Cats are naturally quite independent creatures. You might notice that they get in fights when one cat enters another cat's territory (often the back garden) and that when they do, they exhibit some strange behavior. This is basically cats communicating with each other and you can learn some of these behaviors so that you, too, can 'talk' to your cat.

One of the easiest ways to say 'I love you' to your cat is to wait until they're comfortable and then establish eye contact. Cats are usually good at staring so this should be easy. Once your cat is looking at you, don't smile (bearing your teeth says 'I'm aggressive' to them), but instead close your eyes or squint at them. For humans this expression is often one of loathing, but for cats it is exactly the opposite. If they're in a good mood and they like you, there's every chance they'll return the expression. It's odd that human and feline expressions of loathing and loving are opposite, but once you've got the hang of it, it's pretty easy.

Sometimes you'll find yourself in the position where you've cuddles, kissed and fussed over your cat too much and they want nothing more to do with you. If you've really gone too far they might be displaying some aggressive behavior towards you: flattening their ears back, bearing their teeth, hissing and licking their lips. In this case, wait until they've established eye contact with you and then look directly above their head and past them. Make yourself as small as possible (crouch down, down stand above them) and back away. This says 'okay, you're the boss' and it won't affect your hierarchy within the house, but it will simply diffuse the situation and calm your puss down.

As far as actually talking to your cat goes, the 'baby talk' that a of of women submit their cats to actually works. They can hear these soft, but high pitches sounds much better and respond to them as praise when they're coupled with treats or gentle stroking. Don't give them a torrent of squealing or they'll probably just run away in confusion. Remember that cats often don't quite understand your motives, which are much different from theirs. To initiate a stroking session simply offer them your finger to sniff. They might rub their cheek against it; this is them marking their scent on your hand and a very good sign. It essentially means 'I like you; you can be my property' and you can take this as a green light to make a fuss.

Our final tip for communicating with your cat is to not wait around for them to make a decision when they ask to come in or go outside. A lot of cats will wait by the door and then when you open in only stick their head out for a look. It's frustrating, and you need to remember that cats don't realize you don't want to stand by the door all day, so don't! Shut the door if they don't go straight out and they'll soon learn to only ask when they know they really want to.

Stan Tian

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