Cats Do Funny Cats

By Anne Eley-Middleton

There are audible sounds used by a domestic cat, such as it wanted to be fed or let outside; specific sounds that actually do not occur in the wild, rather it then responds with body language and scent in communicating to another cat. The Siamese is known for its wonderful variation of meow, entertaining its owner sometimes with a speech equal to a conversation of a public speaker! However, compared to a “always wanting to please dog”, the cat limits its chatter, to the point of a desired wish reached, such as:” Food please!” or “Where did my litter box go,” achieving an immediate response.

Mildred Moelk, an American psychologist, states that a purr is a reflex action. Nevertheless she identified 16 different sounds in the felines vocabulary. These she puts them in three groups:

The “murmurs” with a closed mouth; the “meow” that comes out of a ‘open to closing’ mouth; and the wide open mouth sound, which is the loudest. Some sounds are for the purpose of mating, a howl of pain or aggression, a warning hiss under the attack of angry birds followed by spitting, the snarl-growl-shriek of a bloody cat fight, and a occasional snore. Other sounds are used for a friendly “hello!” “Let me out!” a drawn-out meow, or the shorter “feed me” sound.

We think of a happy cat when we hear “purring”. However purring is more of an emotion, rather than happiness, although cats do purr when happy. Purring is also heard, when cats give birth, and even when dying.