Cat Communication

Even though cats have a reputation for being independent, at times they interact with others and humans in a social way. My cat for example, makes her needs and wants known to my family without the benefit of being able to speak. Cats use behaviors such as vision, touch, voice, body language, and actions to facilitate communication. Cappy, which is my cats name, uses her vision and sense of smell very well when there is food for the dogs around. If I bring my puppy over for a weekend stay at my parents, that cat is hiding in my sister’s room because she wants nothing to do with the new puppy. However, when the pup goes outside to play her sense of smell will lead her into a zipped duffel bag to find the dog food.
Cappy has tremendous hearing. She can hear a container of cottage cheese opening from the kitchen even if she is on the other side of the house. My mother and sister give her cottage cheese for a treat sometimes and she has learned to love it! She also communicates to us at about 6am every morning when she is hungry. She will knock things off the dresser to make noise and get our attention. She will also chew on loud objects such as balloon strings, loud rappers, or a fake flower pot to grab our attention as well. She has literally knocked over glasses of water onto the floor as to say “feed me.” These are all senses and behaviors my cat uses to communicate with our family.