Cats Chirp When Stalking Birds

Cats Chirp When Stalking Birds

Reading meaning into your cant’s moves and meows

Your cat rolls over, and meows. He drools when you pet him. He avoids eye contact with your best friend. What is he trying to tell you? Cats use a basic repertoire of sound and body language to express emotions, intentions, needs, and wants. A meow has a different meaning in a different context. A cat is aware of context.

For example, when a cat meows, and then runs to the kitchen, you can be sure he wants to be fed. If a cat meows, makes eye contact, and raises its tail vertically, it probably wants to be picked up. When it brushes against you, meows, and then walks away with its tail in the air, it means “follow me”. Think of a tour guide who holds an umbrella in the air. When a cat meows at the door and looks at the door knob, let him out. Cats know you use the door knob to open the door.

When a cat’s tail is in an inverted U or it looks at you and flops over on one side, it wants to play. When its tail is arched toward its body during play, it is saying it’s excited. Should it lash its tail, it means intense arousal. It may do this when it sees a bird or when it’s being petted. It may also drool when it’s being petted. If it towers its head, gives a direct stare, and walks slowly forward, it’s angry.

Birds chirp. Photo: Elena

When it crouches close to the ground, avoids eye contact, rises up on its four legs, arches its back and makes its hair stand on end, it’s scared. The classic Halloween cat is signaling fear.

Sometimes a cat will wash itself after you’ve yelled at it. Is it trying to wash away its hurt? In fact, it’s embarrassed. It may wash itself before a thunderstorm, too, because it’s anxious. This is called displacement grooming. Just as an adult will fidget with his pockets when he’s anxious. It’s a self-comforting behavior, like a child sucking his thumb.

When a cat makes chirping sounds, it probably has its eyes on a bird. A cat will usually make chirping sounds when it spots prey. When it avoids eye contact, it probably wants you to keep your distance. Cats make 16 different vocal sounds. Fox describes them as murmur patterns, vowel patterns, and strained intensity sounds. A cat will make a murmuring sound, sometimes accompanied by purring when it’s relaxed, when it has a goal in mind, such as being let outside, or when it’s frustrated. A cat makes strained intensity sounds, such as hissing or growling, when fighting or mating.

A cat’s eyes and ears are also good ways of finding out what kind of mood it’s in. When its ears go back and its pupils enlarge, it is getting defensive. The more enlarged the pupils and the flatter its ears are on its head, the more defensive it is feeling. It may even bare its teeth if you keep it up.

Cat's tree. Photo: Elena

Suppose your cat starts racing through the house with “the evening crazies”. When all you see is the cat running around in circles, the cat is imagining it’s out hunting in the jungle. It may pounce on imaginary prey or run around as if it’s chasing a gazelle.

Cats have a great imagination, so what should Mr. or Mrs. Owner do when little Fluffy tears through the house? By all means, they should join in.