How does your cat communicate its needs to you?

[Soupie]

Chatting to mum today and she was getting hassle from my cat who lives with them called Claude - he is very demanding and vocal :lol:

Cats are so individual of course but Pousse is just strange -she never meows to ask for stuff, just mutely stares at me and sits by the kitchen door -this is her universal request for food/water/clean litter tray and sit down because I want to sit on your lap :D

How do your cat communicate with you and what endearing ways do they have for certain requests? :D

[Moli]

Definitely, they all talk, and if they want something, Ollie and Casper paw me, Merlin sits and talks non stop, Leo moans, and chancer just looks at me.

[Kobster]

Mine stare. Its non-invasive yet hightly effective. Nothing will put you off ease faster than a cat staring at you.

If the stare doesn't work, they try affection. When the cats become randomly affectionate, I know they want something.

If I'm asleep, they purr in my ear. If that doesn't work, a nice chomp on the toe and I'm out of bed.

They will "talk" to me but usually only after I'm am in the process of doing what they wanted me to do. Probably telling me to hurry it up!

[dandysmom]

Leia isn't much of a vocal communicator; she relies on body language mostly; jumps up on the table where her dry food is and puts on a "small starving cat" face when she's hungry; scratches on the door when she wants out or in, comes to me and butts her head against my hands when she wants cuddling, starts playing with her mouse or ball all by herself when she thinks its time for a game...looking at me all the time as if to say "can't you see I want to play?" They do manage to get their wants pretty clearly to us, don't they?

[Kazz]

Oscar spoke to me always talking that one, aided and abetted by the occasional hook. Cleo talks too but she alwaso "touches" more now she touches my face with her paw when she's tired and wants to settle down on my lap or go to bed and wants me to go to so she can settle :)
She also touches me when she wants to be stroked, fussed.

But must admit as the years have passed I know what they want before they do mostly mainly I suppose because we have become set in a routine.

[Fran]

All my cats talk to me, some of them more than others and I can usually tell what they want by their body language too :)

[Hreow]

Rover is a creature of habit and much noise. :grin: He talks almost constantly when he's awake. He's got a pleasant voice when he's just chatting, a clearly demanding tone when I'm late with food, walks or door-opening and an outright foul howl when he's displeased. He's got some of his kitten-noises left as well, for use when begging food when he's "starving" (outside of feeding-times). Don't know that they help much. ^-^
Oddly, he seems to like cuddles for the sake of cuddles, not to gain food. Purrs very intently when he's actively happy.

[yola]

Fifi taps me with her paw and also squeaks.

Balie moans or headbutts (but he's sat on the desk staring into my face right this moment which is quite unusual for him).

Ferdy was silent (he was the stray one). There were only a couple of times when he managed a quiet meow.

Darcy will walk around you until he's looking you square in the face and just shout, yowl or howl. He's also the one that trots around like a puppy after you - so if he's following you from room to room you know he's after something.

[Elaine]

Winston was always one of those silent meowers, occasionally he would manage a little squeek. He was never very demanding at all. That said he became vocal a year or so into his illness and would use his vioce to indicate all was not well with him. This was particularly shown at the time he developed high blood pressure, some of you may remember my postings about his vocalisation at that time.
Eva is very vocal and very very demanding. I swear she can actually form words LOL. When she wants out her meow sounds almost like she is say the word out. When we have conversations I swear she answeres my questions with a yes or a no and if she wants my attention she really sounds like she is shouting mum LOL.
Bernie on the whole is a quiet kitty but becomes vocal at meal times and i hear him calling on the hairdressers back door when he is out in the garden.

[dandysmom]

Oh Elaine, that reminded me of my Aby, Sultan! He could almost vocalize "out" very loudly when that was what he wanted...hadn't thought of that in a long time,,,,,,,,

[Elaine]

Eva has a very sad, plaintive meow, I always laugh and tell people she is telling them "they beat me when your not here".
She has this knack of making you feel very sorry for her, poor hard done by kitty she is. LOL

[Hreow]

Oh Elaine, that reminded me of my Aby, Sultan! He could almost vocalize "out" very loudly when that was what he wanted...hadn't thought of that in a long time,,,,,,,,

One of my former cats did that. Marched up to the door and said "Ouw!" in a commanding tone. Only time she used that particular "word". She would sit on the windowsil and *glare* when she wanted back in again.

[dandysmom]

Oh yes, it was a definite "ouuu", very emphatic, that he never used in any other context...definitely meant "out!!" And Leia has a very tiny weak little mew when her "poor starving little cat" face doesn't work....:roll: :-D

[Elaine]

Arent they all such manipulative little creatures LOL

[dandysmom]

Did we domesticate them 6000 years ago, or did they decide to train us...??? :roll:

[Hreow]

Definitely the latter! :-) If we were dog-people we'd be horrified, but it does seem to go with cat-keeping that you appreciate being told what to do. :D

Rover does the winding-about-the-ankles when he wants something. Invariably food. :-D Feed me or fall over... :roll:

[Samz5]

In our house Bones is responisble for letting me know when to feed all the cats, he starts off with stareing, if I don't notice that he bites, hard, exept now he has no teeth it doesn't hurt :-D, it actually feels really funny, but I pretend it hurts so he is happy lol!
Tango has a special meow for 'let me in' if hes outside, Mitz will just jump up and knock on the door to be let in (shes very smart) very rarely she will meow, and this means 'the dry food has run out I want more'.

[Animagus]

Arent they all such manipulative little creatures LOL
LOL yes they are my Smudge lets you know exactly what he wants whereas CJ lets you get on with it and only meows in appreciation But yes they do manage to manipulate us very well the little furries lol

[JemBob]

Oscar comes up to me meows and shows me what he wants, He only meows if he wants something like he knows when its feeding time he meows and walks over to the cupboard and sits there lol. If he wants a cuddle he will sit at your feet and meow as if he is asking permission to jump on your lap, so as you say come on then bang he is on your lap and will not let you move!