This past week at the SPCA, the kitties were acting sort of strange and instead of playing vigorously with toys, they were really into rubbing their faces and sides on me and arching their backs and making strange bird-like-ish noises. Needless to say, I got really hairy both days when they were acting like this. Also they were a little bit more on-edge with each other in the social cat nap room, and with me in the chillzone with the couches. I got pretty badly scratched a few times when taking Yeadon out of her cage, and when playing with Miss Piggy in the catnap room. I sort of felt like I was might have been doing something wrong, but when I looked up some cat body language online, some of the sources said that this bird-like chirping sound was actually a friendly and excited greeting. And I figured that the rubbing up against me may have just been friendly cuddling. Anyone have any similar experiences or perhaps know how to interpret this behavior?
Thanks!
Ash
P.S. I enjoyed discussing "caregiver talk"in class today because people usually find it odd when I talk to babies, young children, and animals the same as I would talk to any of my other friends. I guess it does seem a little bit weird to say "yo, what's up" in a (relatively) low voice to a cat or dog, but this just seems more natural and less fake to me. Lately, around other people, I have been sort of altering this behavior because I am afraid people will assume I'm being rude if I don't employ a caregiver voice.
Great pics and meditations here, Ashley!
ReplyDeleteIn terms of cat behavior, I guess it's good to keep in mind that every animal has its own personality, and even if we follow behaviorist recommendations, we can sometimes be surprised. You may try speaking with assistants at the Pennsylvania SPCA for their recommendations about particular cats and their personalities, as well as strategies for socializing them.
There's a lot of unexplored terrain in the language of caregivers: how caregivers speak to nonhuman animals (tone, diction, etc.), how they speak for, as, and through nonhuman animals, and so on. Of course, language carries so much meaning in terms of signifying power structures and world views, and we'll look at some of this in class.
The first cat you posted--I love her! I always go and sit in that corner where she always hides and she'll slowly come up to the side of my leg and make me pet her for forever. But she won't come out any further than that, it's so funny.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there is a lot of cat tension in that room sometimes. I think it's because they get jealous. I'll sit down and they'll all start to walk over to me, but I only have two hands so I can only pet one or two at a time and I find that that's when they start growling at each other. The only way to make it stop is to start petting one of the ones that's fighting (usually), which is why I think it's just jealousy.
Thanks for your responses! I know, Katlyn- I have the same exact experiences in the cat room and I think you're definitely right about the jealousy issue. Doctor Featherston- I agree about how the kitties individual behaviors are all unique, i was just so intrigued by how similarly all of the cats were acting that day. My curiosity lead to some research and I also think it might just be because I went relatively in the day.
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