The yawn - what does it mean?

We cats yawn, just like humans, when we are sleepy either before a nap or on waking up. But there is also a different meaning to a yawn.

We also yawn sometimes when we are slightly, just a little, worried or stressed. This cat in the video is listening to an unfamiliar human making noises (cleaning) the other side of a half open door.

Unexpected noises are slightly worrying for us cats, because sound is VERY important to us. We have the widest range of hearing of all the animals tested, including humans. 

We can hear the tiny squeak of a small mouse. As predators we need to hear these sounds so we can hunt and eat.

We can also hear the lower sounds of a dog or a wolf barking or growling. We need to hear these sounds because we are prey for bigger animals who might eat us.

Notice our ears that swivel to pick up very quiet sounds. In this video the cat starts with ears slightly back then moves them forward to catch the sound coming from another room.

Get your human to watch this video. Humans are dumb animals who can't speak cat language. But if they concentrate on watching us they can learn some of it!

This cat is saying "I am slightly anxious about this unusual sound?"

 

I am biting my nails... so what!

 OK, so we cats bite our nails. Not because we are neurotic like humans who bite their nails. We have a good reason for doing this. We pull off the dead claw sheaths when a new claw is growing below.

Every two or three months, we shed the outer most sheath on our claws because each claw grows in layers. Underneath the old sheath, when it is shed or bitten off lies a new sharp claw.

 It's natural therefore that some cats pull off the dead sheath using their teeth. The video of the ginger cat shows it doing this. Most of us get rid of the old sheath by scratching on a tree trunk, or a scratching post, or the furniture. 

I prefer scratching to pulling off by my teeth. I scratch at the arm of the sofa, which is covered with a nice stout material. It pulls off the sheath effectively. I also scratch on the carpet in the spare room. It's a carpet which is tufted - all the better for a good scratch. And, of course, sometimes I use my scratch post.

Should humans worry if they see us  biting our nails? Probably not. But there is one exception. Burmese cats occasionally suffer from FOPS Feline Orofacial Pain Syndrome, where the pain in the trigeminal nerve, the one that runs up the side of the face, is almost unbearable. 

This may be set off, in a few cases, by nail biting.  There was an association in one survey between nail biting and his horrible syndrome. So if you are a Burmese cat, make sure your human keeps your claws trimmed.

Helping humans understand us - Meow for attention

Humans need help in understanding our meows. They don't realise that there is no easy answer to why or when we meow. Every cat is individual in the way we use this noise. 

Some of us are silent (go back to my earlier post.) We just open our mouths without any sound. Others meow for food (see the post before this one.) Some meow loudly. Some meow with a croak. 

And some of us use a meow to wake up our humans in the morning so that we can get our breakfast. We don't like to let them sleep too long.

This is Freya waking up her human, by putting her face close to the human face, and making a somewhat croaky meow (which is how she meows usually).  

Not only do our humans need to listen to our meows.. they need to understand what we are saying. So where and when we meow is as important as how we do it.

So listen up, humans. Understand. Obey. 

 

• The playlist of what cats are saying is on my Youtube channel under Celia's name is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMH0Q-3hEcw&list=PLnwXtI1uuo884ABEOTorPYZNnIeTh04pV 

 

 

 

Helping humans understand us.... the meow request for food.

Most of us cats are NOT silent meowers. We do a proper loud meow that even stupid humans can hear.  

Dumb they may be, but even the dumbest of humans can understand a meow when it is a demand for food. We are loudest usually at breakfast, when we have had nothing to eat during the night. "Meow" mens "I am starving."

Here my Spanish friend, Josephine, is making sure that her human, serves her breakfast as soon as possible. You will notice that he is talking back to her - even if it is a bit of a grumble. And he seems awfully slow.

But that is the usual human response. They can't help it. they just aren't very clever. 

 

• The playlist of what cats are saying is on my Youtube channel under Celia's name is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMH0Q-3hEcw&list=PLnwXtI1uuo884ABEOTorPYZNnIeTh04pV