Cats are solitary hunters, and are mainly
regarded as unsocial compared to other animals. On the contrary, this is not
the case, and cats exhibit a wide variety of communicational skills, with their
own specific language. A cat’s language or way of communicating is mostly based
on vocalizations and sounds (meowing, hissing, purring ect.), markings and
smells, as well as subtle body language, some of it that may be picked up on
with some practice and prior knowledge.
Cats are thought to have over 30 different
sounds (1), typically used to communicate amongst each other, but
also to maybe serve as a warning to other species that get too close. People
who have ever been witness to a commencing catfight, would have seen the opponents
eye each other up from some distance, with a variety of sounds coming from them
both. Cats will do so to display their discontent or level of aggression,
hoping to scare its rival away, avoiding any close contact if possible, which
could cause damage or pain to those involved. A cat may also hiss or growl if
in pain, telling you to stop or stay away. Their meows come in many different
shapes and sizes, varying in pitch, volume and tone, according to the situation
and message they wish to portray.
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Since cats are solitary creatures, most of
the communication between themselves happens through smell, where each cat is
leaving its own message. Outside, this mainly happens through urinating, or so
called “pee-mail”, where a cat can communicate to others that this is his
territory, or that a female is in heat, searching for a mate. Inside it is more
common for cats to spread their sent by rubbing on surfaces or furniture, as
they have special glands under their skin on their faces and under their chins,
producing chemical signals, known as pheromones.(2) Pheromones are
species specific, meaning that only cats can detect pheromones distributed by
other cats. These facial pheromones are known to have a positive and calming
effect on cats.
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Although human being can smell the actual
cat urine, we are obviously not able to detect the messages of communication
coming from our cat. However, when a cat starts urinating inside, it is a clear
message that something is wrong. The cat can feel threatened from neighbouring
cats, feeling the need to also mark its inside territory. Peeing inside the
house can also indicate that the cat is stressed because of things happening in
the home, may it be due to moving, introducing a new family member or pet, or
other factors causing frustration. This situation is just as frustrating for
the owner, and sadly many cats are given away or even put down as a
consequence, as their owners are not familiar with the meaning of this sort of
communication, mistaking it for bad or unacceptable behaviour. The right
solution would be to simply work out the source of stress, and removing it from
the home. If this is not possible, artificial pheromones can be used as a part
of pheromonatherapy, as the pheromones have a calming effect on cats, and because
the cats don’t feel the desire to mark through urination when there are facial
pheromones present. (3)
Since cats mainly hunt alone, they are not
as dependent on body language as for instance wolves or dogs, but they still
use body language as a means of communication. Even though the body language
can be far more subtle compared to dogs, they are still possible to read and
become aware of, with some practice.
When reading body language, it is very
important to look at the cat as a whole, including its face, body posture and
tail, as only looking at one body part at the time and trying to read its
meaning is sure to be misleading.
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The first thing you will notice is your
cat’s facial position and expressions, and the use of its ears. A cat will try to
greet you by stretching its head up and towards you, with its ears pointed
toward you as to show that it is paying attention. A cat may also raise its
head to elevate its confidence and to appear bigger during a conflict. Lowering
of the head, followed by flattening of the ears might either mean that the cat
is submissive, or that it is doing it in an aggressive and protective fashion,
in the latter case communicating that it wants to be left alone. As these
signals can be easily mixed, its is very important to look at the rest of the
cat as well.
The tail of a cat can be used to show a
range of different emotions; if a cat comes running toward you with its tail
raised in the air, it is most likely a sign that it has come to greet you,
whilst a wagging tail can demonstrate annoyance or frustration over the
situation.
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Learning the different ways of how your cat
is trying to communicate with you is a crucial step in maintaining a healthy
and peaceful relationship. After all, you have in most cases chosen to bring
the cat home with you, making it a part of your family, meaning that you should
treat it and its individual needs with respect.
References
(1) http://www.messybeast.com/cat_talk2.htm
(2) http://www.fabcats.org/behaviour/spraying/pheromonatherapy.html
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