Do I have a little furry Pavarotti?
December 12, 2009 7:47 AM Subscribe
One of my cats has taken up singing with me. Only I'm having a hard time telling--is he enjoying it, or is he shrieking 'shut up already' at the top of his lungs?
I sing along with my mp3s when I'm home alone. Recently, one of the cats has started, even if he's not in the same room I am, going 'yowwowwww' loudly and repeatedly while I'm singing, and sometimes shortly afterwards. Usually even if he starts in another room, he'll eventually come where I am and look up at me while he does it.
Usually I'm pretty good at telling whether my cats are happy or unhappy, but... how do I tell if my fat little tabby boy is just a huge fan of my vocal artistry, or thinks I need to shut my trap?
I sing along with my mp3s when I'm home alone. Recently, one of the cats has started, even if he's not in the same room I am, going 'yowwowwww' loudly and repeatedly while I'm singing, and sometimes shortly afterwards. Usually even if he starts in another room, he'll eventually come where I am and look up at me while he does it.
Usually I'm pretty good at telling whether my cats are happy or unhappy, but... how do I tell if my fat little tabby boy is just a huge fan of my vocal artistry, or thinks I need to shut my trap?
It sounds as though he's enjoying it, but I think we'd have to see a video of it in order to be sure.
posted by amarynth at 7:54 AM on December 12, 2009 [63 favorites]
posted by amarynth at 7:54 AM on December 12, 2009 [63 favorites]
Ditto on the video. I had a cat that would do the same thing whenever I'd whistle at home. At the time, I thought he hated it because he would roll around on his back smooshing his ears into the carpet. Looking back, I think he might have just been playing since he could have easily stayed in the other end of the house.
Either way, I'd say as long as you're not screaming or screeching, you're probably not hurting him.
posted by Kimothy at 8:01 AM on December 12, 2009
Either way, I'd say as long as you're not screaming or screeching, you're probably not hurting him.
posted by Kimothy at 8:01 AM on December 12, 2009
Domesticated cats are social animals that live in groups when they go feral. I'd guess he's displaying some kind of social/group behavior with you, joining in in making noise. Female cats in heat make loud, weird singing noises, for instance.
I wouldn't make a call as to whether he's "enjoying" it. But as noted above, if a cat truly hates something, it will run and hide under a bed or something.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 8:14 AM on December 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
I wouldn't make a call as to whether he's "enjoying" it. But as noted above, if a cat truly hates something, it will run and hide under a bed or something.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 8:14 AM on December 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
During law school, I would read my textbooks out loud to avoid falling asleep. This drove my cat nuts. She'd come over, yowl at me and try to head butt me or paw at my mouth. I tend to think that she was either (a) 'worried' about me; (b) trying to get me to shut up or (c) both. The 'worry' would come from the fact that I was the only human in the place: who the hell was I talking to? Has the human suddenly gone insane?
Perhaps your kitty has a similar concern.
posted by LOLAttorney2009 at 8:23 AM on December 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
Perhaps your kitty has a similar concern.
posted by LOLAttorney2009 at 8:23 AM on December 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
I agree that we need to see a video to be absolutely certain, but it sounds to me like he enjoys it. Usually cats will run away from something they don't enjoy something, like, in the case of my cats, getting picked up and hugged and kissed. :(
posted by Maisie at 8:27 AM on December 12, 2009
posted by Maisie at 8:27 AM on December 12, 2009
If he didn't like it he wouldn't come and do it with you.
I had to stop practicing flute at home because my greyhound like to sing along. At first I was worried as well that I was hurting her. Then one day she came up while I was playing, stuck her ear at the very end of the flute, and closed her eyes and began 'singing' along.
That convinced me it didn't hurt her, but it's hard to practice when you're laughing uncontrollably, so I stopped practicing at home.
posted by winna at 8:54 AM on December 12, 2009 [16 favorites]
I had to stop practicing flute at home because my greyhound like to sing along. At first I was worried as well that I was hurting her. Then one day she came up while I was playing, stuck her ear at the very end of the flute, and closed her eyes and began 'singing' along.
That convinced me it didn't hurt her, but it's hard to practice when you're laughing uncontrollably, so I stopped practicing at home.
posted by winna at 8:54 AM on December 12, 2009 [16 favorites]
I'm usually pretty quiet at home, and my cats do this when I am talking on the phone. I figured there was a "Are you talking to me? What do you want?" factor to this behavior.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 9:06 AM on December 12, 2009
posted by ArgentCorvid at 9:06 AM on December 12, 2009
I had a cat once who would begin to yowl when I sang, and after a few minutes he would climb up next to me and begin hitting me with his paw. I took that as negative criticism. If your cat doesn't resort to violence, he's probably enjoying your singing.
posted by JanetLand at 9:08 AM on December 12, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by JanetLand at 9:08 AM on December 12, 2009 [3 favorites]
When I practice karaoke (I'm in a competitive karaoke league, so yes, I practice), one of my cats comes to check up on me. It's clear she's concerned because she tries to get into my lap and basically exhibits concerned, nurturing behavior until I stop, like butting to get attention and licking me, I guess to find the injury that's making me howl.
If your cat is singing along, he probably likes your singing.
posted by immlass at 9:13 AM on December 12, 2009 [3 favorites]
If your cat is singing along, he probably likes your singing.
posted by immlass at 9:13 AM on December 12, 2009 [3 favorites]
My cat smacks me when I sing, so agree with others that your cat wouuld flee or commit violence if he didn't like it.
posted by Mavri at 9:23 AM on December 12, 2009
posted by Mavri at 9:23 AM on December 12, 2009
It's quiet at my bachelor apartment, and my 16-year-old tuxedo kitty will start mewling and yapping when I talk on the phone or sing along to music. Perfectly normal.
posted by porn in the woods at 9:28 AM on December 12, 2009
posted by porn in the woods at 9:28 AM on December 12, 2009
One of my cats used to yowl when I talked to my sister on the phone. She didn't care if I talked to anyone else, but my sister set her off for some reason.
Remember: cats are weird. They do what they want. Your cat is either having a great time singing with you or a great time nagging you. Don't worry about him.
posted by maudlin at 9:34 AM on December 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
Remember: cats are weird. They do what they want. Your cat is either having a great time singing with you or a great time nagging you. Don't worry about him.
posted by maudlin at 9:34 AM on December 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
Cats are extremely intelligent creatures. They normally don't make much noise, but they understand that humans do. This is why they meow. They do it for attention mostly, and to let US stupid humans know that they are listening and want to share with us.
Video of this kitty sharing a conversation with you would be great!
Agree that a cat that dislikes something will hide, pin its ears back, physically attack, etc. If he's willing to sit in the same room and yowl along, consider it a compliment of the feline kind!
posted by Jinx of the 2nd Law at 10:17 AM on December 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
Video of this kitty sharing a conversation with you would be great!
Agree that a cat that dislikes something will hide, pin its ears back, physically attack, etc. If he's willing to sit in the same room and yowl along, consider it a compliment of the feline kind!
posted by Jinx of the 2nd Law at 10:17 AM on December 12, 2009 [1 favorite]
Video or it didn't happen.
posted by infinitywaltz at 10:18 AM on December 12, 2009
posted by infinitywaltz at 10:18 AM on December 12, 2009
n-thing the video comments. On Youtube this has a million hits written all over it.
posted by 543DoublePlay at 10:22 AM on December 12, 2009
posted by 543DoublePlay at 10:22 AM on December 12, 2009
Response by poster: I don't have a video camera! :( :( :(
Glad this isn't totally freakish behavior, though! I'm going to have to see if I can find somebody to borrow a camera from, now.
posted by larkspur at 11:52 AM on December 12, 2009
Glad this isn't totally freakish behavior, though! I'm going to have to see if I can find somebody to borrow a camera from, now.
posted by larkspur at 11:52 AM on December 12, 2009
I guess I'm a worse singer. My cat used to come and bite me on the ankles when I sang.
posted by b33j at 2:01 PM on December 12, 2009
posted by b33j at 2:01 PM on December 12, 2009
Larkspur, set up a paypal account. I'm sure we can all put in a few $$$ to buy you a cheap webcam. Problem solved!
@winna: my former Maine Coon (RIP) used to "help" me practice flute too. He never helped much with intonation and tuning though...
posted by flutable at 5:00 PM on December 12, 2009
@winna: my former Maine Coon (RIP) used to "help" me practice flute too. He never helped much with intonation and tuning though...
posted by flutable at 5:00 PM on December 12, 2009
Fwiw, meowing cats is largely a domestic phenomenon; it's not naturalised behaviour - cats in the wild and feral cats only meow at each other in quite specific circumstances.
What meowing is, is cats literally mimicking the strange noises their owners make to communicate. Just like we do, cats use the noises for all sorts of reasons (heh, typically "feed me" or "pet me" at our house, but you know), however as others have pointed out, there will be lots of other cues if it's not enjoying it.
posted by smoke at 5:09 PM on December 12, 2009
What meowing is, is cats literally mimicking the strange noises their owners make to communicate. Just like we do, cats use the noises for all sorts of reasons (heh, typically "feed me" or "pet me" at our house, but you know), however as others have pointed out, there will be lots of other cues if it's not enjoying it.
posted by smoke at 5:09 PM on December 12, 2009
When I was a teen-age girl, I had a very smart, very fat, three-legged calico. When in a blue funk, I would often sing along with Sinead O'Connor as teen-age girls of the time were wont to do. Spots would come galumphing from wherever she was, sit on my chest, and forcibly cuddle me. (She sat on my chest because, duh, I was lying on the floor, unable to move from the weight of my angst.) I always read it as complete commiseration.
posted by thebrokedown at 7:10 PM on December 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by thebrokedown at 7:10 PM on December 12, 2009 [2 favorites]
"What meowing is, is cats literally mimicking the strange noises their owners make to communicate. Just like we do..."
Yeah, one of mine will just pop up at random and yell at me (yelling is the only word, really). I'll mimic her back. So we've got like the reverse of what you do. I'm sure there's a question on AskCatFi...
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 7:27 PM on December 12, 2009
Yeah, one of mine will just pop up at random and yell at me (yelling is the only word, really). I'll mimic her back. So we've got like the reverse of what you do. I'm sure there's a question on AskCatFi...
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 7:27 PM on December 12, 2009
I had a cat do this too. I always assumed he hated my singing, or that he thought I was hurt.
posted by delladlux at 10:56 PM on December 12, 2009
posted by delladlux at 10:56 PM on December 12, 2009
Remember: cats are weird. They do what they want. Your cat is either having a great time singing with you or a great time nagging you. Don't worry about him.
This.
Watch your cat's body language when this happens. If his ears are forward, and the tail isn't swishing in a...pissed-off, I guess...manner, he's probably enjoying the game. Body language is an important way my cats (and I'm assuming others) communicate.
But either way. You own the cat, not the other way around. Call it music appreciation for kitty. God forbid you annoy your cat.
posted by Thistledown at 8:58 AM on December 13, 2009
This.
Watch your cat's body language when this happens. If his ears are forward, and the tail isn't swishing in a...pissed-off, I guess...manner, he's probably enjoying the game. Body language is an important way my cats (and I'm assuming others) communicate.
But either way. You own the cat, not the other way around. Call it music appreciation for kitty. God forbid you annoy your cat.
posted by Thistledown at 8:58 AM on December 13, 2009
But either way. You own the cat, not the other way around.
LOL
My guess is your cat thinks you're hurt or sad and is trying to console you....which I learned whenever I stormed off/was sent to my room as a child and had a hissy fit; our cats were all over me in an attempt to quell the wailing...but that may just have been me.
posted by =^^= at 4:06 AM on December 15, 2009
LOL
My guess is your cat thinks you're hurt or sad and is trying to console you....which I learned whenever I stormed off/was sent to my room as a child and had a hissy fit; our cats were all over me in an attempt to quell the wailing...but that may just have been me.
posted by =^^= at 4:06 AM on December 15, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by The Whelk at 7:49 AM on December 12, 2009 [2 favorites]