Cat communication

Cats communicate for a variety of reasons, including to show happiness, express anger, solicit attention, and observe potential prey.

She claimed that cats had six different forms of meows to represent friendliness, confidence, dissatisfaction, anger, fear, and pain.

These contexts include situations such as the separation of kittens from mother cats, instances of food deprivation, pain responses, occurrences before or during threatening or aggressive behaviors (e.g., disputes over territory or food), episodes of acute stress or pain (e.g., routine prophylactic injections), and instances of kitten deprivation.

[6] Miller classified vocalizations into categories according to the sound produced: the purr, meow, chirrup, chirp, call, and growl/snarl/hiss, and the howl/moan/wail.

Purring is believed to indicate a positive emotional state, but cats sometimes purr when they are ill, tense, or experiencing traumatic or painful moments such as giving birth.

[9] Scientists from the University of Vienna researching cat vocalizations found that the larynxes made a purring sound when air was passed through them, meaning that muscle contraction is not required.

[11] When an animal purrs, its vocal cords vibrate at a low frequency, which creates a distinctive rumbling sound produced with harmonics.

One hypothesis, supported by electromyographic studies, is that cats produce the purring noise by using the vocal folds and/or the muscles of the larynx to alternately dilate and constrict the glottis rapidly, causing air vibrations during inhalation and exhalation.

There are various responses such as when cats arch their backs, erect their hairs and adopt a sideward posture to communicate fear or aggression.

Other visual communication can be a single behavioral change (as perceived by humans) such as slowly blinking to signal relaxation and comfort in their environment.

Domestic cats frequently use visual communication with their eyes, ears, mouths, tails, coats and body postures.

In contrast to a direct stare, cats will lower their eyelids or slowly blink them to show trust and affection to their owners.

This tail behavior is also observed when a cat becomes "irritated" and is about to lash out and attack typically done by biting or scratching with the claws extended.

When playing, a cat, usually a kitten, may raise the base of its tail high and stiffen all but the tip into a shape like an upside-down "U".

When greeting their owners, cats often hold their tails straight up with a quivering motion that indicates extreme happiness.

Unlike dogs, panting is a rare occurrence in cats, except in warm weather environments, or after delivery.

[36] However, if panting is excessive or the cat appears in distress, it may be a symptom of a more serious condition, such as a nasal blockage, heartworm disease, head trauma, or drug poisoning.

[37] In many cases, feline panting, especially if accompanied by other symptoms, such as coughing or shallow breathing (dyspnea), is considered to be abnormal and is treated as a medical emergency.

Kittens "knead" the breast while suckling, using the forelimbs one at a time in an alternating pattern to push against the mammary glands to stimulate lactation.

[43] This communication might have an olfactory component as there are scent glands in this area of the body, and is possibly for seeking attention when the cat turns its head down or to the side.

[45] Gentle biting (often accompanied by purring and kneading) can communicate affection or playfulness, directed at the human owner or another cat.

Cats communicate through scent using urine, feces, and chemicals or pheromones from glands located around the mouth, chin, forehead, cheeks, lower back, tail and paws.

These are the pinna (outer ear flaps), temporal (on their temples), cheek (on the sides of their face), perioral (on the mouth corners), submandibular (under the jaw), interdigital (between toes), anal (on the sides of the anus), caudal (all along tail), and supra-caudal (at the base of tail).

While cats mark their territory both by rubbing the scent glands, by urine and fecal deposits, spraying seems to be the "loudest" feline olfactory communication.

Male cats on poor diets are susceptible to crystal formation in the urine which can block the urethra and lead to health problems.

[57] Another problematic behavior is the "petting-and-biting syndrome", which involves the cat being petted and then suddenly attacking and running away.

[59] Some species of cats cannot be socialized because of factors such as genetic influence and in some cases specific learning experiences.

[60] Even though mothers spend more time with their kittens, male cats play an important role by breaking up fights among littermates.

Some research has shown that cats rarely pick fights, but when they do, it is usually for protecting food and/or litters, and defending their territory.

The first sign of an imminent tomcat duel is when both cats draw themselves up high on their legs, all hair along the middle of their backs is raised straight up, and they mew and howl loudly as they approach one another.