How To Talk To A Cat
So now that you have a better idea about what your cat is trying to tell you, your next question might be, “So how can I talk back to my cat?”
The answer is simple: Listen to your cat and respond to what she tells you. If your cat says something to you, say something back. Say, “hi,” call her name, or just say “meow” right back. If she gives you a slow blink, return it. If she head-butts your hand, give her a pet. Engage in the conversation, even if it may seem a little foolish at first. Don’t worry you’ll establish a rapport and figure out how to talk to each other soon enough if you both keep trying!
I hope this is helpful to other cat lovers out there. Remember that even though cats are stand-offish by nature, they have a great need for love, just like people. If your cat is not very affectionate, just try to let it know that you are there for it. If you let your cat be natural, it will feel safe and eventually it may open up to you. Many blessings to all cat lovers out there and their furry friends.
This article is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.
Your Cat May Be Suffering A Medical Condition You Are Not Aware Of
One of the signs that your cat may be ill is that it has become more clingy or affectionate. When an independent cat starts to transform into a needy cat is considered a subtle sign of possible illness. Just the same, when a needy cat becomes less affectionate, she may also be suffering from an illness.
According to CATegorical Care: An Owners Guide to Americas #1, a change in the way cats interact with their owners is typically a sign that you should have your cat checked by a veterinarian the soonest possible time to rule out any possible illness.
An Altercation With Other Cats Or Pets
Cats dont have a strict hierarchy, but they still form territories. Since theyre not permanent lines, cats regularly get into fights over which areas belong to who. Your cat may have:
- Tried to claim a territory
- Wandered into a place that didnt welcome it
- Tried to defend a spot it considered its own
Cats rarely fight. Instead, they opt to hiss, warn, and bat at each other. When felines do properly clash, though, its ferocious. Your cat may come back home shaken from the experience.
Likewise, your cat may have walked into your neighbors yard or tried to play with a toy that didnt belong to it. The resident cats, dogs, or other sizable pets mightve taken offense. Getting scared off will have left your cat upset.
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Some Of The Common Causes Of Changes In Your Cats Breathing
Now we have more of an understanding of the variations of strange cat breathing, we can touch on the reasons. And there are a few common causes for strange breathing in a cat out there.
For example, if theyre a brachycephalic kitten under the age of 1. These types of cats characteristically have short-noses and flat-faces with inherited paralysis of the voice box. Its these particular features that lead to breathing problems, especially when purpose-bred. Some of the more affected breeds include Persians and Himalayans.
If your cat is an affected breed but older than one year, we advise contacting your vet for guidance.
Other causes can be easily treated or may require surgery. These can include things such as:
- Voice changes such as an inability to mew
- Wheezing
Sipping From The Faucet
Some cats like to drink water straight from the tap. Theyll jump up into the sink and wait for you to switch on the faucet. This behavior might come from their wildcat ancestors. In the great outdoors, it is safer to drink running water rather than from a stagnant source, which is more likely to contain bacteria and other contaminants.
If you dont mind your cat taking an occasional sip from the faucet, you dont need to worry. However, if they become too needy with their requests to turn on the faucet, you can try setting up a pet fountain that runs continuously for them to enjoy.
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Why Cats Do Weird Things
Why Cats Do Weird Things? Some cats chew on odd things, like wool blankets, socks, plastic bags, or rubber bands. This behavior can be due to boredom, anxiety, or illness. It can also occur in cats who were weaned too early and feel the urge to nurse on soft items, like stuffed animals or blankets.
Find out what we know about how cats see us, and how we may actually look through their eyes. Have you ever looked into your cats eyes and wondered what she sees when she looks at you? Cats see humans very differently from the way most humans see themselves. Technically, cats can see in color, but they probably see us and everything else in a very different light than we do. A new study by researchers in London found that cats and some other mammals can see colors at the ultraviolet end of the spectrum colors that humans can usually only see under a black light.
Do cats think we are weird? Cat behavior researcher John Bradshaw of the University of Bristol says that cats probably see us as especially clumsy which most of us are, by cat standards. However, despite legions of Internet memes, they do not see us as foolish inferiors.
Are cats territorial of their owners? Both male and female cats are territorial, but males may defend larger territories than females. Cats territorial aggression is usually directly toward other cats, but it can be directed toward dogs and people, too.
Why Is My Cat Yowling For No Reason
Numerous diseases can cause a cat to feel hunger, thirst, or pain, all of which can lead to excessive meowing. Cats of all ages also can develop an overactive thyroid or kidney disease, both of which can result in excessive vocalizations. Despite what some people think, cats dont like being alone a lot.
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How To Know If A Cat Has A Fever
One of the clearest signs your cat is unwell is fever. Feeling their skin alone will be a poor determiner of their core body temperature, the main sign of fever. This is why knowing how to take your cat’s temperature at home is important. If your cat has a fever, you will need to take them to a veterinarian. However, you can read more background information with our article on fever in cats.
Why Is My Cat Suddenly So Affectionate
Generally speaking, healthy cats are a bit stand-offish, some more so than others. If you wake up to find your cat staring at your face every morning when this never happened before, or if your cat suddenly starts jumping into your lap or cuddling up to you and this new behavior is accompanied by other behavioral changes such as change in appetite, change in litter box habits, lethargy or withdrawal, restlessness, chronic vomiting be concerned. This could indicate emotional distress or physical illness. On the other hand, sometimes, as a cat gets older, they simply develop new emotional needs. Take stock of your cat and bring it to the vet if necessary.
Though you might enjoy the sudden attention, it could indicate a problem. They may need extra warmth, care, and attention for a medical reason. Distress can often make them realize that you are the one who loves them the most and can help them. So take heart, take stock, and have the vet check them out.
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Running Around After Pooping
You might be familiar with the concept of “zoomies” from your cat running up and down your hallways at 4 am. Zoomies are essentially when your cat suddenly darts and dashes through the house at full speed, seemingly for no reason.
Many of our fluffy friends have a funny little habit of using the litter box, only to dash like mad around the house. Theories abound! Some think this post-poo sprint is a left-over survival instinct, and the mad dash after being in the vulnerable position of defecation is to escape potential predators.
Other theories suggest a feeling of “poo-phoria”, which leads to elation and excitement that needs to be expressed through bounding through the house.
Why Is My Cat Traumatized After Going Outside
Your cat might be traumatized because something scared it while it was outside. Your cat probably met a strange animal or a predator like a snake, dog, or raccoon.
Conflicts and confrontations with bigger, stronger cats in the neighborhood might scare and traumatize your cat. The good news is, your pet will not be traumatized for long. You can help it overcome these fears by offering food, warmth, and safety in your home.
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Weird Cat Behaviors That Could Be Signs Of A Sick Cat
Reviewed for accuracy on August 17, 2018 by Jennifer Coates, DVM
Cats are naturally conditioned to mask when theyre not feeling well, so it can be difficult to detect signs of cat illness right away. However, when a cat is sick, there can be some noticeable changes in their behavior.
In fact, cat behavior often changes long before you start seeing any physical symptomsso be on the lookout for fluctuations in the way your cat behaves, and see your veterinarian if you notice something unusual.
Here are 10 weird cat behaviors that could be signs your cat is sick.
Image:zossia/Shutterstock.com
Why Is My Cat Foaming At Mouth After Going Outside
Foaming at the mouth is usually a sign of poisoning. Your cat likely ate something toxic, such as a plant, a bug, or chemicals in a water supply. Other symptoms will include:
- Vomiting
- Shaking
- Diarrhea
If you notice this, you should take your cat to the vet immediately. They will need to apply a speedy treatment, and can hopefully narrow down what your cat ate. Plants that are highly toxic to cats include:
- Lilies
- Dumb cane
- Sago palm
These will certainly cause foaming and vomiting when consumed. Bites from insects and stings from wasps or bees can also cause toxicity and lead to foaming at the mouth.
The good news is, your vet may discover that your cat isnt poisoned. Foaming at the mouth is occasionally caused by dental diseases.
Any food stuck between your cats teeth can lead to the accumulation of plaque. This may lead to foaming and drooling as a result of the bacterial growth in the mouth. However, this is a long-term problem to solve, and toxicity is not. Take your cat to the vet to avoid a fatal misdiagnosis.
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Why Is My Cat Sniffing At Everything After Being Outside
Cats use their sense of smell to detect prey, mark their territories, and learn about their environments. Your cat might sniff at everything after being outside to distinguish between the indoor and outdoor environments.
For example, your kitty may find that its scratching post smells very different from the tree outside, even if they both had the same purpose. To figure out why, and in what ways, your cat will sniff a little closer.
You Are A Huge Unpredictable Ape
You hear the unmistakable sound of claws on couch. You snap, shout, squirt water, and maybe even throw a pillow. It’s all futile, because eventually he’s at it again. Your cat isn’t ignoring you, Buffington says. He just doesn’t know how to connect your negative reinforcement with his behavior. This is because cats evolved as solitary hunters with little need for reading social cues, especially those for behavior modification.
How the hell is your cat supposed to know that youre yelling at him because you want him to stop scratching the couch? Buffington says. Without the cognitive ability to connect your outburst to their scratching, cats see only chaotic aggression. To the cat, youre this crazy primate who is attacking him for no reason, he says.
Instead of discouraging the act, you become an object of fear. What’s more, your cat becomes frustrated, and eventually stressed, because you constantly interrupt natural feline activities like raking his claws or jumping on something high. Cats get sick when they want to express their natural behaviors and they cant, he said, and will continue to do the thing when you aren’t around.
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Loving To Drink Out Of The Tap
Cats are very strange, and we all know this. Do you find that if you took the time and the investment to buy a really nice water fountain that your cat is drinking from the faucet? Why do they do that you might ask?Your cat may have no idea that your glass is in fact yours. When your cat finds a way to get water, he is going to think about it. The cat does not think about where it is coming from. Also, the cat is not in the habit of looking for bowls of water from which to drink. What that means is that there is going to be a cat drinking from any location that it finds water. If your cat is watching you drink the cat may also want to make sure that he or she is a part of the process.Some cats also like to drink from the same place because they are interested in the place that water appears. Other cats also like to ensure that they are drinking it from a clean location, and that means that they are not going to be subject to the particles that are in the water. It is important to make sure that you are changing the water many times a day and that you are cleaning it with soap and also with water.
Sitting On Electronic Equipment
Cats may sit on or near electronics, like computers and TVs, because they’re warm and have stimulating images on their screens. It’s not likely that a cat can see exactly what we see, but the movement on the screen may engage a cat’s natural curiosity. Another reason your cat is sitting on your TV may be that she wants interaction and attention, and is trying to disrupt the attention you are giving to the device. A good way to test this is to see if she spends as much time with a device when you are not engaging with it.
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Your Cat Has Mommy Issues
Cats may also experience separation anxieties. This anxiety often occurs when a young cat is separated from her mother too early or from her owner. The cat may demonstrate her anxiety in different from including being extremely clingy or needy.
Other symptoms of cats suffering from separation anxiety include incessant meowing, overeating or undereating, being aloof to people, being overly fussy, or defecating outside her litter box. You can ease your cats anxiety by giving her a stimulating environment or by desensitization.
Animal behaviorists also express that when the cat gets too clingy, its important not to indulge in this demanding or clingy behavior. Make the environment more interesting so they do not resort to latching on your quickly. More importantly, always opt for a professional advice when the behavior starts to become worrisome.
Why Is My Cat Coughing After Being Outside
If your cat is coughing after being outside, its usually because of a respiratory issue. Your cat may have inhaled a lot of dust or pollen, which is causing excessive coughing. It may also be having an allergic reaction caused by exposure to pollen, dust, or certain plants.
If your cat coughs persistently for a few days, do not hesitate to consult with a vet. It could be a sign of serious respiratory conditions, like bronchitis, or it may later develop into that.
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You Want Your Cats To Be Friends More Than They Do
Shingles and I recently moved into a house with two other cats, and my roommate and I have been trying for months to get them to play. It hasnt been going well. Time and again, we put them in the living room and watch as mild curiosity turns into panic and fighting.
Did we just become best friends?
Buffington says we’re doing this all wrong. Start slow, he says, by rubbing each cat in turn with the same dry towel to get them used to each others scent. Before introducing them, make sure each cat has eaten, pooped, and received affection from their respective owners. In other words, ensure they are comfortable. Once the cats are together, let your cat know you have its back by giving it lots of affection. Dont pressure them to mingle, and make sure each has an unimpeded escape route.
And if your cat isnt feeling the play date and decides to bail, let him go. Buffington says one of our biggest misconceptions is that cats need to be around other cats. In the wild, cats hunt alone, and they don’t share. Other cats aren’t friends they’re competition.