Lingusitics Cat Speak, and other animal languages

[rhody]

Georgina,


I always thought it was to get my attention, didn't realize it was to scent mark her territory, because my cat will be looking at you as if to say, Na -na -na -na -na -na -na, look at me, almost daring you to yell at her to stop.

She has scratching posts and still looks to me expecting to be yelled at, not realizing furniture is taboo and cat scratch toys are acceptable. She seems puzzled when I don't yell when she is going to town on the cat scratching post.

Thanks for filling me in...

Rhody... cat scratch fever...

Georgina,

One thing I forgot to mention, they scratch (in part) to sharpen their claws, for climbing, defense (if necessary). I know a few people who declaw their cats, and I can't speak for their situation, but I find it cruel, they are defenseless without claws. I would try absolutely everything, and if nothing worked I may have to give up the cat for adoption. It has never happened, though. Maybe I have been lucky, all my cats came from normal (not abused) environments.

Rhody...

 

[DaveC426913]

I know a few people who declaw their cats, and I can't speak for their situation, but I find it cruel, they are defenseless without claws.

Defenseless - from what exactly?

Declawing tends to go hand-in-hand with housecats. No one declaws outdoor cats.


Also, cats, when in a real fight, tend to make excellent use of their rear claws, which are rarely declawed. (They use them to rake the belly - and ideally, genitals - of their opponent. That's why cats roll on their backs in a fight.)

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Defenseless - from what exactly?

Declawing tends to go hand-in-hand with housecats. No one declaws outdoor cats.


Also, cats, when in a real fight, tend to make excellent use of their rear claws, which are rarely declawed. (They use them to rake the belly - and ideally, genitals - of their opponent. That's why cats roll on their backs in a fight.)

I don't believe in declawing anymore.

If you are considering declawing your cat, please read this. It will only take a moment, and it will give you valuable information to help you in your decision.

First, you should know that declawing is pretty much an American thing, it's something people do for their own convenience without realizing what actually happens to their beloved cat. In England declawing is termed "inhumane" and "unnecessary mutilation." I agree. In many European countries it is illegal. I applaud their attitude...

http://www.declawing.com/

 

[GeorginaS]

Defenseless - from what exactly?

Declawing tends to go hand-in-hand with housecats. No one declaws outdoor cats.


Also, cats, when in a real fight, tend to make excellent use of their rear claws, which are rarely declawed. (They use them to rake the belly - and ideally, genitals - of their opponent. That's why cats roll on their backs in a fight.)

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.

 

[rhody]

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.

Georgina,

Deer and Bear do this during rut and mating season as well, I have seen the results in the woods. High marks in trees is a good sign a large buck or bear made them. Used to hunt (not any more) with Dad as a kid and he would point them out to me.

Rhody...

 

[lisab]

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!).

 

[GeorginaS]

Declawing is inexcusable, imo. More and more, vets are refusing to do it (yay!).

Yay! I pointedly boycott vets who do it.

 

[rhody]

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...

 

[GeorginaS]

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.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

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.

 

[DaveC426913]

So, how does everyone feel about circumcision (human)?

 

[Loren Booda]

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?

 

[GeorginaS]

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?

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.

 

[DaveC426913]

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

I suppose not.

 

[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.

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...

 

[lisab]

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.

 

[rhody]

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...