Call me crazy, but I think my cat talked to me.

[Heidi]

Here's the deal: every other day, sometime between 5 and 6 p.m., I boil a piece of frozen Alaska perch for The Wiley and Excellent Cat Named Ginger. So yesterday, I boiled, cooled, cut up and served the fish to Ginger and walked away so he could eat in peace.

A few minutes later I returned to pick up the plate, to find Ginger sitting by the half-empty plate.

"Hey, Ging, was that good fish?"

I swear: he looked me right in the eye and said, "Meh."

[SeattleGirl]

1. Hi Crazy!

Of course he talked to you!

:rofl:

[Heidi]

3. Hahahahahaha!

I was asking for that, wasn't I? :rofl:

Yeah, I think he was saying something; it just seemed very strange that it sounded exactly like, "Meh." :spray:

[SeattleGirl]

6. My oldest cat, Miss Kitty The Queen of the Universe, says "Mama",

I swear!

[Heidi]

8. Ginger doesn't know my name.

He refers to me as, "The one who feeds me." :P

[SeattleGirl]

11. ROFL!

:rofl:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. My dear Heidi!

I'm sure that the Wiley and Excellent Cat named Ginger did indeed say "meh."

Anyone as smart as you would only have a smart cat too!

It is kinda scary, though!:scared:

[Heidi]

4. My cat's infinitely smarter than I am, Peggy.

Truly. That's why I'm the one boiling fish and he's the one critiquing it with one-word descriptions like, "Meh." :rofl:

:loveya:

[bridgit]

5. Honey, Tim talks to me all the time...

he's got a vocalization for, "Mom", "Dad", "feather", little trills...the whole nine :thumbsup:

[Heidi]

7. Dear Tim,

I love you, and your Mama, too. :loveya: :hug: <-- kitty hug with bonus belly scratches.

[bridgit]

9. isn't he handsome....

:hug: :loveya:

[ironflange]

10. One of ours calls us by name

Well, it's yowly, but we can discern our names, and if whoever she's calling calls her, she comes a-running. It's even stranger because otherwise this cat is dumber than a sack of hammers.



Snappy dresser, though. Black and pink go nicely together.

[Heidi]

12. She's beautiful!

But if I ever tried dressing Ginger in human clothing, I'd wake up one morning dead. :scared:

:hi: ironflange! Here's your hug from Heidiland: :hug:

[ironflange]

15. Thanks, she is beautiful

Cleo's coat is amazing, it's like patent leather; she works on it by the hour. She's also a little too tolerant for her own good. We have a new kitten coming home next week, and she's gonna sulk. A lot. But she's the alpha cat of the house now, so she's gonna have to put on her big girl panties and deal with it.

[Heidi]

16. We'll need to see kitty photos next week, ironflange!

Please, please, please???????

I'm sure Cleo will do just fine with the new arrival, especially since she's a tolerant cat. :loveya:

[ironflange]

18. OK, here's a quick one

Here's Pips. We visit him a lot at the shelter.



Cleo will be fine, she still growls and hisses at Amber after four years, but we know she cuddles and bathes her when she thinks we're not looking. OK, here's Amber, for good measure:



She's a tiny cat in a big fur coat, a kitten that never really grew up. We figure she and Pips may very well destroy the house by the time they're done.

[Heidi]

19. Uh-oh. Pips has that look in his eye.

I think he's gonna liven up Amber's and Cleo's lives. :rofl:

Thank you for adopting from a shelter! :yourock:

[ironflange]

23. Cleo's a shelter cat too

Amber, well, we were in a pet shop, and you know what can happen. She's quite wild, though, wouldn't surprise us if she was a feral kitten. The four of us are the only ones who can ever see her, let alone touch her; if any visitors come she's up the stairs and under the bed, a furry streak.

[Maraya1969]

20. OMG I'm in love! I so want another kitty.

:loveya: That's so nice that you can visit him until he's ready to go home with you.

[astral]

13. Absolutely! She's saying she'd prefer it raw, actually!

My cat is crazy for raw salmon, of course he rarely ever gets it and I don't know how much is good in 'moderation' so he doesn't get very much. He goes Bat eer -- Cat -- er you know what I mean, over it!

And he very frequently answers me when I'm talking to him, and when he talks to me --- he moves his lips! His various tones of voice alone give him a great vocabulary, in fact he just cracks me up pretty much every day!

I'm pretty sure each of our cats has a name for us as well, whether it's our real name or not.

[Heidi]

14. I'm kind of afraid to give Ginger raw fish.

He was diagnosed with colitis about three years ago, and I shouldn't even be giving him cooked fish but he really really really loves it on his non-"Meh" days. :P

I wonder what Ginger's name for me is? I mean, besides, "The one who feeds me." :rofl:

[Richard Steele]

17. I believe you. Mine once spoke to me. I wasn't on drugs, and I have a witness. nm

[Heidi]

21. I wasn't on drugs, either, but

after he said, "Meh," I felt like I was. :rofl:

Unfortunately, the only witnesses were Ginger and me, because CMW was in another room when Ginger spoke. :cry:

[Der Blaue Engel]

22. I got really pissed at Neo the Angry Little Cat once

for attacking Urd rather viciously in the middle of the night. You've heard cats fighting in the street? It was like that. I couldn't get him off of her, so I started screaming at Neo and threw a throw pillow at him. The pillow apparently scared the living hell out of him, because they both ran in opposite directions, but Neo ran under the kitchen table and when I came into the kitchen, he was crouched in a little ball and he said (I swear to you), "Ohhhhh, noooooooooo!"

That was The Night I Frightened My Cat Into Human Speech.

[Heidi]

24. I've used a glass of water to break up a catfight.

A couple of years ago, Ginger and his brother, Barley, double-teamed my mother-in-law's cat and were well on their way to eviscerating him. The only way I could think of to break up the fight was by throwing cold water on all three of them. But it worked. :scared:

[RFKHumphreyObama]

25. Siamese cats must be intelligent

I remember my sister trying to ask my grandmother's Siamese cat a question in imitation cat language -i.e. meow in a certain tone of voice -and the cat actually responded to her question in a similar cat dialogue. My sister then wondered what she had asked him or promised him and hoped that it wasn't something too extravagant

[Heidi]

26. Hi!

:hug: Nice to see you! :hug:

Ginger's only part Siamese, but we don't know where that part came from. His father was a wild, stry, black and white tuxedo cat, and his mom is blue-gray. But he's pretty darn smart, Siamese or not. :)

[RFKHumphreyObama]

36. Hi Heidi

Likewise, good to see you again:hi: Hope everything's well with you:hug:

Ginger looks very cute and yet very dignified -you can definitely see his Siamese features even if he's only part Siamese. I've always liked Siamese cats -they are in fact my favorite breed of cat because I just find them so absolutely beautiful.

My grandmother's last Siamese cat -the one I am referring to here -always made sure that my grandmother knew who was in charge (as I suspect most cats do). He expected her to carry him up the stairs to their mutual bedroom for HIS afternoon nap despite the fact that she was rapidly approaching ninety and was not so steady on her feet. And he would get VERY annoyed if she didn't adhere to his wishes.

Mind you, one of my grandmother's Siamese cats (she had three consecutively) was a smart creature but he wasn't always on the ball. My uncle once tricked him into biting his own tail. He also used to ambush people by grabbing their leg as they were walking to the dinner table. Unfortunately he usually had a habit of doing so while their leg was moving with the result that he'd end up getting unintentionally kicked. I think he gave up that habit eventually

[Heidi]

40. I'm so glad

you shared a little about Siamese cats' traits. Ginger certainly has enough of them. Call Me Wesley carries him upstairs every night and places Ginger on top of the duvet in the "V" of my legs -- hours before CMW's own bedtime. (CMW is a night person; Ginger and I are morning beings.) Ginger has us very well trained. :rofl:

:hug: :hug:

[Perry Logan]

27. I'm sure cats would talk to us more if they had more respect for us.

[meegbear]

28. I had a dog like that ...

I'd ask him "What does sandpaper feel like?" and he'd say "Ruff".
I'd ask him "What's the covering on top of a house?" and he'd say "Roof".
I'd ask him "Who's the greatest baseball player of all time?" and he'd say "Ruth".

Uncanny.

[Heidi]

45. Ha!

Ginger has a ways to go before he's up to your dog's level of communication, meegbear. :rofl: :spray:

[zanne]

29. You cook Alaska Perch for your cat?

He should have said "My dear woman--your kindness only exceeds your good looks". But I have cats too, so I can see how you'd settle for "meh".

[kedrys]

30. Of course he did!

Cats' vocalizations are way more complex, IMO, than most people give them credit for. Caesar (RIP) knew several words of English, including our names, and apparently taught them to the other cats. There's nothing weirder than a cat asking you to turn on the faucet by saying "water", or saying "oh no!" over and over on the way to the vet, or calling our actual names in cases of dire emergency.

It's creepy in a wonderful sort of way. Those critters are waaaaayyyy too smart for their own good.

:hi:

[unpossibles]

31. whenever I pick up my semi-feral younger cat, he screams

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

It's really cute.

[mzteris]

32. my cat talks to me

all the time.

I think he's usually cussing me out about something, though. :rofl:

[Heidi]

42. Ha!!!!!

I think Ginger talks _about_ me to his brother, sister, aunt and uncle.

"She _knows_ I prefer salmon or roast beef! But what does she set in front of me? A big, warm plate of Alaska perch. :puke:" :rofl: :spray:

[huskerlaw]

33. Hahahahahaha

Somehow, I can totally picture him doing that! ;)

But no, you're not crazy. Riley talks to me. Spencer doesn't, as that would require him to interact with me, and he can't have that. Kyra will, I think, but she hasn't figured out how to make the dumb human understand her...yet!

[Heidi]

38. Please tell Kyra, Riley and Spencer to be watching the mail.

A medium-sized, yellow and white SwissPost box addressed to the three of them will be arriving soon. I sent it "Priority" this morning. Naturally, it includes a couple of goodies for their mom. :hug: to you four.

[mulsh]

34. our cat told us her name when she moved in

she had been lurking in our front garden for about a week. obviously checking us out. about two weeks before Christmas she wandered in with my wife. She sniffed around the house. I tore some left over roast beef into really small pieces and poured her a bowl of water. both of which she seemed to appreciate or at least she ate and drank. when she was finished she looked up at me. I said, " you're welcome to stay as long as you like, what's your name?" "Reeowff" she replied. that was four years ago. she actually responds when we call Reeowff.

I'm not sure about being able to speak like humans but animals sure can communicate.

[Heidi]

41. I love that name!

And I should perhaps be ashamed to admit this, but on the days that I don't boil Alaska perch for Ginger, he gets rare deli roast beef -- but he'll only eat it from my fingertips. If I put it on a plate, he's not interested. That's _really_ bad, isn't it? I hope CMW and I outlive him, because I'm pretty sure no one else would tolerate Ginger's intolerance. :P

[mulsh]

65. Reeowff only eats dry food these days

an occasional extra cheesy doritos, popcorn, she does brunch with me pretty much daily on left over milk and shredded wheat particles. she never drinks fresh milk sans cereal particles. but she is not a pet she's a house guest. if we get a dog the dog will be a pet.

in the 60's my mother would cook food for our pets. mostly hamburger or veal burgers, sometimes fish for the cat. in the early 70's during the beef crisis she was forced to switch to dog and cat food. our dog and cat staged a valorous hunger strike but it lasted less than a week. much grumbling from the canine and feline alliance. all power to the pets.

[Heidi]

66. Hi, mulsh!

Ginger's supposed to eat (doctor's orders) only prescription dry cat foot and Almo Nature organic wet cat food because, in addition to colitis, he was diagnosed a couple of years ago with a predisposition to crystal buildup in his urinary track. We're very careful about his diet, and he really bitches on the days he's allowed only dry or canned cat food, but we try to strike a balance. His quality of life (and his taste for boiled fish and the occasional package of deli roast beef) is as important as our own, so I try not to be strict to a fault with his diet.

I don't think Ginger has it in him to stage a hunger strike.(Thank goodness. I'd probably have to get myself sedated if he staged a hunger strike. I suspect Ginger knows this.)

Signed,

Heidi <-- Lenient cat mom and reason Number 1 why some people are better off raising a cat instead of a child

[Inchworm]

35. Hi Crazy!

Cute cat :)

:hi:

[Heidi]

Don't make me

go all French maid on yer butt, bubba. :rofl: :spray:

[Inchworm]

47. I have no idea

what you are referring to ma'am.

O8)

:rofl:

[Heidi]

48. "Ma'am"????? MA'AM??????

Just how OLD do you think I am, SIR?

Wait. Don't answer that. Please. Don't answer it.

[Inchworm]

50. Dr. Doolittle-like abilities

are the first sign.

:yoiks:

[terrya]

37. I swear my cat would talk to me sometimes.

I miss her. :cry:

[Heidi]

39. Terry, you know

that our door is always open to you. You can come and talk with Ginger (and us) _anytime_. :hug: :loveya:

[terrya]

53. Thank you, Heidi!

You all are good. My kitty passed away last month...I miss her very much.

:hug: :loveya:

[TexasBushwhacker]

55. So sorry!!!

Terrya,

When my first cat died at the ripe old age of 22, I was just beside myself with grief. I found out that the local SPCA had pet loss support groups that met a couple of times a month. It was very comforting to be with a group of people who were going through the same feelings that I had. Look into it in your area. It really helps.

TB

[ThomCat]

43. My cats talk to me all the time.

They just aren't normally all that easy to understand. Ginger seems pretty articulate. :P

[Heidi]

44. Ginger meows

in Italian, German, Swiss-German and broken English. :rofl:

Hi, ThomCat! :hug:

[fizzgig]

46. i don't think you're crazy, heidi

my cats talk to me all the time and i talk back. most times we understand each other ;)

i can't get over how handsome ginger is, he reminds me of two cats we had when i was younger, both siamese males. they are great kitties :)

[Heidi]

49. Hi, my sweet.

I've missed you around here. :hug:

Mr. Snuggly (aka The Wiley and Excellent Boy Cat Named Ginger) sends you his love, but he asks that you don't mention this human crush to Elrond Hubbard. :evilgrin:

[fizzgig]

51. you are too sweet, miss heidi

and tell the snuggle monster that his secret is safe with me ;)

[Heidi]

52. Just between us, Ginger wants you to have one of his pin-up photos

of him nekkid in bed with one of his toys. :p

[fizzgig]

62. squeeeeeeeee!

:loveya:

[barb162]

54. That is such a beautiful cat. Truly a beauty.

Oh and they do talk! Be glad your cat didn't say: get the hell out of here, I don't like the way you prepare the fish!

[racaulk]

56. I will reserve my "Crazy Cat Lady" comments...

But that is one gorgeous cat! :loveya:

[TexasBushwhacker]

57. Oh, mine talk to me all the time

The funny thing is, they don't really talk to each other much, although they will utter a little "eh" to acknowledge the other when one comes up to share the food dish or share the warm spot on the bed.

[WolverineDG]

58. You're not crazy

I once witnessed our Siamese cat talk back to my mom. They were "arguing" about something & then Mom pointed at her & said "Nothing more from you, young lady." Mom then walked to the kitchen. Suki stayed where she was, but watched where Mom went & at the last possible second before Mom disappeared, she said "MEH!" :rofl:

This cat also liked to play hide & seek. I still miss her.

dg

[yellowdogintexas]

59. not crazy, no not at all. I would expect no less from TWAEBCNG

nice to see you(and Ginger)

Lewis Lardbutt has his own language, with many interesting inflections. He enters the room rambling on about the day's activities. Some of his good phrases include

'Mrow mROW' (Right NOW)
"Mnow rawer) (NOT later)
'morroo' (Hello)
meNOW Me NOW

Clark, on the other hand, just whines. But he is really sweet

[bridgit]

60. The Excellent Cat Named Ginger is so compact/composed, I love the way he curls his tail

he's in a state of balance :hi:

[riverdeep]

61. You're (probably) not crazy.

Science can back you up. This scientist at Cornell, says cats were artificially selected, by us, to produce certain vocalizations. The vocalizations are subtle and complex.

"Though they lack language, cats have become very skilled at managing humans to get what they want ---- basically food, shelter and a little human affection."

"I was interested in learning how humans have shaped cat vocal behavior by artificial selection, and how cats have evolved to exploit pre-existing human perceptual tendencies. Seven thousand years ago, when we think the ancestors of our domesticated cats began wandering into Egyptian granaries and offering to trade rodent-control services for shelter, it was probably the pleasant-sounding cats that were selected and accepted into human society.

http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/May02/cat_talk.hrs.html

He compared the vocalizations to wild cats that made sounds humans found harsh. I do disagree with him when he says "cats do not know the meaning of their own meows". I think they do, or why else would they do it?

[Robeson]

63. If cats could actually bridge the gap of language....

...they'd rule the world.

[MilesColtrane]

64. Not unheard of.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_jee08X-jM

[Maestro]

67. What an insult!

You slave away cooking fish and all you get is, "Meh." How ungrateful! :rofl:

[Ivan Sputnik]

68. Not crazy....mad

"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.
"Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat: "We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."