So, who here has figured out that you can communicate with your cat

[EFerrari]

by blinking?



I'm not sure when I figured this out but cats blink to telegraph trust or even maybe, regard -- although that's pushing how much I really understand about their higher form of communication. :)

Since there are seven cats and only one puppy, the puppy is learning how to telegraph by blinking, too. Can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Anyone else or should I just put on my :tinfoilhat: ?

[Kajsa]

1. I don't know if my cats respond to

my blinking- I'm going to try it, though and see.

They definitely respond to voice intonations.
Just say their names in two or three different voice tones
and watch the response.

Those kitties are a lot smarter than many people give them
credit for.

:hi:

[EFerrari]

7. Try it! Make eye contact and blink slowly. The kitty will blink back.

It's sort of awesome. lol

:hi:

[Kajsa]

14. I'll try it!

I love to communicate with them.

:7

[hyphenate]

2. Funny that...

I thought it was telepathic communication up until Oliver joined the clowder. Now, it's very obvious that he knows exactly what I'm thinking, regardless of what I vocalize. But then, I can read the mischief in his eyes without needing to guess at any time. He has very expressive eyes and knows how to tell me off with no words at all. ;)

[auntAgonist]

3. Oliver is gorgeous!!

:hi:

aA

[hyphenate]

Thank you!

As you can see, his eyes reveal much mischief!

[fizzgig]

4. what a beautiful baby

he looks just like my baby girl, eye color, nose markings and all.

[hyphenate]

16. He's a brat

sometimes, but unlike the other kits, he loves to snuggle under the clothes next to me in bed. He keeps me warm. :)

[EFerrari]

8. Look at that beautiful face.

:)

[hyphenate]

20. Thanks

He's managed to endear himself to me, but not so much to the other kits. Although I have to say he gives to them as much as he gets, and that's an accomplishment!

[Kajsa]

13. He's so handsome!

Yes, his eyes are very expressive!

:hi:

[hyphenate]

23. He can look really evil

sometimes, and those are the times to watch out!

[TommyO]

61. What an incredibly handsome cat

I have his look-alike at home and he behaves much as you've described Oliver - including curling up with my over, and under, the comforter. Now I can't wait to get home to see Guylian (Guy for short)

[hyphenate]

67. Thank you!

He's pretty sociable, too--which makes him unique in this household. The others aren't used to people so much--just like their owner!

[TommyO]

82. Here in TommyO land

Guy is the "in-between" cat. Corkey is extremely sociable, and Phoenix is the one that runs away from most people that visit.

[barb162]

81. that's a doll!

[barb162]

5. Yeah blinking slowly is a good device for them to show trust

Also, yawning slowly is another communication device. It sort of means let's play/ I like you, etc. It's a positive and good communication, like the slow blinking. Blink slowly back at them; they'll get it. They are so into physical behavior clues

[EFerrari]

10. That's what I was thinking, "I trust you enough to close my eyes."

And yawning, and stretching slowly.

I hung out with hardcore cat people in L.A. for a little while. This one lady was a counsellor ~ cat psychic. No kidding. We had a long conversation about using visual images to communicate with cats and we were both sober.

[barb162]

80. I'm hard core for years too

Imitate their behavior and you can communicate better with them. They're so into touch too

[Quixote1818]

6. I heard Cats developed the ability to meow to communicate with humans

I am totally serious! Evidently, they didn't make any noises when first domesticated.

[EFerrari]

11. Are you serious? Although, come to think of it, I've never heard a cat

"meow" at another cat. Other sounds, sure, but not that "Hello, limited human, I'm speaking very slowly and in small words" sound.

:rofl:

[Quixote1818]

18. Check this out

Kittens:

* Mew (high pitched and thin) - a polite plea for help
* MEW! (loud and frantic) - an urgent plea for help

Adult cats:

* mew - plea for attention
* mew (soundless) - a very polite plea for attention (this is Paul Gallico's "Silent Miaow" which is probably a sound pitched too high for human ears)
* meow - emphatic plea for attention
* MEOW! - a command!
* mee-o-ow (with falling cadence) - protest or whine
* MEE-o-ow (shrill whine) - stronger protest
* MYUP! (short, sharp, single note) - righteous indignation
* MEOW! Meow! (repeated) - panicky call for help
* mier-r-r-ow (chirrup with liting cadence) - friendly greeting

Tomcats:

* RR-YOWWW-EEOW-RR-YOW-OR - caterwaul
* merrow - challenge to another male
* meriow - courting call to female

Mother cats:

* MEE-OW - come and get it!
* meOW - follow me!
* ME R-R-R-ROW - take cover!
* mer ROW! - No! or Stop It!
* mreeeep (burbled) - hello greeting to kittens and disarming greeting to adult cats (also used between adult cats and humans)

There is more to felinese than the simple miaow though. In 1944, Mildred Moelk made a detailed study of cat vocabulary and found sixteen meaningful sounds, which included consonants and vowels. She divided cat-sounds into three groups:-

* murmurs made with the mouth closed
* vowel sounds made with the mouth closing as in "iao"
* sounds made with the mouth held open.

Although these may not be used in grammatical sentences, one definition of language is "any means, vocal or other, of expressing or communicating feeling or thought" (Webster's Dictionary). Observant owners will notice the following sounds which cats make to communicate their state of mind (this list is not exhaustive, since cats will improvise):

* Caterwaul - cat wants sex!
* Chatter - excitement, frustration e.g. when prey is out of reach or escapes (involves rapid teeth-chattering jaw movements)
* Chirrup - friendly greeting sound, a cross between a meow and a purr! (friendly greeting sound with rising inflection; familiar to most cat owners)
* Cough-bark - alarm signal (rare in pet cats); like us, cats can cough both vountarily and involuntarily)
* Growl - threat, challenge, warns others to go away
* Hiss (with or without spit) - threat, fear, warns others to back off
* Meow - general-purpose attention seeking sound used by adult cats to communicate with owners or with kittens
* Mew (of kittens) - distress, hunger, cold (to attract mother's attention)
* Purr - contentment, relaxation, also to comfort itself if in pain (cats in extremis may purr); a loud purr invites close contact or attention
* Scream - fear, pain, anger, distress
* Squawk - surprise, shock (somewhat strangled sound)
* Yowl - a threat, offensive or defensive, but also used in a modified form by some cats seeking attention when owner is out of sight
* Idiosyncratic sounds - a sound which a particular cat uses in a particular context.

http://www.messybeast.com/cat_talk.htm

[EFerrari]

25. That's amazing. lol

My guys are mostly pretty quiet and I'm not sure why. Since this is a small space and there's seven of 'em, they've got the pecking order settled and there aren't any tussles really. The only time I hear anything is when they encourage me to get out of bed in the morning and feed them -- mostly the biggest male. He calls out to me very sweetly at ungodly hours trying to convince me that it's seven o'clock. lol

There is one that seems to need to play "Marco Polo" with me. If I call her name, she meows an acknowledgement just about every time.

One four yr old female does cry out several times a day. She was pushed out by her litter and I had to hand feed her and then, teach her to eat solid food. The little b word now needs to be stroked before she'll eat. She thinks that being petted is a requisite step that precedes dining. :)

[havocmom]

28. My cat 'blerts'. occassionally rolling the R.

Sometimes making it quite a production, sometimes a definite question, sometimes a little song -very affectionate. She meows seldom and it is a newly acquired vocalization. The blerts have always been with her.

She also grumbles and yips like a little dog. The cat before her could sound just like my brothers Pomeranian, but did not know any cat 'songs' when he came to us at about 7 years of age. The other cats had to teach him cat things.

[EFerrari]

30. Sweetie Darling (after the AbFab expression) has the most interesting

repertoire. His bird calls are truly seductive. And, he has a special song for me that he uses near mealtimes. I have to figure out a way to record it but it sounds a lot like, "come out, come out, whereEVER you are." lol The other males are very perfunctory in their singing but Sweetie has a fulsome voice. :)



/ack

[mentalsolstice]

75. You look mahhvelous!

That's one gorgeous kitty! Reminds me of my Miss Priss, but she's a little more reddish brown. Now I'm going to have to stalk her for good pics!

[EFerrari]

77. When we got him, he was just a dirty little guy. And then, he ate.

LOL

:hi:

[mentalsolstice]

78. Priss is the same way

She showed up at our house when she was about 8 months old, and declared that she was homesteading (in fact, our 2 dogs are also homesteaders). She was healthy then, but in the past several years she got to where her gut would move side-to-side when she walked. Recently she's been walking with my spouse and the two dogs, and she has trimmed down. Imagine our neighbors when they look out the window at 5:30 am, and they see a guy with a pug, and a yellow lab on leashes, and a cat walking alongside.

[kedrys]

37. My oldest cat speaks a few words of English

It's weird. He knows "Michael", "water", "mama" and "oh no" (usually on the way to the vet). Quark barks instead of meowing. Plato, Evie and Socrates are littermates, and they invented their own language, which the other cats picked up on. Each cat has a very distinct call sign, which they usually vocalise when they're about to jump up on the bed or the couch next to a human. Socrates also talks to himself a lot. Evie sings; she's quite the little diva.

And all this on top of all the vocalizations itemized above. It's really cool.

[Quixote1818]

24. Here is another link

I can't find the one I first came across but this one says basically the same thing:

http://www.mail-archive.com/[e-mail]/msg00054.html

[EFerrari]

27. Thanks for the link. And I wonder if cats that hang out with rescue

types aren't in general more quiet than cats that live with civilians. Because we're attuned to them and don't need the vocalizing? Interesting.

[Kajsa]

17. I've heard that too.

We once had a group of feral cats that we
fed. They never once meowed at each other,
they made other sounds.

Very interesting.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

41. Yes, cats when they talk to each other do not "meow" at all...

they use a series of chirrups, hisses, screams, and other vocalizations. Cats only "meow" with humans.

I have a cat I taught how to say, literally, "mee-yow". He was a tiny kitten who was saying something along the lines of, "mrawr" and every time he did I would look at him and say very clearly, "mee-yow". Pretty soon you could see him trying to recreate the sound I was making and, over the course of a few months, he was able to say it very clearly!

He doesn't use it all the time now, but will in response to my "mee-yow".

[EFerrari]

47. I should have done that with my one vocalizing female because now

what she says when she wants something is "Ma! MA! MAAAAAAAAA!" which feels a lot like being nagged at by a demanding kid. lol

[Robeson]

9. I call it giving "eye kisses"....

...and it works!

[EFerrari]

15. It so works.

What's funny to me tonight is that dogs don't do that but my Lab puppy, surrounded by cat people, is learning to do it. I swear, she is! I'm so used to "talking" to the cats that way that I started doing it with her and, she's blinking back.

lol

[bridgit]

12. Tim blinks at me all the time, he has a flirty blinky set of little trills he utters...

for some things, vocalizations & such, dude's a proper gato cracks me up :rofl:

[EFerrari]

21. That looks like a centerfold.

lol!

I've got four girls and three guys. The guys make more noise and the girls are more into non vocal "talking". In that way, cats and people are a lot alike. :P

[bridgit]

33. hubby says, "He's a very well set-up young Beau Brummel."

he's a rescue kitty and i spoil him :hi:

[EFerrari]

49. That's funny! All these guys are rescues, too. I think that's

why two of them are very quiet and mostly use their eyes to talk to me. They had a really rough time before they got out of their prior home.

Collectively, though, they remind me of The Jets more than anyone. I'm sure that's how they look to the puppy!

http://kulturfibelverlag.de/Images/Bilder%20htm/Musical,%20Operette/WestSide-T%E4nzer-springend-b.jpg

:rofl:

[Kajsa]

22. Aww, he's cutie!

Look at the sleepyhead,

:D

[bridgit]

34. i do think he's handsome...

:hi:

[ceile]

19. I bonded w/ my cat that way

when she was a kitten. The starring/constant eye contact is how they bond-so I've read. But she understands everything I say and is a total "mommy's girl". She's ten yrs now.

[EFerrari]

26. I used to think that bonding was a metaphor for emotional attachment.

But, it's not. I had it exactly backwards. And it happens through that mutual gaze. It's true.

[Jamastiene]

29. When cats blink at you, they are kissing you.

At least, that is what May Sarton's book, The Fur Person, said. It's their way of kissing you. If you do it back, it can be your way of kissing them. Cats are so easy to love.

[EFerrari]

31. Sometimes it's kissing, sometimes it's just "Okay, chill."

There are lots of different kinds of blinks but they are all premised on, "we're pals".


I have to read that book to see what she thinks.

[Jamastiene]

32. It's a great book.

It is not very long at all, but I loved it as a kid and just never quit loving it. I re-read it from time to time to read the 10 Commandments of a Gentleman Cat.

[Jeanette in FL]

35. A couple of my pets do that with me

My cat and I have done that for years with each other, no verbal communications just blinks. I have asked other to try and do it with her and she just looks at them with that "What are doing, you moron", then as soon as they turn away from her, she would give me a quick wink and then, a long blink with both eyes.

My Shepard and I would do it all the time with each. If I would blink both eyes, he would blink both eyes. If I blinked with my left eye, he would blink with his right eye. We used to do it for 10 - 15 minutes at a time.

And one of my horses does it also. If I am sitting in the barn, he will look at me and blink one of his eyes. Then I will blink my eyes. I am pretty sure he has always started it with me. Speaking of horses, he is kicking his stall door right now, I am late for breakfast.

Wow, I don't find it weird at all. How ya doing out there, sfexpat2000? :hi:

[EFerrari]

51. Okay, thanks! It's nice to know that I'm not losing my mind.

:hi:

[VenusRising]

36. I figured it out not too long ago.

Sebastian also communicates vocally and with gusto. He gets on my nerves sometimes because he won't stop, but I love him anyway. :eyes:

[EFerrari]

46. Does he hang out belly up and his feet in the air? One of my males

does that -- to show me who is in charge of the livingroom I think.

[VenusRising]

76. Yes, he does that.

I think it's all for the cuteness factor. It's his way of begging. If he only begged like that it would be ok, but he yowls at me and swipes at me every time I walk by and don't feed him. He's not starving I assure you.

[EFerrari]

79. He looks like he gets enough to eat. :-)

I have one that does that. She needs me to pet her before she can eat. And she will yowl and swat me until I pet her and put her in front of her dish. It's weird but, I just type 'em, I don't make 'em up. :)

[Orsino]

38. I'm never quite sure what I'm communicating.

It could be instructions on how to murder me in my sleep, for all I know, but the creepy little bastards are receiving some sort of message, and their doubtless-mocking replies go right over my head.

[EFerrari]

43. Well, there are risks in every relationship.

lol

:hi:

[merh]

39. ..

:hug: :loveya:

[EFerrari]

48. Lol! "What big eyes you have!"

:loveya:

:hi:

[stuntcat]

40. right on!

A stare is threatening to cats.
I taught my husband to make our most nervous cat Percy trust him by blinking at him. And when he's feeling happy with us he spins around to show us his butt :p

[EFerrari]

44. "There was no mistaking that invitation."

:rofl:

[MANative]

42. Our vet told us that momma cats

blink to their kittens to bond with them, and that the kittens will then bond with a human who does the same thing. We actually "Play blinky" a few times a week - just cuz it's fun to see how well we connect. My 12 year old female - Janeway - is much more into it than her brother, Sisko. She'll crawl up onto my lap and play for 5 minutes at a time - a whole lotta time for a cat who has naps to take!

[EFerrari]

45. That's interesting. I've never talked to my vet about this just in case

she could have me committed or something. :)

[MANative]

53. LOL - I've had 2 vets over the years and

both have been completely willing to believe anything wacky that was shared about cat/people behavior! Then again, both were cat specialists, who had probably heard every goofy example or question I posed at least a couple of times before. :)

[Duer 157099]

50. Heh, I do this with my dog all the time

I alternate eyes sometimes too, winking at her, to see if she'll try to follow suit. I can see her thinking about it, wondering what to do. She gets all curious when we play that winking game.

I first noticed it while playing the stare-down game. This dog simply will not look away, like most dogs will. I have never met a dog who will keep your gaze for as long as you will, and it's not in a threatening way, it's intense curiousity. I call her my "cat-dog" because she's too much like a cat to really be a dog.

When I blink at her, she returns in kind. I'm thinking of teaching her Morse code

[EFerrari]

52. Really? My Buddy dog never really did this or maybe she tried

and gave up on me when I didn't notice. This little new girl, or as I fondly call her, The Minion of Gozer, is picking it up really fast. But you know Labs. They like to make that huge Sad Clown Face so they can extort anything outta ya.

[Blue_Tires]

56. beautiful animal!

if a little sad:cry:

[EFerrari]

57. And that's how they get you.

lol

:)

[Flaxbee]

54. one of my babies, MiniMe, will wag her tail and start prancing

sideways toward me if I call her name in a certain way. It just kills me. I have 7 cats, all very different, and sweet little MiniMe is the smallest cat and just an ingrained scaredy-cat. We've had her since her momma brought her to us as a teeny weeny kitten, and have raised her just as the others (we kept the litter and the momma) and everyone is fearless except MiniMe. But she blinks in this sultry way, and then if you call her and croon her name, she'll honest-to-god wag her kitty tail and start to step sideways to get to you.

I adore my kitties!

[EFerrari]

55. I do too, when they let me.

They are, after all, the Deciders here. :)

[mainegreen]

58. Grew up with cats, so I can't remember when I first learned that.

It's true though.

[EFerrari]

59. I didn't grow up with any pets -- single mom and limited resources.

But it's funny to me now that conventional wisdom is that cats are reserved.

Heck, they're working overtime to get through. lol

I have seven, a lot, more than I really wanted. So, I can't cuddle them all the way they might like. So, blinking at the right moment goes a long way to reminding them how much I care about them.

Next: Setting odors for your dog's enjoyment. :silly:

[Carni]

60. No, you are right -- you can to a degree

I discovered this when I took in some feral cats.

I don't exactly know what they are saying but I know when I blink or wink they react and usually do the same thing rfight back at me.

[EFerrari]

62. I think they may be saying, "Okay, we're cool for now."

One of my cats tell me she loves me in this way. Others seem to be saying, "Yeah, I see you."

All blinks are not equal, imho, but they seem to say, "I guess you're not gonna try to eat me."

lol

[Carni]

63. I definitely think it's some kind of challenge deal

I have three big fat guys (and one future fat girl in training...I am a sap for abandoned or sickly feral kittens ) and I have noticed that they all sit around winking and blinking at each other.

I agree with you that there is something to this theory as silly as it may sound!

[EFerrari]

70. If they're getting around the NSA, I say, let's figure it out.

:silly:

[Arugula Latte]

64. I'm constantly squinting at my kitties. I do it without thinking every time I look in their eyes.

It means "I love you" and they always respond.

Lions in a zoo will sometimes respond, as well.

[crim son]

65. I've got two cats, neither of whom communicate much:

This one, Maximouse, couldn't care less what I think or do:


and this one, Benny, has only white cotton fluff in his head:

[EFerrari]

68. I bet if you winked fetchingly at Barney, you'd get a good response.

Maximouse might be busy keeping the Universe running. Ya never know. :)

[distantearlywarning]

66. I've known this for years.

Blinking is a sign of positive regard, and is also used to communicate safety/trust type feelings. As in, if I blink at them, I'm telling them that I like them, that we're friends, and they don't have to worry right now because everything is A-Ok.

A lot of cat communication, like the blinking thing, is too subtle for humans to pick up on. It took me years pf cat ownership to pick up on that, and I've probably missed a lot of other non-verbal stuff also. I often wonder if they think we're complete bumbling idiots for not paying attention to these kinds of things.

[EFerrari]

69. Hey -- that's a secret!

:hi:

[bettyellen]

71. you know what the do when they're anxious and trying to hide it?

they do one quick lick, usually to their forearm or shoulder. They are masters of Rovian distraction.

[EFerrari]

73. Please tell me I'm not living with 7 Republics!

:rofl:

[Digit]

72. What a lovely post to give one a warm fuzzy feeling

I had never thought about it, but I also do this with my cat. I also like to gently bump her back when she bumps me, but I draw the line at sniffing each other's behinds.
:hi:

[EFerrari]

74. LOL! There really ARE limits to everything.

:rofl: