What do cats mean when they
Discussion
I have two things puzzling me about our much loved 9 month kittens can anyone advise
If you enter a room they will saunter into the middle of the room and throw themselves down, not throw as such but lye on the floor stretched out. We assume they want some foot tickle action ?
If you go to the loo or to fill the kettle they jump into the bidet or jump on the worktop as they love to drink from the cold water tap set as a trickle - they don't overdoing and they always have fresh cold water - odd?
The kits love my mrs and follow her around the house, as she is in most of the time they do spend loads of time together I'm sure they think she is a big cat
If you enter a room they will saunter into the middle of the room and throw themselves down, not throw as such but lye on the floor stretched out. We assume they want some foot tickle action ?
If you go to the loo or to fill the kettle they jump into the bidet or jump on the worktop as they love to drink from the cold water tap set as a trickle - they don't overdoing and they always have fresh cold water - odd?
The kits love my mrs and follow her around the house, as she is in most of the time they do spend loads of time together I'm sure they think she is a big cat
Pictures please
You may be lucky enough that at some point they like tummy rubs and it stops being a trap; but for most cats, it's a trap. They will stand for 3.2 seconds or rubs and attack your hand.
DSLiverpool said:
If you enter a room they will saunter into the middle of the room and throw themselves down, not throw as such but lye on the floor stretched out. We assume they want some foot tickle action ?
They are showing submission.You may be lucky enough that at some point they like tummy rubs and it stops being a trap; but for most cats, it's a trap. They will stand for 3.2 seconds or rubs and attack your hand.
DSLiverpool said:
If you go to the loo or to fill the kettle they jump into the bidet or jump on the worktop as they love to drink from the cold water tap set as a trickle - they don't overdoing and they always have fresh cold water - odd?
Mine do that, they also drink it out of the bath (with me in it), bottom of the shower, my glass, the sink (I can't bleach it and leave!), everywhere else they can get it.The running water thing is a genetic/automatic instinct that running/moving water is fresher than still (stagnant) water. Most cat's will do this if given the choice between a bowl or a running tap.
Mine used to gently tap your leg (her standard polite "Excuse me, I want something), then jump up to the sink and put her paw on the tap while looking at you. Put the tap on a trickle and she would be happy.
Mine used to gently tap your leg (her standard polite "Excuse me, I want something), then jump up to the sink and put her paw on the tap while looking at you. Put the tap on a trickle and she would be happy.
That's a great example of cat communication. There was a programme on last night about whether cats or dogs were more trainable or communicated better. I don't think cats won overall but they did surprisingly well at showing how they have adapted the sounds they make to us in order to express their needs. It was interesting that each cat has an individual vocabulary, and they adapt it to their owner, so a way of communicating is a developing thing between individual owner and cat.
steelbreeze said:
That's a great example of cat communication. There was a programme on last night about whether cats or dogs were more trainable or communicated better. I don't think cats won overall but they did surprisingly well at showing how they have adapted the sounds they make to us in order to express their needs. It was interesting that each cat has an individual vocabulary, and they adapt it to their owner, so a way of communicating is a developing thing between individual owner and cat.
Me and SWMBO can definitely tell the difference between our two and can pretty much tell what they are up to by the sounds they make. Down to the point we know when one of them come through the cat flap with a "present". I actually watched that show and it was pretty good. The cat results on types of meow were quite predictable. Mine wasn't that vocal but she did have a 'vocabulary' when she wanted to although mainly she was tactile with lots of gentle taps followed by moving towards where she wanted your attention. The food thing made me laugh though, yeah, that's just normal cat.
Mind you mine was also pretty trained though, she would stay, come, sit, and 'go get your toy then' on command. Although to be honest if she wanted to play she would often bring the toy, drop it at your feet and then tap you on the leg. She had me trained well too.
If she was sprawled out on my bed sleeping when I went up she would move to a chest of draws while I got in then jump back on once I was settled.
Mind you mine was also pretty trained though, she would stay, come, sit, and 'go get your toy then' on command. Although to be honest if she wanted to play she would often bring the toy, drop it at your feet and then tap you on the leg. She had me trained well too.
If she was sprawled out on my bed sleeping when I went up she would move to a chest of draws while I got in then jump back on once I was settled.
We have bengals and one does the falling over thing, on the bed, on the floor, anywhere really, and he likes to be scratched or pampered quite vigorously, like you would a dog, its quite amusing, he loves it, but I can imagine if you did that to most cats they would have your hand off!
One thing I've never quite understood with that same cat is that he will jump on the bed, or sofa, then fall over right near the edge, then roll around until he falls off and then claw the st out of the bed or sofa, I don't get why he does this RIGHT by the end of whatever he is on, why not go further on as then falling off will not happen?
The things they do are amusing, and they really are very different, we have one that I swear you could say his name to him 10 times and he would meow back every single time. Despite being in the deepest sleep not with us, if you called their name they would wake from their slumber, jump over the sofa and sit on your lap, anything to be with you, its really incredible vs cats as I knew them before.
One thing I've never quite understood with that same cat is that he will jump on the bed, or sofa, then fall over right near the edge, then roll around until he falls off and then claw the st out of the bed or sofa, I don't get why he does this RIGHT by the end of whatever he is on, why not go further on as then falling off will not happen?
The things they do are amusing, and they really are very different, we have one that I swear you could say his name to him 10 times and he would meow back every single time. Despite being in the deepest sleep not with us, if you called their name they would wake from their slumber, jump over the sofa and sit on your lap, anything to be with you, its really incredible vs cats as I knew them before.
okgo said:
Despite being in the deepest sleep not with us, if you called their name they would wake from their slumber, jump over the sofa and sit on your lap, anything to be with you, its really incredible vs cats as I knew them before.
I think I heard somewhere that a cat's hearing doesn't shut off like our hearing does when asleep.okgo said:
We have bengals and one does the falling over thing, on the bed, on the floor, anywhere really, and he likes to be scratched or pampered quite vigorously, like you would a dog, its quite amusing, he loves it, but I can imagine if you did that to most cats they would have your hand off!
One thing I've never quite understood with that same cat is that he will jump on the bed, or sofa, then fall over right near the edge, then roll around until he falls off and then claw the st out of the bed or sofa, I don't get why he does this RIGHT by the end of whatever he is on, why not go further on as then falling off will not happen?
Is my cat living with you. You have just described Verty to a tee! One thing I've never quite understood with that same cat is that he will jump on the bed, or sofa, then fall over right near the edge, then roll around until he falls off and then claw the st out of the bed or sofa, I don't get why he does this RIGHT by the end of whatever he is on, why not go further on as then falling off will not happen?
Exactly like tickling a dog. Our other Bengal is less tolerant.
steelbreeze said:
That's a great example of cat communication. There was a programme on last night about whether cats or dogs were more trainable or communicated better. I don't think cats won overall but they did surprisingly well at showing how they have adapted the sounds they make to us in order to express their needs. It was interesting that each cat has an individual vocabulary, and they adapt it to their owner, so a way of communicating is a developing thing between individual owner and cat.
This is true.My cat died last year, but before then I knew every little meow he made and what it meant. Different sounds for wanting food, wanting to go out, and notably a special to warn me that he was going to use the litter tray if I didn't let him out in the next 30 seconds.
I knew what every sound meant. I'm not entirely sure how cats do that.
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