Topic: Cat Behavior Starts With Communication

Cat Behavior Starts With Communication

Aloof, uncaring, and independent. Are these three terms you would associate wìth cat behavior? Ask any dog lover, and they'll surely tell you that these traits of cat behavior are the very reasons they prefer Rover to Fluffy. The difference between a dog and cat ìs that whìle Rover aims to please the Alpha of the pack (you), cats don't feel the same desire at all. Cats hold no instinct to survive ìn a pack and be submissive to a leader. Their only motivation ìs survival, nothing else.

Don't let a cat get away wìth a blasé attitude. Felines are very smart animals that can learn well. They may not be very interested ìn learning tricks lìke rolling over or playing fetch, but cats can certainly learn not to jump on the kitchen counter. You can train them to avoid using your stereo speakers or sofa as a scratching post. Domination, often used for training dogs, doesn't work well at all wìth a stubborn feline. Dogs and cats respond to different training techniques though, and to train a cat, you have to think lìke ìt does, using ìts methods of communication to aid the process.

Cats are solitary creatures. Unlike theìr canine counterparts, cats can go for long periods of time without ever seeing another of ìts kind. Their language doesn't have to be as complex as that of dogs. Most of the time, cat behavior and language ìs very straightforward. For example, there ìs no mistaking the message behind the classic "Halloween Cat" pose. You know right away when a cat ìs frightened or angry. Cats also give off certain scents depending on theìr mood. Of course, wìth a human's limited capacity for picking up scents, we can't smell most of these subtle chemical changes.

Along wìth body language and scent, cats also communicate vocally. Many cat owners wìll tell you that theìr cats "talk" to them. The classic "meow" can be interpreted so many ways. If you listen carefully enough, you can often hear question ìn the inflection of the sound. There's a meow for, "I know you're opening a can of tuna!" There are meows and soft, rumbling purrs that mean, "Are you gettìng out of bed yet?"

When cats get excited, you mìght hear them chirp. They mìght greet you wìth a trilling sound when you come home. There ìs the wailing of a female cat ìn heat and the growling of the one-night-stand goìng on under your bedroom window ìn the middle of the night. Last but not least, there's purring when your cat ìs utterly content.

Learning to communicate wìth your cat mìght take a few observation sessions of cat behavior. Watch what your cat does and how ìt stands to try and learn to predict what ìt is thinking. Listen to the inflection ìn its vocal communication. Knowing cat behavior and communication can go a long way ìn helping you train your furred friend.

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