We are unable to fully grasp what exactly cats want to convey with their meowing. But can their fellow felines do this? Is there a conversational 'language' among cats?
Cats can communicate with each other in three main ways.
Body Language
This is the primary tool for communication among felines — it is understood not only by them but also by humans. The way your cat sleeps, stands, or moves can say a lot about its mood and feelings.
The first thing to pay attention to is the tail. If it is held upright, it indicates a relaxed and friendly state of your pet. However, if the cat is swishing its tail back and forth, this may indicate curiosity or anger, depending on the speed and intensity of the movements. Finally, if the tail becomes fluffy and the fur stands on end, it signals the presence of a threat.
To express their love and affection for another animal, cats usually do the following:
Touch noses;
Rub against each other;
Lick the top of another cat's head.
Vocalization
This method includes various sounds: purring, meowing, and hissing. Cats rarely use a specific cat language to communicate with each other, as they understand each other well without words: through looks, scents, and movements. However, to enhance a certain emotion, they may resort to vocalization.
For instance, loud meowing usually indicates anxiety or fear. Less intense meowing and purring indicate calmness and contentment, while hissing indicates anger and aggression.
Smell
Finally, cats also communicate through scent. Each cat has glands on its neck, forehead, and chin that release pheromones. When two felines rub against each other, they exchange these pheromones.
This scent is not accessible to humans, but animals demonstrate their feelings and emotions to each other — both positive and negative — in this way.
In conclusion: cats understand each other and can communicate, but they do so differently than humans. Their nature is somewhat more complex.
