Do Your Cats "Communicate" With You?

I don't know where to put this so if it's the wrong place please move it. This isn't about a behavior problem but just a general question about whether your cats "communicate" with you about certain specific things.

For instance, Sonny will howl the top of his lungs only when he's out of water - day or night (only exception is when we move, he howls at night for a few days).

Also, when he's out of food he'll try to wake me up by nibbling at my nose and turning my head with his paw towards me. If I turn away, he will come around to the other side and keep doing it. He ONLY does this when he's out of food. He also only does this once it hits daylight, even if his dish was empty the night before.

So I kind of feel like these are his ways of "communicating" with me and "training" me lol.

Anyone else's cats have specific behaviors when they want something? Of course I think Sonny is super special but I"m sure many other cats do similar things

My cat has very gentle, kitten-like meows. When HE wants to go to bed (wants me to go) he will squeak repeatedly. Mostly he will show how he feels with body language: he will try to catch my eye and pull my gaze over to where he wants me to see. Today we had a sudden rain squall that scared him, and I was sleeping with him right next to me. He looked at me and then at the window, as if trying to read my expression (was I concerned)? So I told him it was ok...he then rolled on his back and snuggled my fingers in his paws. Cats are VERY communicative and maybe Robin more than most because he used to be feral.

One of my cats used to have a technique for letting me know when he wanted a treat. He would lead me back to the spare bathroom where I keep the cats' food and water dishes, nibble at his food, then stare at me. He figured I was too stupid to understand a direct request, so he had to use an analogy.

I also find this very interesting.  My siamese mix Speedy is very quiet and mild-mannered.  Sometimes, I am involved on the computer and look down to see her sitting quietly, looking up at me with one paw raised.  I always think she is saying "I'd like to spend some time with you".

She definitely communicates with me when I watch TV in my bedroom.  She will jump up on the bed with any one of her many toys, drop it beside me and sit on the bed and look at me very patiently.  She will sit there until I start playing!  

Dave_L said:

One of my cats used to have a technique for letting me know when he wanted a treat. He would lead me back to the spare bathroom where I keep the cats' food and water dishes, nibble at his food, then stare at me. He figured I was too stupid to understand a direct request, so he had to use an analogy.

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I love this technique!

I'll get the face lick in the mornings, followed by a chin nibble.

That's her way of waking me up and feeding her.

If she really wants to have a playmate, she'll walk around with her favorite ball in her mouth and yowl loudly.  She sounds quite sad and is her way of having me toss the ball around for her to chase.

Sometimes I could swear Speedy is "talking" to me with her blinking her eyes.  If I blink back, she will do it again very purposefully!

Dave_L said:

One of my cats used to have a technique for letting me know when he wanted a treat. He would lead me back to the spare bathroom where I keep the cats' food and water dishes, nibble at his food, then stare at me. He figured I was too stupid to understand a direct request, so he had to use an analogy.

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My mother's cat Pumpkin used to sit at the cabinet where she keeps the treats and raise one paw.  He learned from the dogs because we always made them raise a paw to get a "cookie."  He stopped doing it when he didn't get a treat every time he sat there with a paw in the air!    I wish I had it on video; but he hasn't done it in probably 10 or more years.  

As for my cats; Noodles gets affectionate when she is hungry.  She can be downright grumpy and don't anyone dare try to pet her without her sniffing your hand first.  But if she is hungry; she's all lovey dovey.  She will also get vocal.  She followed me into the master bathroom this afternoon when I went to use it.  She sat on the counter giving me an earful (she has a loud voice when she uses it!) and swatted at me every time I moved by her.  

Mooch is talkative at times.  We will have conversations with each other.  I love listening to her different vocalizations.  

raysmyheart said:

 
Sometimes I could swear Speedy is "talking" to me with her blinking her eyes.  If I blink back, she will do it again very purposefully!

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Nora does this too! Apparently the slow blink represents "I love you", or so I heard!

Nora is very vocal, and she has many different "meows" that have meanings...she'll sit under her leash hook, and make a specific meow, look at me, then look at the leash. As soon as I take her leash and harness off the hook, she races to the back door because that's the door we use for our walks!

She also very manipulative! She'll walk up to me, give me a big head bump, or rub against my leg, then go sit by the pantry door because she wants food. If I ignore her, she'll come back 2 or 3 more times, head bump, then sit and wait by the pantry door! She's a sassy cat that's for sure

I love how cat's can communicate with us!

Our last cat was extremely noisy, and his vocalizations differed according to his desires. Mogli is a squeaker and more a "man of action" when communicating his wants, e.g., by banging cabinet doors or knocking something off the bookcase.

Most cats seem very aware that they can communicate with people, even ferals. Our shelter had to take in 32 mainly adult ferals over a short period of time, and the vast majority learned within a couple of weeks to meow/yowl and scratch at doors to let us know it was time to eat or that they wanted treats.Some even started to make direct eye contact and run back and forth between the doors and the spots where their food dishes are put down.

I love these responses. Cats are so much smarter than they're given credit for. My cat is like a dog; he's needy and he follows me everywhere, and we communicate even though he is now deaf. Cats are just amazing.

Sometimes when Speedy meows, it sounds like it is a question.   It sounds like she has inflection in her meow at these times, sounding like the meow is a question.  It is not very often, but at these times, I can get her to go back and forth with me a little bit.  She will ask me-OW??  I will ask WHAT?? She will ask me-OW?? I will ask WHAT?? and so on.  I am always very surprised by this and it makes me smile.

Oh yes, mine definitely do!!!! They all have a wide range of meows & howls that I've come to partially understand. 1 only meows quietly when she wants to be pet, that's it. The other howls when he's hungry. And I mean HOWLS!!!!! I'm surprised neighbors don't complain. The 3rd has been talkative since birth. He has a lot to say. Everything from 'I'm hungry', to 'I want a snack now!', to 'he's being mean to me!', to 'don't tell me what to do!' to 'yes, I got in the forbidden room!'. All of those sound different. Even my husband can tell. He also has an 'I don't feel good' moany meow too, but I don't hear that often, thankfully. 

EDIT: 1 more I forgot: 'hey, I've got a toy...wanna play?'

My kitties do this too from time to time. I'll feel them staring at me from across the room. I read that these slow blinks are their way of showing affection. If you do it and receive one back, the feeling is mutual (well, in your case your kitty loves you already!)

Reading every one of these stories  makes me realize how sophisticated cats are in 'talking' with us.  They 'ask' for our help and also let us know they love us.  Fascinating.

Sometimes when I am climbing the stairs, Speedy will run ahead of me and flop down on a step in front of me and roll onto her back and look at me.  I end up scratching her tummy and I think she must be saying 'I need a hug' and 'I like you'!!!!                

Sammy want to know where I am at all times when I'm home. If he can't find me he mews until I tell him where I am. He usually follows me around unless he's playing. If I'm not where he thinks I should be he walks through the house mewing.

Ghost reminds me every morning that the alarm has gone off when I hit snooze. He jumps on my chest and taps my face with his paw. If I don't get up when he does that, he will softly bite my nose.

Both Sinbad and Tempest definitely communicate.

Tempest has a particular meow/screech that she does when she wants my husband's attention. It has 2 levels: the lowest level is when he's home, and she's calling for him. The second, louder level is when he's not home and she is attempting to make herself heard for miles to call him home I guess. It is LOUD. She has one soft 'mirring' sound when she would like cuddles, and another call when it's treat time and I've missed it.

Sinbad is even more communicative than that. My husband actually did teach him to call me 'mama' so when he wants my attention specifically he'll run through the house looking for me while calling mama mamama mama. His meows are so distinctive though, I can often tell if he wants to play chase or with a wand, if he's worried about Tempest or just upset that she's rejected him again. He lets me know what he wants to eat by sitting in certain places in front of the fridge. He also expresses himself with his feet - when he's uncertain or nervous he'll bend his left front paw forward and back, again and again until we reassure him. He also lifts that paw when he's enjoying a scritch or cuddle. We call it the happy paw. 

He's even figured out how to tell us when he wants to watch tv!   He'll sit on the entertainment center and paw at the sound bar, look at us and meow, then paw at the sound bar again, ad nauseum until the tv goes on. Then he'll run to the couch, flop over the arm and watch happily. 

He's one crazy insanely smart little dude. 

This was a great thread!  Thanks everyone for sharing.  I needed the pick me up today

sonnyvincent said:

 
I love these responses. Cats are so much smarter than they're given credit for. My cat is like a dog; he's needy and he follows me everywhere, and we communicate even though he is now deaf. Cats are just amazing.

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My Raven was just like that, he followed at my heels no matter where I went he was my little shadow (it didn't help that he was solid black). When we would go outside he would sit at my feet and wouldn't move until I started walking, then he would follow me around the yard. We would lay in bed just before bedtime and talk about our day. It was just like he knew what I was saying. When it was time to go to bed he would walk back and forth from me to the bedroom squeaking to me; I knew he was ready to lay down.

I miss that boy.