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What your cat is really saying: Decoding feline communication · The Hissing Feline

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_03: Do you regularly talk to your cat, like meowing or using the same voice as you would for a child?
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_03: Did you know that your cat also communicates with you?
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_03: Coming up next on the Hissing Feline podcast, you'll learn about how cats use vocalizations and body language to express themselves to humans and other cats.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_03: Stay here for a fun and informative show.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_03: Hi, I'm Clark Greer, retired communications professor, a full-time cat dad, and host of the Hissing Feline, a podcast that is about everything cats.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_03: Each week, cat specialists share their expertise in everything from feline health, training, and adoption to fostering community cats and kittens.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_03: Now let's get started with today's show.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_03: Welcome to this week's episode of the Hissing Feline.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_03: I'm pleased that you joined me for this show.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_03: My guest is Dr.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_03: Sarah Brugeman, Senior Associate Veterinarian at Billings Animal Family Hospital in Billings, Montana, and a member of the Feline Veterinary Association.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_03: Dr.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_03: Sarah, thank you very much for chatting with me today about cat communication.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, good morning.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_03: Yay! Cats have this uh, I guess I was gonna say mystique, or people feel that cats are kind of just around and maybe they're not really with it, but cats are really very smart.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_03: And even when it comes to communication abilities.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_04: Yes, most definitely.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_04: I think the thing is is that everybody's used to them being, you know, dogs.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_04: Dogs are in your face.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_04: Cats are not, they are very subtle, and it's you know, if you don't pay attention and catch those cues, but they're they're communicating to you in all kinds of ways.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_04: It's just not as obvious as some people like to think, but they're definitely showing you.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and and so that's the point of today's show, is there are many different ways that cats communicate, both verbally and non-verbally, and there's some other little things we'll talk about later.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_03: Let's start with vocal communication, and it's my understanding that cats only meow to people.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_03: Is that true?
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_04: Most of the time it's something they've adapted for with their humans, for getting attention, food, expressing displeasure, all the all their different types of ways of saying, oh no, I don't like that.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_04: Yes, I like that, this is what I want to do.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_04: Most of the time, intercat, it's very body posture, um, tail position, ears, eyes, um, how they're just holding their stance with that.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_04: The only time they'll really use any type of vocalization is when maybe a little bit with like hunting type behavior, or of course with kittens, that because they can't see very well.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_04: You know, they they they grow fast.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_04: Kittens, you know, mature and and age, but visual cues and stuff take time.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_04: So, and as they're learning, that's where the moms are gonna use more of their vocalization.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_04: So it's more kind of well, and you know, what is the theory?
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_04: A lot of people think they they think of us as their big dumb babies anyway.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah, so so that's right.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_03: That really is how they're they're thinking of of humans is oh, this is kind of like a big cat.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and that's why they they talk to us.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_04: Mm-hmm.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_04: Mm-hmm.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_04: Definitely.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_03: Um, so they do talk to other cats, but it tends to be in maybe stressful situations.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_03: You're they're gonna hiss and do some other things.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_03: We'll talk about body language, but they they do express themselves vocally to other cats that they may not like to have around the house.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_04: Yes, or um hunting behavior too, like with the the chirps or the trills.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_04: That's actually can be hunting communication a little bit along with just frustration, you know, all the fun frustrations are like, look at that.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_04: Oh my gosh, I want to want to get in, and oh, you know, type of a thing.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_03: We have a five-year-old Tabby, and she loves to look outside.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_03: Now she was she was a uh she was a stray cat when we got her from the shelter, and so she loves outside anything.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_03: She watches the critters in our yard and things.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_03: Even this morning, I noticed that she's watching birds in the feeder and doing this kind of ek ek ek sound.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_03: Is that that seems to be pretty common?
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_03: She's done that a lot before.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, well, I my my calico and Tavi, more my calico because she's this strictly indoor cat.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_04: I really hear it from her.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_04: So a lot of it is it's like an excitement adrenaline type surge that they're they're just like, oh my gosh, it's there.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_04: I I want to get it type of a thing, but it can be communication too.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_04: Like that's why, you know, they're it's like they're calling to us, they're like, hey, look, there's something going on.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_04: I, you know, want to to see that type of a thing.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_04: My my orange tabby, he was a stray cat that, you know, cat distribution system showed up.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_03: It shows the cat shows up at your door, and you're part of the end of that distribution system.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_04: And he's not necessarily as vocal as her, and he does, you know, he doesn't really do ness the the trill, but I wonder more with him because he he goes inside outside as much as I'd love to keep him inside and have the spoiled life, you know, can't take the street out of the cat, and um he doesn't do that as much.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_04: But I think that's because he gets his hunting excitement behavior out naturally that type of a way for for that.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_04: So it's not as much of with him with my female who's inside, she's like, oh my gosh, ah, you know, they get really excited and and just kind of start getting going with that.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and that's it.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_03: So that's a specific type of sound that is how they express themselves when they're really excited about something.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_03: So we were talking about mother cats and kittens.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_03: Are there different types of vocalizations that a kitten might have with its mother?
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_04: Theirs are kittens are will slowly kind of learn to do it.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_04: It's more a mom will have different vocalizations for the kittens, like when she's announcing, like she'll go off and hunt and and come back, you know, they'll have their their nests and and stuff, and so she'll have ones announcing, oh, I'm I'm back.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_04: So it'll be kind of like a softer meow type chirp, or um, if she's trying to be like, oh, scatter, hide, you know, they'll can have the more abrupt, higher pitch, kind of similar to cats being angry with each other, kind of a quick, you know, oh, alarm type, or one that can more simulate, okay, it's time to relax, you know, when she's feeding the kittens, and it could be like a softer meow type her with a thing.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_04: The kittens will more just kind of they they will be vocal, but they won't start learning those until like they get older themselves.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_04: It's more they're just talking.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, I hear mom.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_04: There's mom, you know, recognizing and she can tell their different, you know, tell her babies from other ones.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_04: And that's how the kittens can know it's their mom compared to another cat because they're gonna she'll have her different tones and variations for different cats.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_03: So it might really depend on the cat then.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_03: So that uh yeah, it's kind of that way, and I I heard many years ago that uh like shepherds with sheep, the sheep know the shepherds talking just by the tone of the voice.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_03: And exactly.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_03: And apparently that's what baby animals can connect up with their mother just by the tone of the mother's voice.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, definitely.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_04: Like my cat can tell the difference between my my mom and me.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_04: She'll be like, oh, okay, it's grandma, hi, or she'll be like, oh my gosh, it's mom, and then she'll be super chatty and start coming and and running and stuff.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's fascinating, and the kittens will will mew a lot, and so they're just telling mom maybe where they are.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_03: Uh yeah.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know if they express, oh, I'm hungry now, but they at least they know where mom knows where they are.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_04: I'm sure, you know, there's always more we can learn and stuff with that, but with kittens, a lot of it is, you know, overhungry or helping mom to locate them.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_04: Like they'll hear her, and that will maybe be their indication.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, okay, that's mom's meow.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_04: So then can help with that, or for following, like um, when they're bigger and going on movements and she's teaching, so they'll all have kind of different meanings for for what's going on with that.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_03: So the mom really starts teaching the babies right away about how to be a cat and how to communicate.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, very interesting.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_03: Purring, and I we we often associate cats purring because we snuggle them or something, but there are different reasons why cats purr.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_04: Yes, most of the time it's contentedness, relaxation, you know, I'm happy, this I feel safe type of a thing.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_04: The other times, which can be an indication, is they'll do it if they don't feel good as well.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_04: So it they're like, I I don't feel well, and they're indicating usually they'll have a different body posture with that as well compared.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_04: So that's the the thing is you have to take the purring with how are they positioning themselves?
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_04: What are do their eyes look like?
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_04: Um, are they with you or are they separating themselves?
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_04: So there's more than just the the purr to take into it.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_04: But and then you know, the the healing vibrations are like, I don't feel good.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_04: I'm so it's kind of like a self-soothing, uh kind of like when you talk a little bit to yourself when you have a fever and you're just like uh and kind of hunch, you don't feel good type of a thing.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_03: So there are physical benefits for the cat, not just expressing itself for a happy reason with its owner.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, but there are physical benefits.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_03: The cat helps to soothe itself.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_04: Mm-hmm.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_04: And like moms will purr when they're nursing their kittens as well.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_04: So it's kind of a contentedness and indication to the the kittens and and soothing them and the babies.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_03: Well, cat owners notice the difference between a happy cat and anxious.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_03: You were talking about also paying attention to body language.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_03: We're gonna get into body language a little bit.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_03: So it's not just the purr to purr.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_03: They're they real people really need to be sensitive as to why is the cat purring.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_04: So situation, where are they located?
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_04: Like, are they sitting on your lap purring?
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_04: That's okay, I'm I'm with my human.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_04: This is, you know, I'm happy.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_04: I'm soothing, taking care of them, and I'm content because I'm with my person, versus are they under the bed or uh in a hiding different hiding spot in the closet?
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_04: You know, where where are they going to for that?
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_04: And that could give some indication.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_03: That's really good for people to notice that.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_03: And and we've talked before uh we've had some guests on that have talked about the importance of looking at cat's eyes, its expressions, everything that's going on.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_03: Uh just see if there's an issue with the cat that maybe needs attention by the veterinarian.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_03: And I guess purring now is part of it.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_03: We hadn't really talked about purring, we were looking more at nonver nonverbal communication.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_04: I would take it as part of it, not like in a oh immediate, but also like how does it sound?
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_04: Does their purr sound different?
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_04: And then take it into account with like what everyone else had, you know, previous uh people guests have mentioned.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_04: What do you need to look at the whole picture?
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_04: What's their posture?
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_04: What's their eyes look like?
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_04: Are they making any other vocalizations with that in between?
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_04: Um, are they eating those types?
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_04: You know, want to you'll want to take that as part of something to look in the whole picture to be like, okay, something's going on.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_04: I should definitely go to the veterinarian.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_03: And that's a really good reason to be aware of someone's cat so that they can tell, well, something might be a little off.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_03: We've had that with our calico recently.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_03: It's like, nah, we can really tell because we're so used to being around our cats all the time that we can we can tell that uh the calico is a little more she likes to love and and get on my wife's lap and knead, and then she'll we'll we'll talk about kneading in a little bit, but and she'll purr and then and go to sleep on her lap.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_03: And that's that's a hat that's a happy thing, but uh it's uh it's really good to look at the whole picture.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_03: It's kind of like a 360 understanding of what your cat is going through.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_03: Now, kissing is is usually accompanied by non-verbal signals when when a cat is doing that.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_04: Yes, most definitely.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_04: It's there will be a lot of cues with that.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_04: You know, where are their ears, what are their eyes, what is their tail, what is their coat doing, are they arched?
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_04: Are they standing still?
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_04: Are they crouched?
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_04: You know, so many things to to take into account with that.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_03: Another thing we noticed as our cat got old is she started to yowl.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_03: And she did she did it for a good seven to eight months, and she would yell, and we thought, is there something wrong?
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_03: And our veterinarian said she probably has a little bit of dementia.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_03: Is that pretty typical of that sound?
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_04: So yowling can be kind of a it can be either associated like with hissing, like when they're angry, you know, they'll kind of go to the hiss, yowls, or if the it's not necessarily with that, I tend to see that more with some of our as they're the cats are maturing, some of the different changes and behaviors and diseases that could come from that.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_04: So is it a little bit of senility dementia type changes?
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_04: Like they get a little confused, you know.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, what's going on?
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_04: It can come with vision changes, you know, I don't see as well.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_04: Some things seem, you know, I don't see as weird.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_04: I'll see it sometimes with some different senior health issues, hypertension, high blood pressure, thyroid disease.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_04: That tends to be kind of just with how it the hormones affect the behavior within the body.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_04: So if you know, you kind of start seeing a lot of yowling as they mature, that can be an indication or uh pain as well.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_03: We didn't uh uh seem to indicate that it was pain, is just uh what the veterinarian said.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_03: And she did for a good seven to eight months, but then she stopped doing it.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_03: Uh so we were we were just talking about verbal communication, but body language is really important, and so we're kind of look at it from head to tail.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_03: So you were just mentioning ears when cats are upset.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_03: We call it airplane ears.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_04: I don't know if that's that's yeah, like or they're flat, you know, instead of being alert, listening, seeing all that's going around, they'll go full on.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_04: It's almost like part of their scowling almost, you know, they'll kind of pin them back um so it's that you know, to help them make seem maybe a little more fiercer if they're angry or scared, because I mean the scared anger kind of come together, especially in say some situations when they're coming to see me.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_03: That's it, right?
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_03: Sadie, Sadie used if I she didn't like to be picked up, and if I you know if I wanted to pick her up and give her some love, it's like she'd turn around and go, and her ears would go flat.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_03: No, that's not a good time to pick up the cat.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, though it's it can be their their early warning.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_04: They're like, I'll give you one chance.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_04: You go past that again, you're gonna see some teeth or claws, possibly.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_03: You know, the hissing, their pupils will get large sometime, their fur will raise.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_04: Yep, yep.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_04: They'll full raise the hackles, their their tail can poof too.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_04: I mean, I know a lot of people will see it with startled, but it's also can be with kind of angry, they'll try and make themselves seem intimidating.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_03: That's the eyes do a lot of different types of things.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_03: And I listed off a couple like blinking, and that's a response where they seem to like the human that's talking to them.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, it because they're in a way relaxing with the blink, you know, the instead of being hyper alert.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_04: So there it's a way of saying, I trust you, I love you, kind of a is their how they're communicating that.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_04: It's okay, I feel safe enough to not be hyper aware of my surroundings, I'm comfortable with you, so they'll usually the slow blinks, you know, as as most people will think of it.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_03: I've noticed also that our cats would just sit and stare at us.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_03: What are they are they trying to figure us out?
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_04: You know, they're they might be wondering, they're like, You what are you doing?
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_04: Are you doing something different than what you've done previously?
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_04: So they're just okay, you're standing different.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_04: That's a different shirt.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_04: Your routine has changed.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_04: So, you know, they might be watching you more closely, seeing what's happening, or if they're following and staring at you, I just want to be with you.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_04: And what are we doing?
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_04: You know, more curiosity as well with that.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_03: Down in our basement, we heard a noise down there.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_03: We knew the cats were down doing who knows what.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_03: So I walk down the stairs and look, and I've got two cats staring back up at me like, what do you want?
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_04: Like, blessed, what's that?
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_03: That's right.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_03: They're quite interesting, and cats are so expressive and their eyes say so much, it's really funny.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, yeah.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_03: Uh uh, you were talking a little bit earlier about especially a cat that might be upset or irritated or maybe making itself look large.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_03: So posture is another aspect of body language that people are gonna see in their cats.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_04: Definitely.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_04: So, like the loaf everyone always thinks about that's a relaxed cat.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_04: I'm in a position where I'm not trying to immediately get away or or run and I can relax.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_04: So they'll, you know, they'll have their feet tucked and be comfortable and relaxing.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_04: Or in cases, say when they're coming to see me, it will be if they're scared, you know, they might try and go flat.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_04: Like I'll see a lot of cats.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_04: So they're just they're trying to make themselves seem small, trying to to hide.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_04: And the, of course, wide pupils, like I'm you know, petrified, they're taking it in, they're trying to catch any movement, observation, what's happening, or tail flicking as well.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_04: Tail posture, is their tail up, is your tail down, is it tucked?
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_04: Is it making movements um more spicy kitties to be nicer as putting are our spicy cats?
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_04: They'll, you know, they'll stand up, try and make themselves seem bigger, kind of back up, ready to pounce, you know, posture themselves as um, come at me, bro, I'm ready for it.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_03: It's a defensive uh thing.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_03: And maybe it yeah, it does say uh, okay, I can take you on.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_03: And yeah, I've seen people I've seen pictures and videos of dogs that see that and they run the other way.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_03: It's really interesting.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_04: I have uh Dobermans as well, and they they've learned the calico.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_04: I'm like, careful, she's spicy, because she'll she'll turn and and be like, you took a step too close, and she'll smack them and they just kind of get this look.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_04: So, you know, these 90-pound Dobermans, like, oh my god, those 10-pound cats about to get me kind of a thing.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_04: But it's like they they know.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, that's pretty good.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_03: I I understand that uh cats usually won't lay on their back and expose their underneath unless they're really trusting of the person that's in the area.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_04: Yes, yes.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_04: It's uh because that's in essence they're they're weak spots where his you know, if we think back evolutionary, that's where the organs are.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_04: So submissive behavior you know, will roll or we're comfortable, we feel safe with you because we're exposing all our vital areas with that.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_04: So that would be an indication of I feel safe, I trust you.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_04: You know, you can you have been graced with the presence to be able to pet the belly kind of a thing.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, our tabby loves to have her stomach rub, and I said, Well, the other cats we've had, no, don't even want us to hear them.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_03: So uh cats and dogs both wag their tail, but when a cat wags his tail, it really means something else than what a dog does.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_04: Correct, yes.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_04: Cattails typically when they're wagging, it's either that something's got them in a mood, I guess, would be kind because it could be uh hunting, like twitching, like signaling to other cats.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, I see something, you know, going with that.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_04: It can be an indication, uh, an early warning system.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_04: Say, um, my calico doesn't necessarily always like my poor niece.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_04: And so when she's petting her and then she's like, Okay, I've had enough, her tail will start going first with that.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_04: Be like, okay, you touched me.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_04: Time to stop.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_04: Yes, you know, it's and or it can be a sign of irritation, pain, anger, because so sometimes they'll get twitchy if they're uncomfortable with with pain as well.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_04: They'll instead of being relaxed and calm, they'll um either even with their fur, you know, you'll kind of see like their back kind of twitch or go up, but their tail will do that as well.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_04: So that can be an indication, okay, is this look at the full situation around you.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_04: Okay, there's a bird, or there's a stranger you don't like, or something's happening, or you're kind of just lying there and you're posturing weird.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_04: Okay, maybe you're a little ouchy.
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_04: Let's.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_04: Keep an eye on that and see if it's something we should go see or talk about.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_03: So we've talked about verbal and nonverbal communication, but there are other types of communication expressions.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_03: One of them is needing, and our calico loves to need.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_04: My one cat will do my calico actually likes to do that too.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_04: And and that goes back to kind of as babies, kittens when nursing were contented.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_04: So it's kind of a a reflex content behavior type of a thing.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_04: So they'll continue to do that.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_04: So it's okay, I'm happy.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_04: So they just start kind of needing making biscuits to get comfortable and and relax.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_04: Because usually back historically, after we've done nursing with mom, we we take a nap, you know, so getting comfortable with those.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_03: Cats also like to rub against human legs.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_03: And our uh guess I'm the human for the our tabby.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_03: She's she's kind of adopted me, I guess, but she loves to rub against legs.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_03: And uh, but there's there's different reasons for doing that.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, so the historically, like it's kind of like pheromone type.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_04: They have those glands around their face, so it's kind of it's a self-soothing like marking, saying, I feel calm and safe, I'm gonna rub against you, kind of marking you as theirs and and feeling content and and rubbing.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_04: So it's kind of a release of those appeasing pheromones in essence with that.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_03: What are some types of communications?
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_03: We've just got a couple minutes here.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_03: What are types of communications that might warrant veterinary help?
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_04: It's really basic cat per cat, because cats are very individual based.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_04: So the things you're gonna want to watch for is if your cat is normally a very social cat, always wanting to be with you, follow you, and then you start noticing, okay, you're separating yourself more.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_04: So um hiding more or sitting in unusual positions, uh being in more hunched type postures, more tail flicking.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_04: Are we more vocal than what we used to be, or are you less vocal than what?
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_04: So come, you know, kind of doing 180s from routine normal behavior will will be usually your first indicator of okay, something's going on with that, whether it's situational or okay, there it's an early indicator of something else.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_03: Well, Dr.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_03: Sarah, this has been an awesome visit about cat communication.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_03: And uh hopefully it's been very educational for listeners to not only just enjoy their cat and communicating, but thinking about it, and also uh times when a cat might communicate that I really need help here.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_03: And I hope I hope our discussion uh will help cat parents better understand the many ways their felines express themselves both verbally and through body language.
• 25:05
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, definitely.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_04: And ironically, oh my calico has just decided to grace us with her presence at the end.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_03: I'm I'm waiting for the tabby to get up here on the uh on my desk where all my equipment is uh someday when I'm visiting, and she usually stays away.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_03: But uh but they're fun, they're really fun.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, thank you so much for being on the show today, Dr.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_03: Sarah, and and telling us more about cat communication.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, definitely.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_04: No, it's great.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_04: I, you know, anything to help people feel more comfortable understanding their cats and know what to watch for so they can have that happy lifelong bond with them.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_04: That's what all us crazy cat vets want from you guys with them, you know.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_04: And crazy cat with your cats.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_03: And crazy cat people like us, you know, we love to be around our girls.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_03: I've been visiting with Dr.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_03: Sarah Brugerman, senior associate veterinarian at Billings Animal Family Hospital in Billings, Montana, and a member of the Feline Veterinary Association.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_03: Please tell your friends about the Hissing Feline and click the follow button where you listen to the show.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_03: Also, we would appreciate a five-star rating to help other people find the podcast.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_03: Next week on the Hissing Feline podcast, Dr.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_03: Elizabeth Chapman will offer some helpful pointers about how to prepare her for your cat's visit to the veterinarian.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_03: Coming up next is this week's Inspirational Cat Story.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_03: Have a great day and remember to keep purring.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_02: This is Inspirational Cat Stories.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_02: Tales about the joys and quirks of cat ownership.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_00: Hi, I'm Kat from California.
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_00: The cat that inspires me is Tango.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_00: Tango was a deeply beloved cat who graced my life for 18 years.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_00: She was the daughter of my soul.
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_00: After she died, our household was cold and felt empty for over two more years.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_00: My husband and I both mourned her deeply, but I did come to feel I really wanted another furry friend.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_00: One evening, I was tending the planter in her garden where we had spread her ashes.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_00: I was talking to her, and I told her that I thought I was ready to love another cat.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_00: What did she think?
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_00: I asked that if she did think I was ready, to please send me a sign.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_00: But I asked her to make it really obvious, because of course, you know how dense I can be about these things.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_00: The next morning, we were headed out for St.
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_00: Patrick's Day plans, only to discover Maggie, the neighborhood stray, who was terrified of cars and garages, having her kittens in the backseat of my Mustang.
• 27:56
  SPEAKER_00: I got there just in time to see the first one be born.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, we brought the whole family indoors.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_00: Maggie raised her kittens under my desk.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_00: It was the privilege of a lifetime.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Tango.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_00: And that's my inspiring cat story.
• 28:17
  SPEAKER_02: You've been listening to Inspirational Cat Stories, a weekly feature of the Hissing Feline podcast.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_03: Do you have a humorous, thoughtful, or fun story that you want to share with listeners of the Hissing Feline?
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_03: Visit the contact page on the podcast website at thehissingfeline.com.
• 28:38
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• 28:45
  SPEAKER_01: Content on the Hissing Feline Podcast is for information and entertainment purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical, veterinary, or legal advice.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_01: Please consult your veterinarian and local and state authorities before dealing with feral and stray cats.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_01: Opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and not necessarily those of Doracho Cat Media LLC.
• 29:11
  SPEAKER_01: References to products or services do not imply an endorsement.
• 29:16
  SPEAKER_01: The Hissing Feline podcast is a production of Duracho Cat Media LLC and has been blessed by our rescue cats, Bridget and Maddie.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_01: All content is used with permission or under fair use.