Communication in Cats

The communication of cats is given both in sound and in corporal language that they will demonstrate. To be able to understand and interpret these manifestations, we must know what our animals are trying to say.

Sounds
The meow of a cat has infinity of different modulations, each one with their own meaning. Sometimes combined with short meows of diverse intensity and tones, always friendly; that can end up to be an half hour chitchat. The more the owner answers them, the more they will meow.

Meow
What distinguishes cats from other animals is probably their characteristic meow. With it, they communicate, express emotions, moods, predisposition to fight or mate. Among cats, the meow allows the mother to recognized their kittens from those of another litter and inside the same one. The mother shows them the language of the "family" to every member of the litter so the meow differently from other litters.

Meows varies from one cat to another and from breed to another breed, the Siamese for example is characterized by a sharp and penetrating sound, whereas the Ragdoll is more melodic.

With a meow, cats create a language for us and according to specialists as the English psychiatrist Nicholas Nicastro (Cornell University), the meow would be a way of manipulating our behavior to obtain caresses, more food or call our attention.

The same opinion have other specialists who support that the meow is not a product of a historical evolution, but of a behavior learned from cats that coexist with their owners. Comparing meows scientifically, it was discovered that every cat handles a scale of sounds and proper intensities and that every owner knows what their cats wants because they try with different sounds until know which is the one that most accommodates him with their owner.

Purring
It comes from the rapid contractions of the muscles of the larynx and the diaphragm, appearing from the first week of age. Cats purr when there is the presence of some other cat or person. It is the expression of happiness or of submission. Sixteen different types of vocalizations can be recognized in a cat.

Purring is the way cats can "talk" and as of meowing, every variation is tied to a different feeling: hunger, sorrow, need of affection, also has a special one that uses for greeting and it is to communicate with us.

Cat Growl or Snort
The growls are a mechanism of defense before the presence of an enemy or of something that intimidates them. If you pay attention, you can see that cats in general try to avoid any confrontation body to body and they can be minutes or up to hours, growling or snorting.

Snorting is the most typical sound for defense that they accompany with bristling of the hair.