We need a catdictionary.
That is - communication that the cat teaches us. Mine know several things I say to them, but I only know about two of their "words", or "sign language".
The meows are hard to define, other than things like "I'm hungry" - and then there are several sounds that are definate sounds that let us know it's time to eat.
I've picked up two things, one - a ca-ca-ca sound, - when a bird comes near the window - I learned this from a cat that was my daughter's.
When KiKi arrived, we bird watched together, and when a bird arrived on the bush, I'd mimic him, and he knew what I was telling him. So, whenever I'm at the window by myself and a bird arrives, I start making that sound and KiKi runs to see the bird too. The kittens are just looking at me trying to figure out what I'm doing.
The second thing I learned was using my hand in the "stop" position. I learned this from Phoebe. When the kittens were about 8 weeks, I happen to feed Phoebe first, and Simon tried to "share". Well, this time she wanted the food all for herself, and Simon got the message when she just held up her front paw - as if to push him away. He knew what she meant, so I figured if I did the same when necessary, they, too, would know what I meant.
It works. Sometimes KiKi gets a little too rough with one of the kittens. I go over to them, get KiKi's attention and hold up my hand as if to push him off, and he backs up - off of the kitten. It has worked on every other occassion that I've used it.
I find these things interesting, and I bet others have plenty things they do/say that "communicates" in cat language - do you have something that you might be able to add to the catdictionary?
The meows are hard to define, other than things like "I'm hungry" - and then there are several sounds that are definate sounds that let us know it's time to eat.
I've picked up two things, one - a ca-ca-ca sound, - when a bird comes near the window - I learned this from a cat that was my daughter's.
When KiKi arrived, we bird watched together, and when a bird arrived on the bush, I'd mimic him, and he knew what I was telling him. So, whenever I'm at the window by myself and a bird arrives, I start making that sound and KiKi runs to see the bird too. The kittens are just looking at me trying to figure out what I'm doing.
The second thing I learned was using my hand in the "stop" position. I learned this from Phoebe. When the kittens were about 8 weeks, I happen to feed Phoebe first, and Simon tried to "share". Well, this time she wanted the food all for herself, and Simon got the message when she just held up her front paw - as if to push him away. He knew what she meant, so I figured if I did the same when necessary, they, too, would know what I meant.
It works. Sometimes KiKi gets a little too rough with one of the kittens. I go over to them, get KiKi's attention and hold up my hand as if to push him off, and he backs up - off of the kitten. It has worked on every other occassion that I've used it.
I find these things interesting, and I bet others have plenty things they do/say that "communicates" in cat language - do you have something that you might be able to add to the catdictionary?
