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Has anyone heard of this kind of cat call?

post #1 of 6
7/14/09 at 11:25am
Thread Starter 
The story in the news about how cats change the sounds they make to “manipulate†humans reminded me of an incident I had with one of my cats several years ago. I’ve always meant to ask cat experts what they thought of it. At one point, the cat became quite sick and stopped eating for several days. Our vet said if she couldn’t be induced to eat, it would set off a sort of “death spiral†where her liver would shut down and she would die. When she was at her sickest, I remember her sitting on the stairs, looking lethargic and utterly miserable, making a sound I’d never heard her make before (or afterward). It was a loud, clear and deep “OYYY†(I’m serious, here). I was surprised and alarmed at the time, because I got the sense that she was telling us, “I’m very, very sick. I might be dying.†Fortunately, my ex-wife set herself the task of force-feeding the cat with food and water and the cat pulled through (though not the marriage). I was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience with their cat.
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post #2 of 6
7/14/09 at 9:47pm
OYY-sound?? - yes, sure. Sometimes when our cats are going to threw up, they are complainging like this.

So I dont think it is specifical "Im dying", but rather "I think I feel like Im dying" sound. Their distress is although real, no doubt.






(they are father and son, and they could also learn this sound from each other).
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post #3 of 6
7/14/09 at 11:27pm
I dont remember my cat was making the OYY sound but i remember that when she got into an accident the sounds that she usually made changed... maybe that what you were talking about...
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post #4 of 6
7/15/09 at 6:04am
My boy Patch did that when he was blocked with a UTI. I new he wasn't feeling well, but not sure what was wrong. He was half sitting, half laying on my sofa. He looked at his brother, his littermate, Wheezer, they are both very attached to each other. Patch looked over at Wheezer made the sound you are describing, as if to say "Wheezer I'm sick". He couldn't have been any more clearer then if he said the words right out loud. After seeing that I definitely knew something was wrong, I went to pick him up, he was in a little puddle of blood. Rushed him to emercency vet hospita. No one can tell me that cats can't communicate.
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post #5 of 6
7/15/09 at 7:08am
My Jack does that sound just before he's going to hack up a furball. "Muuuuuum i'm going to throw up!!!"

It's horrible
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post #6 of 6
7/15/09 at 7:12am
I presume that OYY sound isnt that common, as cats usually try to hide they are sick... Some cat pals are friendly and comforting to each other when sick, but mobbing or even assaults aren quite usual. Mobbing of sick cats common in colony / free living cats.

Thus, some of the communication and behavour-patterns probably develops / become feasible only with protected, home living cats.

Is my theory as now.
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