Story time: the offended cat

submitted by IamWomanHearMeRoar from self.Lesbians

I was playing with my cat and then decided to lay down. My cat decided to lay down too but near my feet. She started to lick my feet and I let out an eek, and she stops and just stares at me with a deer-in-headlights big eye shocked expression. Then she runs away. I think I offended my cat lol. Sometimes I wonder if cats can understand human language.

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[–]Innisfree 11 insightful - 1 fun11 insightful - 0 fun12 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

It is particularly touching to see attachment to humans in cats, because there are all these negative stereotypes that surround them - that they are unfeeling, that they are arrogant and selfish. Lies, I tell you! :)

They know if and where you are in pain, and if you lied down, this ball of fluff will position itself over the painful area and start working it's healing magic.

Oh and singing, my cat was sensitive to that. First false note and you'd get eight pounds of fur jump in your face and leave you with a scratch makeover. Does yours tolerate singing?

[–]yayblueberries 9 insightful - 2 fun9 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

I stayed at an acquaintance's house over winter and there was a teenager kitty who figured out about what time I get up every day. On the days where I overslept that time he would come very gently pat my head until I at least opened my eyes. I wasn't the one feeding him so it wasn't about food, I think he really was making sure I was okay!

[–]Innisfree 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Sweet! Empathy in animals is the purest thing.

On another note: I would like to believe they pick up some of the frequences or vibes, if you will, to tell our mood/state (we emit very weak electromagnetical fields after all :)). But I guess it's really because they learn certain signs like closed eyes, expressions, sounds etc.

[–]carrotcake 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

One of my cat always looks right into my eyes while I'm singing. The other one doesn't really care but sometimes she does the same.

[–]Innisfree 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Hmm, ladies we have found a good singer! No seriously if the cats approve - you must be good. Or, you have wonderfully chill cats :)

[–]carrotcake 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I didn't know cats were picky to humans singing lol. My singing voice is alright i guess

[–]VioletRemi 9 insightful - 4 fun9 insightful - 3 fun10 insightful - 4 fun -  (0 children)

Cats often really smart. My monster cat (forest cat + maine coon breed) was able to open refrigerator. She was doing that, taking some food and bringing to me "cook pls, I am hungry". If I say no - she would put it back and wait. After walking on the street, she was returning and going to batch, meowning and asking me to turn water on and clean her feet, as she was not liking to dirty floors. And when she saw some dirt on floor or sofa, she would call me and show. She was understanding my mood as well, when I was sad, she was trying to make me happy, and when I was mad, she was not interfering and waiting me to cool down. Sadly she died last year from cancer in the age of 10 years. I have few more younger cats, but they are less smart, but still very supportive to me. After that big cat died, they even went out of their way and were trying to copy her behaviour to make me less sad, it was so cute of them.

[–]carrotcake 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

I sometimes wonder if my cats understand human language too. They definitely understand what we are feeling, though. Back when my cats had just arrived and didn't sleep with me yet, i had a really strong migrane and they slept with me, in a way that i was spooning/hugging them. Once i was really sad and crying and one of them stood by my side the whole time, and she was actually putting her paws on my tears. Idk if she was playing to them or "wiping" my tears. She didn't seem very playful though. After i stopped crying she went away and the other one came and lied on my lap.

[–]writerlylesbian 9 insightful - 5 fun9 insightful - 4 fun10 insightful - 5 fun -  (1 child)

There was one study that found humans and their cats actually develop something of an individual language unique to them. Scientists recorded a whole bunch of different cat meows, then played those meows back to the individual owner of each cat, and the humans generally knew what each sound meant. As in, oh that meow means the cat wants (x). But all the cats had developed different meows for various things, it's just that humans knew THEIR particular cat's noises, and what they meant.

My cat absolutely knows certain words and certain voice intonations. There was some other study that found cats generally knew when their owner was speaking to/about them, the cat just often ignored the owner if they felt like it. Lol. Very cat.

[–]carrotcake 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

That's so cool! It makes sense, we can usually tell witch kind of meowing it is

[–]Innisfree 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yeah, they do understand. My fluff ball helped me navigate a difficult year at my job. At the time, if I were to come back from the drudge to an empty apartment day in day out... Well I'd have a few things to tell Nietszche about meaninglessness and the abyss staring back :)