How to learn cat language, how to understand, and most importantly, how to respond so that the cat feels as good with us as we do with them.
Let's ask zoologist Gary Weitzman, veterinarian Irina Bogdanova and Elena Fedorovich, Candidate of Psychological Sciences, senior researcher, head of the zoopsychology group of the Faculty of Psychology of Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov
From birth, cats have sharp claws that require special care.
In natural conditions, it is easier for their wild fellow tribesmen - they can do a “manicure” using a tree trunk or hard rocky ground.
But domestic cats have to use their teeth to shorten at least a little their claws, as well as sofas, armchairs or other furniture of their owners. Therefore, we will make a pleasant and useful scratching post for our cats with our own hands.
trampling
If a kitten puts its paw on your lips again and again, this is not a request to be silent, but a demonstration of a state of bliss and pleasantness, that is, in cat language, it says that it feels like being with you. dear mother. He shifts his paws, that is, he feels just as good when he kneaded his mother’s belly and drank milk.
The cat brings you a gift
Seals have always hunted and will hunt, this is their nature. And naturally, bringing you prey, as if they were bringing prey to their cub, is a sacred matter. You shouldn’t run away from the gift with a cry of horror or faint right there, that is, show your friend that you are neglecting his gift. Praise, it’s a tolerance training for you, and a joy for the fluffy.
Involves the game
Kittens play until exhaustion. They can scratch, bite and get real pleasure from it. While the kitten is small, it has poor control over the mechanism of releasing and hiding its claws, so the beloved family member gets the most scratches. You should not try to wean your kitten from playing; offer him toys that are away from your hands and feet.
I lay down on your lap
Cats sleep 16 hours a day and are not very relaxed during sleep. A strong and healthy animal will sleep half an ear and half an eye. Only very old individuals can sleep like the dead and not react to sounds. But still, animals choose safe places to sleep. And if your pet falls asleep in your arms, it considers you a safe haven.
The cat is looking at you
Zoologist Garry Weitzman, author of How to Speak Cat, calls a long cat gaze a “cat kiss.” He says that if you compare the size of an animal's eyes relative to the size of the animal itself and the size of a person's eyes relative to the size of the person himself, and imagine a person with the same eye-height ratio as a cat, then these eyes will be 20 cm in diameter. It is this size of eyes that makes a pussy care about her eyes and in vain, just like that, she will not look into your eyes. And he will look only out of love and trust. Appreciate it.
Tries to turn his furry back to you
This is a rather unpleasant manner that comes from childhood. The mother, returning from her visits to the kittens, checked the hygienic condition of the babies (they do not have diapers) and washed them. So showing your butt to your owner is the most wonderful thing you can think of
The cat meows at you
It must be said that cats do not meow among themselves, as they meow to their owners. They communicate with each other using a language of sounds similar to meowing, purring, and purring. But when the owner has gone to bed, and there is something urgently needed to be communicated, then hold on.\
Perhaps you forgot to pour cream, or you can see the bottom of a bowl of food, and the whole night is ahead, or maybe you didn’t turn off the computer in the next room or forgot to lock the front door, or maybe the tray is not clean enough. If you have a good relationship with your cat, then control on his part over order in the house is natural.
He licks you
It’s normal for him to lick you and himself, because you, like him, are part of the same family group. Cats live in family groups in a free state and the composition of the group can change depending on conditions.
He makes marks
Pretty bad picture, cat pee on the couch or on your shoes. But this is only a reaction to your absence. If, of course, the kitten has a good accessible toilet with suitable filler. A rare animal will urinate on the baseboard if there is a favorite clean tray with pleasant filling
Tail demonstrations
The tail is very an important part cat No one should touch the tail, only those closest to you. The tail can tremble finely, finely. This is the highest delight. The tail can be held vertically up and be positioned as much as possible for play and communication. The tail can twitch sharply and hit the floor, then it is better to postpone communication until better times. Cat tongue tail is varied, but understandable.
Lost in translation
Our poor or completely inadequate knowledge of the cat’s language can cause trouble. And these troubles often happen to our pets, not to us. This happens when we humanize animals.
Irina Vladimirovna, a veterinarian, always warns the owners of her patients not to humanize their pets. This attitude does not give animals what they need and it makes them unhappy.
Animal psychologist Elena Fedorovich also speaks about our misconceptions in assessing the behavior of cats.
I didn't do anything wrong
So it seems to us: you need to poke the cat’s nose into the place where she misbehaved, so that she will be discouraged next time
In fact: The cat knows how to express joy, this is especially evident when you return home. She is not so good at expressing feelings of guilt. Her strong point is rather Resentment.
If you decide to poke your pet into a puddle that she made while you were away. And she sifted, most likely, because you can’t figure out what kind of tray and what kind of filler she needs. To punish her in this way and wait for her to understand what you did here with her and this puddle of urine is futile.
The cat is not developed enough to understand the connection between what happened a few hours ago and the person’s sudden discontent. All that you will be able to achieve with such punishment is that the next time, when she hears steps outside the door, she will simply hide. After all, she decides that as soon as the owner enters, he immediately begins to torment her, so she needs to be saved, and the puddle has nothing to do with it.
Arrogant creature
We think: The cat is touchy and doesn’t come out when strangers are in the house. So proud and independent, like a queen.
In fact: Royal grandeur has nothing to do with it. For normal, trusting communication between a cat and a person, timely, that is, early socialization is needed.
A kitten that has been separated from its mother too early or has spent early days his life outside of human contact, for example in a breeder’s enclosure, he will avoid people for the rest of his life. Normal, close and trusting relationship With people, such cats are hardly possible anymore.
Let the cats become friends
We think: If you take another cat into a house where a cat already lives, the animals will become friends and will not be bored.
In fact:
The relationship between unrelated animals - the old individual and the new one - will most likely cause stress in both, but since we do not see any tension in their behavior, it seems to us that everything is fine. The owner needs to take steps to reduce stress. To begin with, for example, separate feeding points and trays. Are neighbors or neighbors able to “make friends”? This rarely happens, but if you once see them sleeping next to each other, you can say that their relationship has reached a detente.
Collar translator
I don't think there's any point in using computer apps or listening to cat-to-human translators. Cats have an incredibly labile hearing system; we are physiologically unable to hear the way they hear.
Cat ears detect sounds over a wider frequency and dynamic range than humans. And also, with the help of their perfect hearing aid, they are able to very accurately determine the location of the sound source.
It is known for sure that the pussy can differentiate between two sound sources at a distance of one meter from itself, located at a distance of 8 cm from each other. And he begins to hear the rustling of rodents from a distance of 20m.
At the same time, the cat sleeps completely calmly with the TV on or graciously tolerates the voice of the owner whispering words to her directly next to her head. Unless he turns his ear away or presses it. She cannot tolerate loud, sharp sounds at all.
The auricle is a funnel-shaped fold of skin, and 20 muscles are responsible for the movements of this funnel. When recognizing sounds, the ears rotate asynchronously, and each one captures its own part of the information.
With such a complex hearing aid, the vocal apparatus is correspondingly not simple. The cat's vocal apparatus produces sounds in a range of 10 octaves. It is clear that when communicating with us, she does not even try to tell us anything, using all her vocabulary. She condescendingly limits herself to sounds similar to variations of “meow.”
There is information about the existence of collars that convert cat “words” into English words. The Temptations cat food company has created a translator collar as part of an advertising campaign for its products. I filmed and launched a demo video with a translator collar, solely for the purpose of advertising food. Such a collar cannot actually transmit information from a cat to a person.
Currently, there is no reliable information about devices that can convert meows into human language.
However, there are several entertainment applications that use a certain set of cat sounds that supposedly make up the entire cat language, creating the illusion of translation.
Why is humanization dangerous?
“Pets in the city compensate for the lack of social connections that are important for human well-being. We are ready to humanize not only funny cats and loyal dogs, but also robots and gadgets. Gadgets and robots don’t care, but attributing non-existent emotions to animals is fraught with serious danger. We often ignore their real needs and don't even try to understand. It's good for us, but bad for them. Author: Elena Fedorovich Candidate of Psychological Sciences, senior researcher, head of the zoopsychology group of the Faculty of Psychology, Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov"
Video
Well, how can you not love them?
There is a statement that, as many languages as a person knows, he is a Human. In our case, we have the opportunity to become a little bit more like a cat.
Always with you, It's Beautiful Here.
Learn to understand your cat with half a meow!
Scripture says that at the end of time there will appear a beast with seven heads, like a leopard, and its legs will be like those of a bear. Of course, we need information: for example, if he arches, is he doing industrial gymnastics or is he going to bite your leg?
Fortunately, many people have a demo version of the beast at home - and you can study on it nonverbal language animals. The trainer, Honored Artist of Russia, head of the Artemon Animal Theater Alexander Teterin will help us with this.
So, if a cat...
Turns his back and raises his tail
Wrong translation.
I knew that she despised me, even Whiskas with the taste of valerian did not help.
In fact.
Yes, she invites you to sniff her. Strictly speaking, you are not obliged to do this, but cat world This is a sign of respect and trust, there is nothing particularly to be offended by.
Climbs onto a chair as soon as you leave
Wrong translation.
She considers herself the mistress here, but if you try to drive her away, she will immediately shit in Berluti.
In fact.
She is simply looking for the place where the owner smells strongest and where good review. The owner's scent calms her down. In this case, you can calmly remove the cat from the chair, move it to another place and sit down yourself - it will fall asleep where it is placed.
And if he does end up ruining his shoes, which cost an icebreaker, then this is revenge for something else - remember.
He darts past you, pulling his head into his shoulders.
Wrong translation.
He's in a hurry to get somewhere. Probably new pigeons were brought into the yard.
In fact.
You can start searching your own home. Because a cat behaves this way if it has done something and retribution is inevitable. First, check if the unlocked food is intact. Then - have they already been eaten? houseplants or just bitten.
Tramples your stomach with his front paws
Wrong translation.
Looks like she's about to dig a hole. Now someone is going to get hurt, and it won't be me!
In fact.
Trampling is a sign of hot cat love. This is infantile behavior; kittens massage their mother’s belly in such a way that there is no interruption in milk supply. A cat can also butt you on the forehead, which means that the animal is happy and your living together beautiful. At least for her.
Sits with his back, gets up, walks around and sits with his back again
Wrong translation.
She completely forgot about me. Pull her tail or something...
In fact.
If a cat stubbornly turns its back but does not lift its tail, it is offended by the lack of attention and wants you to persuade it to communicate.
And if the analogy with some other mammal in the house seemed scary, here’s something else for you: when a cat gets up to walk and sits back down again, she wants you to notice her.
The next stage of attracting attention is the contents of the tray scattered around the house.
Brought a dead mouse into the house
Wrong translation.
She hints that she is poorly fed, or deliberately annoys everyone.
In fact.
She teaches you how to eat right. This is how parental instinct manifests itself: wild cats They carry half-dead mice and sparrows to the kittens so that they get used to nutritious food and learn to finish off the prey.
The cat's family in the absence of kittens is you. And the parental instinct sometimes turns on in such a strange way. Praise her and float the carcass away. Seeing that accustoming you to a diet is a hopeless matter, the animal will lag behind.
Of course, you can treat your cat to various treats as a sign of love. But with this approach, very soon the pet will gain excess weight and may even end up in a clinic.
Some cats adopt our habits and understand that hugging is a sign of affection. But it is best to talk to a cat in its language. Then there will definitely be no misunderstandings!
1. Slow blinking
You've probably noticed that sometimes your cat looks at you and blinks slowly. The best you can do is blink back at her just as slowly. And if you blink first, you will most likely see the cat blinking too.
This is no coincidence. In the world of predators, a demonstrative slow closing of the eyes means an expression of complete trust, and therefore love.
2. Butting
When a cat nudges you with its head and rubs its cheek against your arm or leg, it is showing affection and showing that it considers you one of its own. Therefore, a great way to show your cat your love is to lightly butt her with your hand in return.
3. Stroking
Is your cat rubbing against your legs? Slowly stroke her back from head to tail. Most cats love this massage. The main thing is not to overdo it. Research by scientists has shown that constant petting causes stress in cats.
4. Co-sleeping
If a cat settles down to sleep at your feet or even on top of you, do not shoo it away. Although it may be inconvenient, it is your cat's way of showing trust, which means that by letting her sleep next to you, you are showing her your love.
5. Game
Play with the cat. This is a wonderful way to express care and love. Important: don’t buy her a bunch of toys, but play with her. She will be much happier if she can run around with a belt in your hands than with hundreds of expensive toys that she has to play with alone. And many cats love to run after the ball and bring it to the owner.
6. Gifts
If suddenly a dead mouse or dung beetle is brought into your bed, this is a sign of higher affection. The cat shows that it cares about you, because you yourself are unable to get such food. Try not to shout too loudly and praise the cat.
7. Care and attention
As cliché as it may sound, quality food, fresh water, scratching posts and places to rest will show your cat that you care about her and she will feel happy.
But the fact that your cat loves you.
Ever wanted to learn cat language? If you have had such thoughts, then we suggest you download “Cat Translator” to your computer. This entertainment program will allow you to translate any phrase into a language that cats can understand. The program's database contains the most common sounds of kittens and cats, into which the words you pronounce are translated. However, before doing this, make sure that your microphone is turned on.
Features and capabilities of the application
After you say the phrase, the application will process them and bring them closer to the sound of a cat. Of course, it’s not a fact that the animal will understand you, but the phrase will look funny. So many people prefer to use this program as a means of entertainment. However, those who have already tried “Cat Translator” on a PC and demonstrated its results to their pets note that they react to the words they hear, resulting in a dialogue consisting of meowing, purring and other sounds made by our smaller brothers.
However, we still remind you: you should not take this application seriously, which is still entertainment program. After all, it is known that the language in which cats communicate with people is intended specifically for people. When communicating with their own kind, they use other signals. And many pets even understand human language much better than various meowing simulators.
Attention! Developers warn! The simulator is a joke! The program was created to amuse friends and play with pets!
How to run Cat Translator on a PC or laptop
First of all, you will need to install an emulator, which will allow you not only to run this program on your computer, but also other applications developed for smartphones and tablets. In order for the emulator to allow you to use all the built-in applications, do not forget to make sure that all the boxes are checked. Sometimes, after installing the program, you may need to restart your computer. Complete it, launch the emulator and use your Google account to log in to the Play Market. There, find the line with the image of a magnifying glass and enter the name of the application you need there. Then all you have to do is click on “Install” and wait for the download to finish.
Conclusion: why you should download the game application to your computer
This fun app will let you find out what our speech would sound like if our vocal cords had the same capabilities as our smaller brothers. It's worth running Cat Translator on PC to entertain yourself and your friends, and maybe your pet will join in the fun.
Cats produce sounds the same way we do by passing air from their lungs through two elastic vocal cords located in the larynx. But unlike humans, the cat does not use the tip of its tongue to shape these sounds, but rather creates thirteen distinct vowels by varying muscle tension in the mouth, throat, lips and sinuses. The cat also produces seven to eight consonants. To do this, she opens and closes her mouth, changes its shape to change the resonance.
In general, cats make three main groups of sounds:
- purring(produced with the mouth closed)
- calls(at first the mouth opens, but then slowly closes as the sound is made)
- screams(the mouth remains tense and open all the time)
All cats, regardless of their living conditions, have a common language and they speak it the same way. Because cats combine vowel and consonant sounds in any form, this allows them to use a much wider range of sounds in conversation than in human speech. Next we will look at each group of sounds in detail.
Cat purring
Purring (or purring) consists of several sounds that vary in frequency and intensity. By making these subtle changes, a cat is able to express a wide range of feelings.
Rough rumbling. The “rougher” the rumbling, the more distinct the sounds become in each beat. This means that the cat's pleasure has reached its maximum value.
A soft purr. The rumbling softens when the cat becomes bored or begins to doze off. Thus, the cat tells you that everything was great, and now enough is enough, it’s time to leave her alone. A soft rumbling sound on high notes, when a high-frequency "r-r-r" sound is added, coming as if from chest, speaks of the cat’s desire to receive something that, in her opinion, will give her even more pleasure.
Restless rumbling. Sometimes a cat purrs when it feels pain or is seriously unwell. Therefore, be careful: if your cat begins to purr for no apparent reason - for example, after an illness or having recently experienced acute pain - it is best to consult a doctor for a check.
A welcoming purr. Combines the original sound "m" and the aspirated sound "r" - like "mr-mr-mr-mr". This means "hello" and can continue as a series of such sighs while the cat runs towards you.
An inviting purr. It is somewhat reminiscent of a greeting purr, but begins with a nasal "h" sound, resulting in a "hm-hm-hm" sound. It means “come here,” but the emphasis of the signal varies from a gentle request to an impatient command, depending on who the cat is addressing and in what situation.
An appreciative purr. A quick and short rumbling sound is produced during inhalation, and the pitch of this sound drops very quickly, ending with the nasal consonant "ng", resulting in the sound "mmnngg". This message is issued at those moments when the cat realizes that some kind of treat or favorite toy is waiting for it. Translated into our language, this means “thank you.”
A coaxing purr. It consists of "m-r-r-r-a-o-u", and the sound "r" is voiced. It is published at the moment when the cat really wants something and means: “please do what I ask.”
Cat Calls
Calls are made with a slow closing of the mouth, as with the familiar “meow”. The vowel part of the call consists of the sounds "a-o-u", the sound "a" is produced with the jaws open, while the sounds "o" and "u" are produced with the mouth closed.Requirement. It consists of sounds, the first is similar to the cajoling purr produced while inhaling, the second is produced when exhaling and is a set of vowel sounds. Together they sound like “m-r-r-m-a-a-a-a-o-u”, and the link “a-a-a-a” is extended and accented. As the demand becomes more urgent, the "ah-ah-ah" becomes even more emphasized, and the "r" gradually becomes an "i" sound, ending as a prolonged "meow." If a cat's demand is not met or its expectations are not fulfilled, it often protests against this injustice, relieving the tension from the ligament "a-a-a-a", transferring it to the "o" and "y" and at the same time making them more extended.
A pleading demand. A variation of the previous call. It is pronounced with an emphasis on "o" and "u", resulting in "m-r-r-r-m-a-a-a-a-o-o-o-o-o-o" , which is more prolonged than an immediate direct demand, since in this case the mouth closes more slowly. The cat uses this call when all its attention is focused on a long-awaited goal: “please, please, give it to me!”
A puzzled call. When the initial “ah-ah” from any cat’s “meow” repertoire becomes louder and longer than the part that follows, it means that the animal is both excited about something and confident that its demand will be fulfilled. The result, for example, is that food is taken for granted by the cat. The best translation of this signal is: “Hey, what happened to me?!”
Concerned call. When a cat feels worried or dissatisfied that she cannot get what she wants, she changes tactics - she transforms the puzzled call, shortening the previously extended “a-a” so that it sounds more like “uh”. The result is the sound "m-a-a-o-u-u-u-u", which is usually accompanied by certain body movements expressing interest and concern about "not getting what's yours."
Complaining call. This sound is made by swallowing and is similar to "m-m-n-g-a-a-o-u". This call, which depending on what emotional condition the cat wants to convey changes quite significantly. When the part “a-a” sounds drawn-out, then this signal means grumbling - the kitty may have entered into a fight with you or with another cat for its rights and thereby expresses irritation at the incomprehensibility of its opponent: “Well, how could you do this to me?!" When the last “y” is emphasized, it means your cat is expressing a sad, plaintive appeal: “And I always think that you treat me well!” In this case, calm and caress the cat, talk to it.
Cat Screams and Clicking
Screams are produced with an open mouth, open jaws and tense vocal muscles. These are the sounds of the so-called “cat concert”, which are heard when cats fight or during mating.Hiss. A cat can make all sorts of hissing sounds. When she is scared, she makes a completely involuntary sharp short sound “pfft”. Its closest human analogue is a frightened “ah-ah-ah!” when something sharp suddenly frightens you. In the cat's language there is a completely conscious “chsh-chsh-chsh-chsh-chsh-chsh-chsh”, which is directed towards an unfamiliar cat that has entered the territory of your “owner”.
Anger. This cry is heard when two competitors are sorting things out over the ownership of the territory. This is a long “vvvaaaaaauuuvv”, while the cat bares its fangs, the head is slightly tilted, the gaze is precisely fixed on the cat.
Clicking. During the period when cats are hunting, they quite often make clicking sounds. Clicks are pronounced at different frequencies, which allows the hunter to communicate with “his own” without frightening the prey. If you don’t like the fact that your cat will constantly catch birds in the garden, then as soon as you hear these clicking sounds, immediately call a “hunter” into the house.
Dictionary of cat language
The world's first universal computer-translator of cat language was released in Japan. The latest development of the most famous Japanese corporation is a cat language translator, which can be placed in the palm of your hand, has a microphone and a liquid crystal screen. It's called "Meowlingual". This device analyzes and distinguishes the meows and purrs of 14 breeds of domestic cats. This device then converts cat sounds into one of the 200 available in the database. Japanese phrases, which immediately appear on the display. When compiling a dictionary for this device, samples of meowing from Siberian and American shorthair cats were used. "Meowlingual" can recognize a cat's mood and states such as pleasure, irritation or indifference. In addition to all this, there is a “dictionary of cat language”, which includes about 3,000 words. In order to understand this language you need to have patience and an ear for music. If you have such data, then the table below will help you better understand your beloved cat. It contains “cat sayings” and gives their translation.
| the cat says | meaning |
|---|---|
| miau | feed me |
| meew | caress me |
| mruuu | I love you |
| mioo oo oo | I'm in love and I'm supposed to have a date, let me go |
| mrrau | I'm in the mood to make a little noise |
| rrow mauuu | please clean my toilet |
| Miaow Miaow | play with me |
| mioau mioau | since no one is playing with me, I'll go get your attention |
| raouuuuu | I'll take care of personal hygiene |
| mrouuuu | only in males after castration |
| rowu mauu rowu | I'm so glad you came home with a lot of interesting packages |
| mmuuu | it's time to pamper yourself, for example on your pillow |
| Yeeeeeeeeeee | Look! There's a fly on the ceiling! |
| hack ack ack | I ate my own fur, not very pleasant |
| mou | it would be nice to curl up |
| mouuu | Why did you take my rug away? on which I'm so settled down comfortably |
| meow! meow! | help me! |
| gloom... | oh little bird, come here! |
| sssrow! | I found someone very interesting |
| mmmmmm | how nice it is to soak up the sun |
