Talking to Cats

callista · Aug 8, 2012

I recently wrote a blog post about how I talk to my cats, and thought maybe you guys would like to chime in on it. Has anybody else invented a kitty language, like my cats and I have?

Talking to Cats

When I first became a cat-owner, I had no special way of talking to cats. I used the same pedantic style as I did with anyone else. Cats, after all, didn't understand words most of the time; so why should I baby-talk to them?

But over the years, as my cats and I have connected more and more with each other, I've developed a language I use only with cats.

It's not baby-talk. In fact, it's hardly even English (or German, which I speak marginally well because I am a first-generation, though early-childhood, immigrant from Germany).

The strange thing is, in this language, words don't really mean much at all. It's more about the rhythm and the pitch. I realized today that what I was speaking to my cats is a tonal language more akin to music than speech. It's full of neologisms and simplified English words. The words that cause tension on the tongue, or hissing noises, have been changed. "Whisker" is now pronounced like "Fishka"--the tension on the "W" and the "R", and the hissing "S", have all been softened. "You" is "Soo", with emphasis on the O sound and very little S. When I tell Tiny it's okay to come and snuggle in bed with me, I say "Come on up!"--but it sounds more like, "Komunup!", always with the same quick syllables and ascending tone. "Soo ma keeto" is a term of endearment, always said slowly and with a very steady pitch. "Tiliket" is a form of laughter that says, "I enjoy watching you play." (It comes from "Silly cat!".)

I think, when I first realized that cats don't really use words, I must have given myself the freedom to do whatever I wanted with language. I want to say something the way I think it? I want to sing a word instead of saying it? I want to say words that mean what I feel instead of being strictly symbolic? With cats, that is okay; and they never, never laugh at you for it. I think they put up with me because they know that my stiff body will never be able to make the movements and postures of a true cat-language; so they let me chirp at them. Sometimes I think they must understand me better than I understand them.

subvet642 · Aug 8, 2012

I must look perfectly ridiculous baby talking to my kitties.

Nicky just trills, harumphs (it sounds like he's trying to get a popcorn shell out of the back of his throat) or meows back, but Nina has a huge vocabulary of meows and chirps. There are words that we use with them, like the laser pointer is the "red buggie", wet food is "yum-yums" and so forth, but no special language, as such.

pushylady · Aug 8, 2012

I use certain words, like "yum yums" "kibble crunchies" and the cats have their nicknames. I always use a soft, high-pitched voice and sing-song style of talking to cats.
I visit a lot of other people's cats when pet sitting and I the first thing I do when I come into their house is start talking to them. It's important not to startle them and I find it's the tone of voice that's most important when talking to animals, not what you're saying. Gosh, I'd hate be recorded while talking to pets - I know I come out with such nonsense sometimes! :lol3:

callista · Aug 8, 2012

Nonsense? Yes. Fun? Absolutely. I have no regrets.

pushylady · Aug 9, 2012

Yesterday I was snuggling with Pushkin. I kissed his paws, then told him how I loved how they smelled. :blush:

aeevr · Aug 9, 2012

Cats love to be talked to and they can deduce meaning from tone and gestures. I totally believe this.

Have you ever tried to talk to someone who speaks a totally different language? Very similar.

http://www.wayofcats.com/blog/do-cats-understand-what-we-say-to-them/17626

http://www.wayofcats.com/blog/reverend-jim-and-the-mime-imperative/17327

meuzettesmom · Aug 9, 2012

I talk to all my nine cats. I don't baby talk tho. Regular talk. Which maybe worse. I think they are people.

We talk, we play. We all live in the same house. We're family.

callista · Aug 10, 2012

Of course they're people. For a certain definition of "people", anyway--something that runs along the lines of "An individual with a unique personality".

I used to use English, until I realized that to a cat, the words you say don't matter. Sometimes when I talked to Skimble, a kitty friend of mine, I used to charm him with ridiculous threats (I'll tie your tail into a knot! I'll turn you into a kitty slipper! I'll dress you in a little pink tutu! I'll mail you to Antarctica!) and he'd purr away, because my tone of voice said "I like you and you're cute and I'm going to scritch you right behind the ears like you love so much." Skimble, as should be obvious by now, was one of those absolutely cute, absolutely mischievous cats that you can't help but love even while you're inspecting the overturned houseplant or picking up shredded toilet paper.

And hey, if Skimble purrs while I'm threatening to mail him to Antarctica, I'm pretty sure he's got no idea what I'm saying--it's all about how I'm saying it. So I decided, hey, why bother with talking the normal way? I can talk whatever way I like, and kitty will understand.

emilymaywilcha · Aug 10, 2012

Callista, that reminds me of the Dogs For Dummies author. She admitted to cursing at her dogs in foreign languages LOL. I could never do that.

I have a sign for my cat. When I am sitting in a chair and see her on the other side of the room, I extend my left arm and wiggle my fingers. Even if I don't say anything she walks to me and sniffs my fingers. It makes me wonder if deaf cats can learn sign language. Does anyone else have a sign just for cats? (BTW I am not deaf and do talk to her.)

Talking to Cats

callista

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subvet642

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pushylady

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callista

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pushylady

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aeevr

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meuzettesmom

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callista

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emilymaywilcha

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