.

However, when we are feeling fearful, we can growl. It’s our way of saying “Stay Away” or “Stand Back” or even “Leave Me Alone!”  If the other cat does not listen and continues to approach, that first warning can escalate into a snarl, spit or yowl prior to an attack.

If we approve of the other cat or in my case “that dog” that comes into the office, I greet him through nose touches. If I am really in a good mood and happy to see him, I will rub my head against him.

And for those of you that are wondering, we typically do not rub against each other’s backs. This is why cats normally do not like long strokes along our backs. The best places to rub us is our heads and along the sides of our bodies.

Finally, when it comes to listening and understanding you – oh we do.  Most of the time we just do not want to listen.