My cat CeCe is very vocal. She’s mostly vocal in the morning, although she’s been vocal late at night which can throw off my sleep! My other cat, Benny, is quiet; except when he’s purring on my lap.

Cats have a wide range of sound other than the usual meow. They hiss, growl, scream, chirp, and chatter. The most famous vocalization is the purr — it’s very soothing to the ear. Of course, some cats are on the quiet side. You hardly hear a “peep” out of them!

Cats hiss, growl (CeCe), and scream when they are frightened or aggravated. CeCe will growl at Benny when he tries to get her attention because he wants to play. CeCe usually swats Benny in the face, but Benny doesn’t get the message; it takes a few swats to the face for him to realize that CeCe wants to be left alone.

If your indoor cat makes a chirping or chattering sound followed by clicking of their teeth, they probably spotted a bird outside. A cat will chirp and or chatter when he looks at potential prey without being able to get to it. He may jump up and lunge towards the glass — watch out for this action!

When you cat is happy and content, she’ll let you know it by purring. It’s very soothing to listen to a cat purr as she sits in your lap. How a cat is able to purr is still a mystery. But, most cat experts believe purring is occurs when the muscles of the larynx contract in rapid succession.

Did you know that the Cheetah is the only large cat with a true purr?

Occasional vocalization is normal. However, if your cat is too vocal, you may want to take her to your veterinarian. There could be something wrong with her. Cats communicate through their vocals and some are more vocals than others. Take this into consideration when you adopt and rescue a cat. Make sure you find a cat that matches your personality. You’ll have a friend for life!

Rebecca

How vocal is your cat? Share your experiences.

When the holiday season begins in November, many people are busy cooking and cleaning. Relatives will be visiting from out-of-town which means “Mr. Snuffles” may find himself shaking and hissing in the corner, trying to avoid your nieces and nephews. Gotta love family!

Keep your cats safe for the holidays. Family, friends, and their children may stay at your home; politely tell them that Mr. Snuffles does not like to be handled by small children. This will keep the children and Mr. Snuffles safe.

When you put up the Christmas tree, make sure it is secure. Cats love to climb trees, and they’ll think that you bought the tree just for them! Make sure you place a tree skirt around the tree and keep an eye on the water level. Cats may think that the tree water is another water dish for them. Yuck!

Tips and Tricks

• Keep holiday decorations away from cats. They could digest the garland from the Christmas tree and have to go to the veterinarian;
• Put food away in refrigerator so you cats do not feast on your meal; they could get sick;
• Make sure you tell family and friends that your cats do not like to be held;
• Give your cats plenty of toys to keep them occupied while you have guests visiting your home. They’ll probably run and hide anyway!

The holidays are a time to bring out all of the decorations from the attic or closet. From shiny Christmas ornaments to a Menorah. Make sure your decorations are out of reach; otherwise you may find it on the ground in pieces.

Cats love to climb Christmas trees. You may consider purchasing an artificial tree. This way you’ll have it for more than one Christmas, that’s provided that your cats do not take it down!

Rebecca

What are you doing to keep your cats safe for the holidays?

Adopting and rescuing a cat from your local humane society is the best gift you can give. Some shelters have adoption rooms where you can spend time with a cat before you adopt it. This is a great idea because you get to interact with the cat and check out their personality. For those of you, who are on the quiet side, make sure you ask “how vocal is the cat?” A vocal cat may not be the best choice for you.

Cats are vocal like people. They will let you know when they are hungry or want to play. If you work at home, a cat’s vocalization may be a distraction for you. Think about this before you adopt a cat from the humane society. It would be ashame if you return the cat because she’s too vocal.

If you have trouble getting up, a vocal cat makes a great alarm clock! This can help you save money on electricity. Wouldn’t it be better to wake up to your cat’s voice instead of a blaring alarm clock buzzer? You cat may also jump on the bed and not leave until you get up. This will ensure that you get to work on time.

When you adopt and rescue a cat, you get a friend for life. You may not find out that your cat is vocal until a month or two. Give the relationship a chance. Your new friend is communicating the only way she knows how. Spend as much time as you can with your cat. Working from home can be tricky because your cat will not understand that you must work instead of play with her. Be gentle, compassionate, and patient. Your cat will understand your routine sooner or later. If not, allow her to sit on your lap while you work. She can be a great motivator!

Rebecca

How vocal is your cat?

Spaying and neutering your cat is a good thing. Many people do not agree with this. For some reason they think it’s a bad thing. Perhaps they feel the cat will be less than a cat if it is spayed or neutered. Getting a cat spayed or neutered is for his or her own good and yours.

Some people allow their cats to be outdoor cats. What happens when your male cat meets a female cat? They will add to the ever expanding kitten population! Before you know it, you may have a litter of kittens on your doorstep. Are you prepared for that responsibility? You’re probably not ready to take care of a basket full of kittens! You most likely will take them down to your Humane Shelter, give them away, or sell them. If you had your male cat neutered, you wouldn’t have a bunch of kittens in your home!

Having your cat spayed or neutered is a great way to keep the kitten population from expanding. Each year thousands of kittens are born. Some will survive, some won’t. The kittens could end up becoming the responsibility of others. It’s not fair to them or the kittens.

Some people use money as the reason they don’t get their cat spayed or neutered. This is inexcusable. If you can’t afford to the procedure, don’t have a cat. Furthermore, many shelters including the Humane Society, offer low-cost spaying and neutering.

Bonus: A cat from the Humane Society or your local shelter will already be spayed or neutered so you won’t have to pay for it.

The Human Society provides a “mobile” clinic that will stop at PetSmart or Petco. You can bring your cat to the “clinic on wheels” and have your cat spayed or neutered for a fraction of the cost of what you’d spend at your veterinarian. It’s a win-win situation!

Don’t be ashamed to get your cat spayed or neutered because there’s nothing shameful about it. You’ll be doing your cat a favor. You probably won’t breed your cat so you may as well get her spayed. Besides, in the years to come, it could become mandatory.

During kitten season, many shelters across the world see an influx of kittens. It becomes the shelter’s responsibility to find homes for these animals. It can become costly, but they do the best they can. Have your cat spayed or neutered today so tomorrow the kitten population won’t be as large and the shelters will not be overrun with kittens!

Rebecca

What is holding you back from spaying or neutering your cat?

Before you adopt and rescue a cat or kitten from your local Humane Society or shelter, make sure you’re a responsible cat parent. Cats and kittens are no different than children. The only difference is that they don’t talk back to you. Then again, cats will be vocal if you’re late feeding them!

When you adopt and rescue a cat or kitten from a shelter be aware that they may require more responsibility and need just a bit more TLC than your cat or kitten. Animals in a shelter are stressed and susceptible to illnesses such as upper respiratory infection. Make sure you’re prepared to nurse a sick cat or kitten for about two weeks.

Tip: Make sure you feed your cat the proper nutrition. Like people, cats are becoming obese. It’s not uncommon to read about a 20 lb. cat. Yikes! Provide your cat with kitty condos he can climb and give him toys like a stuffed mouse he can chase. Consult your veterinarian on how you can keep you cat in tip-top shape.

Remember when you adopt and rescue a cat or kitten, it’s a long-term commitment. Make sure you find one that fits your personality. It’s not fair to the cat or kitten if he or she is too vocal. Write down the type of cat you’re looking for. What color will the cat be? What gender would you like, male or female? What about the cat’s personality, friendly or highly independent? What is your personality like? Knowing before you go to a shelter will help you help the adoption volunteers choose a cat that is purrfect for you!

When you adopt and rescue a cat he’ll become part of the family. If you’re personality is one that sees cats as just that and not a family member, you may want to forgo adopting a cat and get a fish instead. They’re low maintenance and just swim in a bowl or small aquarium.

Children need to be taught to respect and honor pets. Before you adopt and rescue a cat into your home, educate your children. Make sure they know the cat IS NOT a toy! Bring them to shelters and let them get acquainted with a cat or kitten. Tell the volunteers and employees that you’d like to adopt, but want to introduce your children before you bring a cat or kitten home. Perhaps the shelter has some kind of program where they educate children on pets. The more they know and can apply what is taught the better for the animal community.

Adopting and rescuing a cat from your local shelter is the best gift you can give. These animals are stressed out because one minute they’re with a loving family and the next they’re in a tiny cage. Their freedom is taken away and they don’t know why. Plus, they’re hearing new and strange noises they haven’t heard before in their life. Be understanding and patient with a shelter cat or kitten.

Cats and kittens are living creatures like you. They are alive and deserve to be treated with respect just as humans do. Make sure you’re ready for the commitment of being a cat owner. It takes more than time and money; it takes love and compassion as well!

Rebecca

How are you a responsible cat parent?

Before you decide to adopt and rescue a cat or kitten, make sure you’re a responsible cat parent. You may want to adopt a kitten but may not have the time to spend with it. Kittens need lots of play time and attention. Maybe your job will not allow for much time to spend with the kitten. You may want to think about what it means to be a responsible cat parent.

Adopting and rescuing a kitten or cat is a huge responsibility. They are like having children. You’ll have food and medical costs, provide shelter, engage in play time, and provide lots of love and affection. Assess your life and ask yourself, “…How will this extra responsibility fit into my life?” This will help you decide whether or not you’re ready for the additional responsibility of owning a cat.

Questions to consider before you adopt and rescue

Think about these questions before you adopt and rescue a cat or kitten.

• Who will be the main caretaker?
• What is your personality?
• What is the right age of a cat for you?
• How much time do you have to spend with a kitten?
• What is your estimate of veterinarian costs?
• How much do you think it costs to provide for a cat/kitten?
• What is your living situation? Rent? Own? Roommate?
• When you travel, who will watch your cat or kitten?
• What breed of cat and personality are you looking for?
• What types of allergies do you have?

These questions will help you make the best decision for you. Being a responsible pet parent means you’ll put aside some of your interests to adopt and rescue a cat or kitten. When you adopt from a shelter there’s a good chance that the kitten or cat may develop an upper respiratory infection. You’ll be responsible for dispensing the medicine which can be tricky. Remember when you were a kid and your mom had to give you cough medicine or penicillin? The label may have stated bubble gum flavor but it really wasn’t! Try opening the mouth of cat or kitten to get the medicine in them, it’s not that easy.

Before you drive to the animal shelter to adopt and rescue a cat or kitten, make sure you’re ready for the added responsibility both financially, physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s not fair to the cat if it doesn’t work out. Returning her to the shelter will be stressful for her and you. Avoid this situation by being ready for a pet. Do this and you’ll have a happy ending!

Rebecca

How educated are you about cats?