Feral communication

For those of you who believe that cats do not understand when you talk to them, perhaps this experience I just had with one of my ferals will change your mind.

When Kabota's brother Shredder died, little by little Kabot withdrew from us. He stopped coming into the house, he stopped running up to us in the yard, and he would vanish for days, sometimes weeks at a time, causing us great concern.

Tonight, earlier, he showed up on the back porch and he was soaking wet. I was doing the laundry, and as luck would have it, I had towels in the dryer that were nice and toasty warm. I grabbed a towel and wrapped him up, brought him into the house (he was growling big time) Instead of sitting on the couch, I sat down on the floor with him in my lap, toweling him off and talking to him. I told him I was worried about him, said that he must have a cold dark hole to hide in and reminded him of the many warm places in the house he could come to instead. We sat on the floor for about 45 minutes, before he jumped off my lap and ran outside. I was sad as I watched him go..........

Fast forward to about an hour ago, we were downstairs watching television, when in walks Kabota! He jumps up on my lap, snuggles down purring, and then looks over at Mike and he went over to snuggle in Mike's beard as well. He was so wet, so I took the fleece blanket Colby made me and called him over, and he walked to my lap, settled down and we just snuggled together. He lay in the crook of my arm, for a long time and then walked over to what was his favorite chair a long time ago and is still sleeping there. He does not know Taz, Squirrel or the Trips, so I am sure there will be an adjustment period, but he is home where he should be, and it was wonderful to have this maine coon mix that we bottle fed, back in our arms. Mike was incredulous and wanted to know what I did to get Kabota back inside. I simply told him the truth, I told Mike, I talked to him. We also took pictures and as soon as I am on my own machine again I will post them!

Ahhh hissy that is just so great!!!! I am so glad he listened to you Mom knows best right? hehehe

I'm so glad to hear that Kabota is back home!!! Poor boy, he was grieving so much for his brother. He just didn't know that Mom and Dad could help him with his grief....

But now he's home, right where he belongs!

P.S. I agree with you, Mary Anne. I know our two understand what we tell them, and they have definitely responded when I have asked something or explained something to them.

You'll get no argument from me. I firmly believe that all you have to do to communicate is treat them and speak to them as you would an intelligent child. Everything else comes naturally, and it's amazing sometimes how much they do comprehend. Of course they're perfectly capable of playing dumb, when it suits them, but that's a whole different thing.

Lovely story.

cats are smarter then most people think!

Aaaw...that made me cry. I am so happy that he listened to you. Can you believe that some people don't believe that cats have emotions? Clearly Kabota has been grieving. It took until now -- with some encouragement and a reminder from you that he is loved -- for him to feel better. Give Kabota a big sctitch on the head for me.

I'm so glad Kabota has found his way back into your home and he's feeling cozy with you again!

I'm so glad he's home! What a ray of sunshine for you. I hope he decides to stay and enjoy the warmth and the love.

I totally agree that cats understand. I always talk to them. I tell them when I'm getting the vaccuum out - and when I'm going to turn it on. I let them smell everything and I tell them what it is (and whether or not they're allowed to play with it ). They really do respond.

rapunzel47 wrote:
I firmly believe that all you have to do to communicate is treat them and speak to them as you would an intelligent child. Everything else comes naturally, and it's amazing sometimes how much they do comprehend. Of course they're perfectly capable of playing dumb, when it suits them, but that's a whole different thing.

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LOL! That is so true!

I also believe that animals can understand us to a certain extent. A few months ago I had a session with an animal communicator and she told me that Zoey wanted a 'buddy'. That her biting would probably stop if she had somewhere else to target her energy. Sure enough, Zoey has not bitten me once since I got Saki, and I know she loves having him around.

I have also read a book on animal communication and have tried with Zoey to mentally communicate with her. I'll never forget the time she was sitting on my bed looking at me, and I told her mentally to please come sit closer. I begged her and sent her mental pictures of treats. 2 minutes later she came and layed on my chest

Hissy, cant wait to see pictures

Sicy, your mention of the animal communicator reminded me of a conversation I had the other day with one of our new students. She came in to my office for something, at a point when all there was on my computer monitor was the desktop, complete with wallpaper of the shot of Cindy that I used for my avatar (I get to look at my baby often ). That was enough to establish the cat connection, and it was soon apparent that she's as kitty-besotted as I.

As is usually the case when such a connection gets established, it didn't take long for the conversation to get around to communication -- with cats in particular and with animals in general.

She mentioned that she had heard or read recently about a race horse -- a good one, lotsa wins, very successful -- who, starting a new season, was "off his game". He was really performing poorly, and his owner and trainer were totally bewildered by his performance -- or lack of it. They heard about an animal communicator and introduced her to the horse. It wasn't long before she told them, "The trouble with your horse is that he's tired. He needs a rest." "What?!" said they, "He's just had the whole summer off. How can he be tired?" Well, they called the place where he had been sent to pasture for the summer, and, to their great surprise and consternation, discovered that the horse had NOT been loafing all summer -- he was run every day. The horse got his vacation, and thereafter was fine.

How wonderful that he is back . I do also believe that animals understand us , maybe not all of it but the meaning of it . Now tell him to stay at home where he belongs .

That story made me cry.
I believe that animals can understand us,
and I also believe they do grieve when a close
one dies.

Someone once told me that animals don't even notice
when a loved one dies (Mother, siblings, playmate or human
companion) I didn't believe it then and I don't believe
it now. They are smarter then some people give them credit for.
I've just seen too many animals behavior change dramatically
when a loved one passes to believe they don't care.


I'm glad Kabota's come home.

MA I'm glad he's back home with you and Mike, and I'm definitely looking forward to those pictures.


*scritches and headbonks* to Kabota.

He is growling here, which is why the look on my face is a tad concerned-

And here he is on a rumpled bed

I love that second picture! It is such a goofy expression on his face! He is a real cutie-pie!

Kabota sure looks happy on that bed! I just can't tell you how glad I am that he is back home with the people who love him.

He's still home!!!!!!!!

He look so much like Boog.....

He had a bath tonight. I couldn't stand the stench anymore, he had an accumulation of the outside smells of the woods and moss and rotten stuff on him. I could smell him last night when he slept near me and I told Mike I was giving him a bath tonight.

He was so good! I lowered him in the bucket and washed him off, then placed him in the shower and rinsed him off. I think he wanted it as much as I did. He smells so good now, he is curled up by my feet, so he isn't to mad at me right now.

You are a brave, brave woman! I can't imagine putting a feral cat in a tub of water!