"An annoying but irresistible combination of sounds"

"Hungry house cats use an annoying but irresistible combination of sounds when they want to be fed, a new study has found," according to National Geographic News (thanks to Goomp for the heads up). Annoying is in the ear of the beholder, and we are, of course, immune. Tiny's wish is our command.

She makes our heart sing. If we want to be annoyed, we look to the powers that be that are robbing us blind and pretending they care about us inside the Beltway.

Update: "My memorable experience with cats, which goes back some 65 years, is that they tend to be more honest and straightforward than humans," writes Goomp in the comments with a sensible suggestion:

Maybe we should limit political office to our feline population.

Update II: "Annoying? Never in life," adds Elisson:

As I recently posted [Be sure to read the whole thing, which has extended commentary by feline motivational speaker Hakuna], "A cat’s language, as we know, is all but impenetrable to the human mind and ear. Delicate, high-pitched overtones, coupled with carefully modulated subsonics, combine to create a vocal medium that can rival the complexity of a Bach concerto, the tonal subtlety of Mandarin Chinese."

Cats are smart enough to know that if they make sounds like a human baby, they activate the loci in our Reptilian Hindbrain that control the nurturing instinct. And we, of course, will therefore feed them — and think they're cute, to boot.

WICKED cute, cats and Elisson both! Goomp too.

Update: Lots more cuteness at Modulator's Friday Ark #252, now boarding.

Update II: The last word prrrt, from our 2007 post "The Cat's gone viral":

From our caption: Detail of a frame from Tandem Director Simon Tofield's brilliant animated short "Cat Man Do," -- wherein the pussycat applies the "Think System on Steroids" to get his food source up and at 'em -- that has ailurophiles all over the internet rolling in the aisles. This artist knows how to draw -- the expressive elegance of his line is deceptively simple -- and as everyone who knows cats knows, he KNOWS cats.

Click here to watch.

Update III: USA Today headline writers get the gist: "Study: Cats overpower owners with 'baby' purr."

Comments

[goomp]

My memorable experience with cats, which goes back some 65 years, is that they tend to be more honest and straight forward than humans. Maybe we should limit political office to our feline population.

[Elisson]

Annoying? Never in life.

As I recently posted, "A cat’s language, as we know, is all but impenetrable to the human mind and ear. Delicate, high-pitched overtones, coupled with carefully modulated subsonics, combine to create a vocal medium that can rival the complexity of a Bach concerto, the tonal subtlety of Mandarin Chinese."

Cats are smart enough to know that if they make sounds like a human baby, they activate the loci in our Reptilian Hindbrain that control the nurturing instinct. And we, of course, will therefore feed them... and think they're cute, to boot.

[Sissy Willis]

Goomp and Elisson: Purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, purr, Purr.

Talk about CUTE!

'Have added your comments in updates.

[Gayle Miller]

There is no sound more welcome to me than the chat initiated by Sam the Wonder Cat. I swear, he tells me all about his day when I get home each evening with his chirps and other sound effects. It's as if he was saying "wassup?" He's going to the vet tonight for an extended stay. Having his teeth cleaned, a good grooming and his shots, etc. and also an evaluation on why he is "watering" other places in my house other than his perfectly immaculate litter box! I love him but I am exhausted by this behavior.

[retriever]

Seems to me we have rats running the show right now, blaming the good guys for depredations they are plotting and carrying out. Just as in the Great Plague of London, some proactive felines might have been very useful.

I don't find my cats annoying when hungry. They howl most piteously and charmingly, would melt a heart of stone. The ignorant might call them welfare scroungers but they keep mice, moles, lettuce-stealing rabbits, ants, yellowjackets and biggest biting house spiders at bay as well as being charming wild company. Aesthetic pest control. Much needed in our country right now! The time I worry about my cats is not when they are miaowing for food but when they are silent: this either means they are lying in wait in dappled light for a (forbidden) leap at bird, or have despaired of sleeping human ever feeding them so slowly pushing candlestick off bedroom headboard credenza onto sleepyhead below. Silent and effective.

[Gayle Miller]

Sam is healthy - but diabetic - we could sic him on the powers that be and I'm sure a cat who has intimidated the 85 pound pit bull down the street, can handle the rats in Congress.

[Laura Lee Donoho]

I've always liked the sound of cat voices. When my sister and I were kids we got pretty good at replicating their mellifluous, mysterious and sometimes really funny voices.

There was the cat who lived near our cousin in Iowa. I don't know what his real name was but we called him Elroy because when he meowed it sounded just like that...Elroy. Then there was our cat, Abbey. She was born in Panama and she meowed in a Spanish accent. I kid you not.

Have you ever heard a Southern cat? They have a very southern and multi-syllabic way of meowing. It goes like this: Meee-yow-ya.

[Teresa]

My daughter's cats talk to me on the phone... well, technically they stand next to her and meow very loudly for attention. LOL.

I still love that vid. It always makes me laugh.

[Tom Seeman]

LOL, that last cartoon video is exactly how my mornings start. Tabitha is quite vocal in her desire for food, and always right at 5:45. There's no need for an alarm clock at my house....

[Sissy Willis]

Gayle: Hope Sam will soon be back in the pink of health.

Laura Lee: 'Love "their mellifluous, mysterious and sometimes really funny voices." Pure magic, and no two alike. Hadn't heard of the southern drawl!

Teresa: Tiny doesn't do the phone but DOES occasionally blog and even twitter as she trots across the keyboard campaigning for the next meal.

[Sissy Willis]

retriever: "Aesthetic pest control." No more need for unmarked cars!

[Sissy Willis]

Tom Seeman: Cutest alarm clocks ever! Tiny's technique involves nose bites and hard paw plus tromping.

[Bluegrass Pundit]

I miss having a cat, but my wife is allergic to them. BTW, Great blog.

Bluegrass Pundit

[Sissy Willis]

Bluegrass Pundit:

Thanks for kind words and comments. :-)

Too bad about wife's allergy.

Have you considered a Sphynx -- hairless! -- cat?

[Stoutcat]

There are the noises that cats make, and then there are the non-noises -- I refer, of course, to The Silent Meow (or in its original: The Silent Miaow). Every cat knows how to, but some cats choose not to use this most lethal vocal weapon.

Toby uses it to great effect. Sparingly, of course, and only when absolutely necessary, but it always works. The pitiful face, the staggering gait, the downcast ears, and then... the mouth opens slightly but no sound comes out. You can read the kitty-lips, the "meow" is there but not vocalized. It's deadly.

Of course, Toby is usually chatty and chirpy; for an 18 lb cat, he has a very sweet and melodious voice. But he knows when to bring out that heavy artillery!

Bluegrass Pundit: yes, you might try a Sphynx, or even a Ragdoll--some breeders say they are non-allergenic. While that is not true (no cat is truly non-allergenic), their coat consists of long guard hairs rather than undercoat, which makes for less dander, so many people with allergies do better with Raggies than with other breeds. Just a thought. Not because I have a Ragdoll. Nope, not at all.

Sissy: FYI, Simon Tofield has two other cat videos.

[Stoutcat]

Nope, no Ragdolls at out house. No sirree. Oh, him? Okay, well only one, then.

[Gayle Miller]

Sam is fine. He's only getting 2 units of insulin daily. He isn't especially happy about the reduced quantity of food he is receiving - but he's coping. He was so happy to get home from the vets (and I was so happy to have him home) that we cuddled like crazy the last 2 nights. Not a bad thing at all!

[Old Grouch]

Re: Simon Tofield

There's also an official "Simon's Cat" website.

[Betty]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Betty

http://dogfurniture.info