Cat Speak, and other animal languages

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In summary: I've never had a pet do that before.In summary, cats are often misunderstood as emotionless creatures, but they are actually very intelligent and have evolved body communication to express their needs. Blinking is a form of "kitty kissing" and a slow blink from a cat is a sign of affection and trust. Cats also communicate through trilling and head-bumping, and grooming each other is a sign of a strong bond. Human attempts at eye contact may not always be well received by cats, as they don't saccade like humans do and can find it unsettling. Overall, cats have a unique way of communicating and it takes a true cat lover to understand their language.
  • #36
GeorginaS said:
Actually, people do declaw cats and let them outdoors, Dave. (Personally, I want to beat the stuffing out of people who torture cats by declawing them, but that's a different thread.)

Yes, when cats flop over on their side when playing/fighting with another cat, it's so they can deploy their back-feet claws on their opponent's soft underside. Very true. (Unlike dogs who, when they flop over on their side and expose their belly are surrendering. Same move, very different language between cats dogs.)

But when upright, they depend almost entirely on their front paw claws to whack at their opponents. Their front claws are unequivocally imperative as part of their defense system.

And yes, Rhody, they do sharpen their claws too when clawing stuff. True. And they also provide visual information to territory marking too. That's why they tend to claw up the sides of scratching posts and the corners of sofas and, some cats (I had one who did this) liked to claw door frames in the house. If you watch them, you'll notice that they often reach up as high as they can to start scratching. I've read some cat behaviour specialists claim that that's a warning/announcement to anyone who comes into the cat's territory to be able to see that a large, powerful cat lives there.

Clawing territory is important behaviour for cats. It's surprisingly easy to redirect and restrict their clawing to one or two objects in the house that you can own specifically for the purpose. Given an appropriate outlet for the expression, cats don't ruin other objects in the house and declawing is not ever necessary.

Declawing is inexcusable, imo. More and more, vets are refusing to do it (yay!).
 
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  • #37
lisab said:
Declawing is inexcusable, imo. More and more, vets are refusing to do it (yay!).


Yay! I pointedly boycott vets who do it.
 
  • #38
GeorginaS said:
Yay! I pointedly boycott vets who do it.

Georgina, Lisa,

I didn't mean to start a war, lol. I just believe cats deserve a fighting chance in life, with all their resources. Don't get me going but I know a co-worker who de-barked her border collie, and I find that cruel as well, but here we are talking about noise. Her dog barks but it sounds like a weak cough. She was also the one who told me about de-clawing years ago, at the time I didn't even know they did it.

Rhody...
 
  • #39
rhody said:
Georgina, Lisa,

I didn't mean to start a war, lol. I just believe cats deserve a fighting chance in life, with all their resources. Don't get me going but I know a co-worker who de-barked her border collie, and I find that cruel as well, but here we are talking about noise. Her dog barks but it sounds like a weak cough. She was also the one who told me about de-clawing years ago, at the time I didn't even know they did it.

Rhody...


Not sure what war you're talking about, Rhody. I was simply agreeing with Lisa. I abhor animal cruelty and no lees especially when it comes to mutilating animals who live in our houses with us and have behaviours we find "inconvenient". No matter what, there's a way to work with the behaviour and modify it without harming the animal. Declawing is and astounding amount of harm to cause a cat. I'd have a really difficult time dealing with someone who'd had their dog's vocal chords cut.
 
  • #40
GeorginaS said:
Not sure what war you're talking about, Rhody. I was simply agreeing with Lisa. I abhor animal cruelty and no lees especially when it comes to mutilating animals who live in our houses with us and have behaviours we find "inconvenient". No matter what, there's a way to work with the behaviour and modify it without harming the animal. Declawing is and astounding amount of harm to cause a cat. I'd have a really difficult time dealing with someone who'd had their dog's vocal chords cut.

These practices grew in popularity because people didn't understand the harm they were doing. I regret to say that > twenty years ago, back when we lived in the city, we declawed our indoor-only cats. And we did see one cat's personality change drastically after being declawed. Before the surgery he was a relatively aggressive young male, and afterwards he was spooky and skittish, and remained that way for life.

The vets were selling this as a viable option. I had no idea it was so bad.
 
  • #41
So, how does everyone feel about circumcision (human)?
 
  • #42
I fed Kitty her night snack just now, and as usual she roots around in this dry food, delaying the inevitable empty bowl. Is she showing her appreciation to my largess, or just stretching out her rations?
 
  • #43
DaveC426913 said:
So, how does everyone feel about circumcision (human)?

Not in favour of that either, actually.

But, that's not one's primary weapon of defense, is it? :wink:

The interesting thing, I suppose, about animals and living with them is discovering how much of their behaviour is specific communication. That's fascinating. Learning to "speak cat" or "speak dog" or speak whatever animal shares you life is invaluable. And you're the human; you've got the analytical brain, it's incumbent upon you to learn what they're saying when they do stuff. It makes living with them far more rewarding than any amount of anthropomorphising or misunderstandings.
 
  • #44
GeorginaS said:
But, that's not one's primary weapon of defense, is it? :wink:
:rofl: I suppose not.
 
  • #45
GeorginaS said:
Not sure what war you're talking about, Rhody. I was simply agreeing with Lisa. I abhor animal cruelty and no lees especially when it comes to mutilating animals who live in our houses with us and have behaviours we find "inconvenient". No matter what, there's a way to work with the behaviour and modify it without harming the animal. Declawing is and astounding amount of harm to cause a cat. I'd have a really difficult time dealing with someone who'd had their dog's vocal chords cut.

Lisa, Georgina,

So do it, I don't agree with de-barking a dog either. I find it odd that someone who I worked with a long time (has three kids) and in most ways appears normal would do it. It just goes to show that even though you work at times closely with people, how they make the decisions that they do is a mystery. We are not close friends, just acquaintances and work in the same office.

I used to share ride duties (another job sites location) with another guy (divorced) has a cat, and he just happened to mention he left the cat for two weeks by itself, neighbor would change litter box, food, water, etc... but no human contact other than that, when I told him that was not cool he threatened me, needless to say, we don't share rides or speak anymore. He is an 'odd' duck anyway, and was not good for a healthy outlook on life ,so I say good riddance.

Rhody...
 
  • #46
rhody said:
Lisa, Georgina,

So do it, I don't agree with de-barking a dog either. I find it odd that someone who I worked with a long time (has three kids) and in most ways appears normal would do it. It just goes to show that even though you work at times closely with people, how they make the decisions that they do is a mystery. We are not close friends, just acquaintances and work in the same office.

I used to share ride duties (another job sites location) with another guy (divorced) has a cat, and he just happened to mention he left the cat for two weeks by itself, neighbor would change litter box, food, water, etc... but no human contact other than that, when I told him that was not cool he threatened me, needless to say, we don't share rides or speak anymore. He is an 'odd' duck anyway, and was not good for a healthy outlook on life ,so I say good riddance.

Rhody...

I think that's exactly in line with the topic of this thread, reading animal language. For those of us who are lucky to be sensitive to animals' moods and emotions, doing such things (abandoning a pet or mutilating it) are simply unthinkable. I suppose for those who see animals as...well, "just" animals...they don't have those considerations.
 
  • #47
lisab said:
I suppose for those who see animals as...well, "just" animals...they don't have those considerations.

Lisa,

You hit it right on the head, no need to say anymore on my part, we are crystal clear on this...

Thanks...

Rhody...
 
<H2>1. What is "Cat Speak" and how does it differ from other animal languages?</H2><p>"Cat Speak" is a term used to describe the communication methods of cats. It differs from other animal languages in that it is specific to cats and is not shared by other animals. Cats use a combination of vocalizations, body language, and scents to communicate with each other and with humans.</p><H2>2. Can humans learn to understand and speak "Cat Speak"?</H2><p>While it is not possible to learn to speak "Cat Speak" fluently, humans can learn to understand some of the vocalizations and body language used by cats. This can help improve communication and strengthen the bond between humans and cats.</p><H2>3. Do all cats use the same "Cat Speak" or does it vary among different breeds?</H2><p>While there are certain universal vocalizations and body language cues that most cats use, there can be slight variations among different breeds. For example, some breeds may be more vocal than others, or use different body language to convey certain messages. Overall, however, "Cat Speak" is consistent among all cats.</p><H2>4. Is "Cat Speak" a learned behavior or instinctual for cats?</H2><p>"Cat Speak" is a combination of both learned behavior and instinctual communication. While some vocalizations and body language are instinctual and used by all cats, others are learned through interactions with other cats and humans. For example, a cat may learn to meow in a certain way to get attention from their owner.</p><H2>5. How important is "Cat Speak" in the social dynamics of cats?</H2><p>"Cat Speak" is incredibly important in the social dynamics of cats. It allows them to communicate with other cats, establish hierarchies, and express their needs and emotions. It also plays a role in the relationship between cats and their human companions, as understanding and responding to their communication can strengthen the bond between them.</p>

1. What is "Cat Speak" and how does it differ from other animal languages?

"Cat Speak" is a term used to describe the communication methods of cats. It differs from other animal languages in that it is specific to cats and is not shared by other animals. Cats use a combination of vocalizations, body language, and scents to communicate with each other and with humans.

2. Can humans learn to understand and speak "Cat Speak"?

While it is not possible to learn to speak "Cat Speak" fluently, humans can learn to understand some of the vocalizations and body language used by cats. This can help improve communication and strengthen the bond between humans and cats.

3. Do all cats use the same "Cat Speak" or does it vary among different breeds?

While there are certain universal vocalizations and body language cues that most cats use, there can be slight variations among different breeds. For example, some breeds may be more vocal than others, or use different body language to convey certain messages. Overall, however, "Cat Speak" is consistent among all cats.

4. Is "Cat Speak" a learned behavior or instinctual for cats?

"Cat Speak" is a combination of both learned behavior and instinctual communication. While some vocalizations and body language are instinctual and used by all cats, others are learned through interactions with other cats and humans. For example, a cat may learn to meow in a certain way to get attention from their owner.

5. How important is "Cat Speak" in the social dynamics of cats?

"Cat Speak" is incredibly important in the social dynamics of cats. It allows them to communicate with other cats, establish hierarchies, and express their needs and emotions. It also plays a role in the relationship between cats and their human companions, as understanding and responding to their communication can strengthen the bond between them.

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