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Meet the world’s largest cat

<p>A Maine Coone from Stary Oskol in eastern Russia is thought to be the world’s largest kitten at just under two years old. There could be years ahead of him before he stops growing, according to the New York Post. </p> <p>The cat’s owner Yulia Minina bought the alabaster tomcat named Kefir, after the creamy cultured milk drink, two years and many kilos ago. </p> <p>“But when strangers come to the house, everyone first confuses him with a dog,” she added.</p> <p>In fact, Kefir weighs more than the average toddler. “I could not even think that an ordinary baby can become so big,” joked Minina.</p> <p>“He not only grew up big in appearance, he is also very smart and always behaves calmly,” she boasted.</p> <p>For all the care he requires, Minina speaks about Kefir as if he were her own son: “The look is generally like that of a person, and Kefir has a formidable appearance, but he is a very affectionate and modest child,” she said.</p> <p>When friends and acquaintances come to the house, all the attention is on him and he willingly allows himself to be stroked.”</p> <p>The Maine Coon breed hails from the state of Maine from regarded as one of the oldest homegrown breeds in North America.</p> <p>In the early days they were prized for their hunting skills, and since nicknamed “the gentle giant,” as they’ve taken primarily indoors as a highly regarded house cat, and even described as having friendly and playful, “doglike” personalities.</p> <p>Minina added that the images of her cradling her overgrown cat are evidence of his extraordinary stature as she promised, “I don’t use Photoshop.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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MAJOR SPOILER: Masked Singer Kitten accidentally revealed!

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Award-winning designer Tim Chappel, who is known for his work on <em>Miss Congeniality</em> and <em>The Dressmaker</em> accidentally slipped up and revealed the identity of <em>The Masked Singer</em> Kitten.</p> <p>The costumes featured on <em>The Masked Singer </em>are interesting and elaborate, so it's no wonder Chappel is proud of his work.</p> <p>He appeared on 2GB with Deborah Knight to discuss the success of the show.</p> <p>Questioning whether Tim knew which celebrities he was designing costumes for, Deborah asked: "For example, were you told that … Julia Morris would be on the show and you would design a pink kitten for her, because it's Julia Morris isn't it?"</p> <p>To which Tim may have accidentally responded: "Ah, yeah, yeah it was Julia Morris. And didn't she make the most amazing pink kitten? She was just so fabulous in that costume."</p> <p>"But to answer your question, no, we design all the costumes first and then we get the cast and then we shoehorn the cast into the costumes," he then added.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CEjOblgDuC_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CEjOblgDuC_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">KITTY'S A COP!!!! Or is she? Who do you think is under the Kitten mask? We won't nark we promise. #MaskedSingerAU</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/themaskedsingerau/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> The Masked Singer Australia</a> (@themaskedsingerau) on Aug 31, 2020 at 3:30am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Fans were already convinced of Morris being the pink kitten due to her series of clues and vocal resemblance.</p> <p>"Gotta be Julia Morris for kitten. Apart from the fact it just sounds like her, she got married in Vegas," another wrote in reference to the clue: "Breaks always came when I least expected it. But I really hit the jackpot in Vegas."</p> <p>Others think it's Lisa McCune or Amanda Keller due to the lastest clue.</p> <p>"I took the first steps in my career while employed by the police force," the Masked Singer revealed about the pink Kitten on its instagram.</p> <p>The show has not commented on the designer's slip up.</p> </div> </div> </div>

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Purrfectly hidden kitten drives the internet crazy

<p><span>Cats are crafty little critters, and they seem to have an uncanny ability to cram themselves in the most unlikely spaces. </span></p> <p><span>A photograph of one feline winning a game of hide and seek went viral this week on Twitter. </span></p> <p><span>On Sunday, Kate Hinds, newsroom planning editor at WNYC public radio, shared a photo of her impressive bookcase at her Manhattan home, captioning it “Today in find the cat.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Today in find the cat <a href="https://t.co/P6soGOv8k1">pic.twitter.com/P6soGOv8k1</a></p> — Kate Hinds (@katehinds) <a href="https://twitter.com/katehinds/status/1269697161329082370?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <p><span>"My cat's name is Norah, although in my family no one agrees on whether there should be an 'h' on the end," Hinds told cnet in an email. "We adopted her a little over ten years ago from a local rescue group."</span></p> <p><span>Hind said she knows her family knows most of the places the kitty tends to hide in, and the spot she’s sought out in the photo is one of Norah’s favourite summer hiding spots.</span></p> <p><span>Twitter users were left stumped.</span></p> <p><span>"I can't find the cat but I love your bookcase," wrote one.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"> <p dir="ltr">There's an actual cat in this pic?? Or a figurine or something? 🧐</p> — Nicole J. Butler aka "She-Shed Cheryl" 🏚🔥👩🏾‍🚒 (@NicoleJButler) <a href="https://twitter.com/NicoleJButler/status/1269709061575991296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"> <p dir="ltr">I can’t find the cat but I love your bookcase.</p> — IslandMaven (@LisaAguiar8) <a href="https://twitter.com/LisaAguiar8/status/1269707563416731648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <p><span>Give up? Hinds posted a closeup of the image showing Norah’s paw sticking out from under the TV.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"> <p dir="ltr">The Power Nap Broker <a href="https://t.co/EEWraGhM6i">pic.twitter.com/EEWraGhM6i</a></p> — Kate Hinds (@katehinds) <a href="https://twitter.com/katehinds/status/1269698103361318914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <p><span>"For some reason, she goes behind the TV in the summer," Hinds told me. "She prefers to bed down with the winter hats/scarves in the colder months."</span></p>

Family & Pets

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The cutest nicknames owners call their pets

<p>The best thing about having a pet, apart from their never-ending love and companionship, is that you can call them anything you want and they’ll usually respond to it based on your tone.</p> <p>Twitter user and pet owner @metroadlib posted a sweet tweet explaining that while her dog’s name is Cooper, she calls him a range of other things. These names include:</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">my dog's name is cooper.<br /><br />i call him--<br />boubba<br />boub<br />honeybunny<br />coopypoopy<br />heyloverthisismorethanacrush<br />stinkboy<br />&amp; sweetboy.<br /><br />i use sweetboy the most.<br /><br />i call this mfer "cooper" exactly 7% of the time.</p> — fooler initiative (@metroadlib) <a href="https://twitter.com/metroadlib/status/1088123017681608706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">23 January 2019</a></blockquote> <p>This tweet resonated with a range of pet owners, who were quick to share what names they call their pets (apart from their actual names).</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Koda<br /><br />Kodes<br />Kodesters<br />Koda Popeye<br />Koda Pops<br />Popeye my Popeye<br />Lovebug<br />This Little Butthead<br />Football Head <a href="https://t.co/TDiSi05DeU">pic.twitter.com/TDiSi05DeU</a></p> — chesapeake bae // ᜀ ᜋᜒ (@adotsaint) <a href="https://twitter.com/adotsaint/status/1088128527529058304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">23 January 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Turns out this is a common practice amongst pet owners, with one owner lamenting that his wife called one of their dogs by a nickname so much that it’s all he responds to now.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Our puppy was originally named Gary, here is how it has evolved since:<br />Gary<br />Gar Bear<br />Honey Bear<br /><br />He will now only answer to Honey Bear thanks to my wife. (He’s the white one in this photo) <a href="https://t.co/BCxhXGgnsL">pic.twitter.com/BCxhXGgnsL</a></p> — Thomas Newman (@ThomasNewman) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThomasNewman/status/1088126652763308038?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">23 January 2019</a></blockquote> <p>This practice isn’t limited to dogs either, as cat owners joined in with their nicknames.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">This is Plum. also known as Plumbelina, Plumpert, Plumbarton Oaks, Plumples, Lil’ Baby, BunBun, and Plom. <a href="https://t.co/AekT7ptKRd">pic.twitter.com/AekT7ptKRd</a></p> — tekla 💜✨ (@alketrolyat) <a href="https://twitter.com/alketrolyat/status/1088125529151148034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">23 January 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Do you have any nicknames you call your pets? Let us know in the comments!</p>

Family & Pets

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Grandpa defies wife to secretly raise stray kittens

<p>Stray cats appearing at 85-year-old Jimmy’s tool-shed weren’t uncommon. A sweet, kindly man, he felt for the disadvantaged felines and would often feed them. One cat in particular formed quite a strong bond with Jimmy – she also happened to be pregnant.</p> <p>Knowing his wife wouldn’t approve of him allowing the cat to give birth in the shed, the ever-rebellious grandpa let it happen anyway, secretly adding a bunch of new furry family members to their Puerto Rico home.</p> <p>“My grandpa let a stray cat have her kittens in his tool shed and now he’s raising a bunch of cats behind my grandma’s back because she said no,” his granddaughter Syl wrote on <a href="https://twitter.com/lillsyl/status/839877091327889408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedodo.com%2Fgrandpa-secret-cats-2333809949.html" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Twitter</span></strong></a>, where the story became an instant hit.</p> <p>“My grandpa is really kind and has always loved animals,” Syl told <a href="https://www.thedodo.com/grandpa-secret-cats-2333809949.html" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Dodo</span></strong></a>. “So it’s not really that surprising.”</p> <p>Surprisingly, Jimmy’s clandestine kitten nursery lasted three whole weeks before being discovered by his wife. Thankfully, they’ve grown on her, too, and she’s willing to keep them until they are old enough to be adopted.</p> <p>To see Jimmy lovingly caring for his new kitten friends, take a look through the gallery above. We think the photos will make your day! </p>

Family & Pets

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Find the kitten hidden in this classic cartoon

<p>Ah, it’s always the way – the simplest of brainteasers by appearance tend to be the hardest to figure out. Today’s vintage puzzle, originally an advert for Dr. Seth Arnold's Balsam, might seem easy but odds are it will have you stumped.</p> <p>The cartoon depicts two women sitting at a table. One of their cats is in clear sight, but the other has been cleverly hidden. Can you find the kitten hidden in this classic cartoon?</p> <p><img width="499" height="312" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/33950/vintage-brainteaser-in-text-one_499x312.jpg" alt="Vintage -brainteaser -in -text -one" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>If you’re feline stumped, don’t worry. We’ve included the answer below:</p> <p><img width="499" height="312" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/33951/vintage-brainteaser-in-text-two_499x312.jpg" alt="Vintage -brainteaser -in -text -two" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Did you find the cat straight away? Or did you need a bit of help? </p> <p><em>Image credit: Dailymail / <a href="http://www.playbuzz.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Playbuzz</strong></a></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2017/01/dog-owner-classic-optical-illusion/"><em>This optical illusion has the internet baffled</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/12/spot-the-shape-hidden-in-this-puzzle/"><em>Spot the shape hidden in this puzzle</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/12/find-the-word-dog-in-this-brainteaser/"><em>Find the word DOG in this brainteaser</em></a></strong></span></p>

Mind

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Photographer rescues kittens from bushfire

<p>Thanks to the kindness of a passing photographer, two adorable kittens have been saved from a fire and are well on their way to recovery.</p> <p>Carlos Pacheco was photographing a controlled fire in North Dakota when he heard crying coming from a pile of burning brush. “My first thought was, I am going to have to watch this cat pass away,” he told <a href="http://www.valleynewslive.com/content/news/Photographer-rescues-two-kittens-from-controlled-burn-397858701.html" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Valley News Live</span></strong></a>. “I walked over to get some different angles, and I heard a cat meowing, and I kinda looked around and I didn't see anything. So, I took a few steps back over to where I was, and it turns out the cat sort of blended in with the trees.”</p> <p>One of the kittens, aptly named Pyro, was inside the fire, while her brother Manni was outside and breathing in the thick smoke. “It was too hot for me to even get close to it, which is why I was surprised that the cat was even in it,” he said. “I had to shield myself with my jacket to even attempt to grab her.”</p> <p>After he brazenly pulled both kittens from the fire, he placed them in a cardboard box and took them to the Cat’s Cradle Shelter in Fargo. “All four of her paws are burned and blistered and her fur and whiskers are singed,” the shelter wrote on Facebook. “Her brother has no outward signs of injury, however, he is in worse shape due to smoke inhalation.”</p> <p>Workers at the shelter worried that they might lose Manni, but thankfully, both kittens are healing well and will soon be ready for adoption – together, of course! “We’re not splitting them up,” Gail Adams-Ventzle, executive director of the shelter, told the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/kittens-saved-from-fire_us_580d125ce4b000d0b15737e1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Huffington Post</span></em></strong></a>. “They’ve been through so much together.”</p> <p>Have you ever rescued an animal before? Share your experience with us in the comments below!</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/10/dying-golden-retriever-makes-miracle-recovery/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Dying golden retriever makes miracle recovery</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/10/deer-approaches-man-demanding-head-scratches/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Deer approaches man demanding head scratches</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/10/cuddling-with-a-kitten-could-kill-you/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">New study reveals dangerous reason you shouldn’t cuddle kittens</span></em></strong></a></p>

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New study reveals dangerous reason you shouldn’t cuddle kittens

<p>One would think there couldn’t be anything more innocent than a child nuzzling with a kitten, however, a new study has shown that cuddling a household feline could expose you to “cat-scratch disease”, an illness that can cause intense fever, pustules and, if complications occur, death. The disease is caused by bacteria that is transmitted between cats via fleas.</p> <p>The study, conducted by The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the US, took place over eight years. It surveyed over 13,000 cases of cat-scratch disease, and found that there were four-and-a-half outpatient diagnoses per 100,000 population each year, which is higher than expected.</p> <p>The most at-risk group is children aged between five and nine years old, among whom there were nine-point-four outpatient diagnoses per 100,000 population. Only a small minority of the cases documented resulted in death, though this was a more likely outcome if patients had hesitated to seek medical help.</p> <p>There are a few simple precautions to take to prevent the spread of the disease. Parents have been advised to discourage children from kissing and playing with kittens, and cat owners are advised to protect their feline friends from fleas, avoid any contact between their own animals and stray cats and always wash their hands after stroking their pet.</p> <p>Does this news discourage you from cuddling with cats? Let us know in the comments below.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong> </p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/09/infographic-explains-cat-behaviour/">Infographic explains cat behaviour</a></em></span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/09/15-pet-faces-too-cute-to-stay-mad-at/">15 pet faces too cute to stay mad at</a></em></span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/08/why-you-shouldnt-kiss-your-dog/">Why you shouldn't kiss your dog</a></em></span></strong></p>

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Tiny kitten rescued from the middle of highway

<p>Security cameras on a Russian highway have captured some nail-biting footage of a tiny kitten stranded on the busy road.</p> <p>The feline can be seen falling from the window of a speeding car and was left in the middle of Kaliningrad highway for a total of thre-and-a-half minutes, as cars passing by narrowly missed it. Thankfully, the story has a happy ending.</p> <p>In the anxiety-inducing video above, on heroic man stops his car to pick up the poor animal. The good Samaritan, later identified as Denis Degtyarev, told <em>Life.Ru</em> that not only was the lucky kitten unharmed, it’s already found a new home.</p> <p>"I checked him quickly as I picked him up — he looked deeply shocked but all right," Degtyarev told the local news source. "I drove it to the sport school which my kids attend, and there, friends of ours quickly found him a new family. He is doing well now."</p> <p>You have to see the incredible footage for yourself. If you’re worried that the stress is too much to bear, don’t worry, it’s a shortened version.</p> <p>Would you have stopped for the kitten? Let us know in the comments below.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/08/the-truth-about-pets-and-chocolate/"><em>The truth about pets and chocolate</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/08/why-pets-give-you-the-side-eye/"><em>Why pets give you the side eye</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/07/why-do-dogs-tilt-their-head/"><em>Why do dogs tilt their head?</em></a></strong></span></p>

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Infographic explains cat behaviour

<p>Do you know what your cat is trying to tell you? Is it feeling playful, loving, or just showing off?</p> <p>You may think your cat is simply being affectionate or asking for food when rubbing up against you, but there's more to it. And what about the hunting trophies it brings you, or the kneading of soft objects?</p> <p>If you pay careful attention to your cat's behaviour and the sounds it makes, you may learn to understand its mood and intentions better. It could even save you a few playful scratches.</p> <p><img width="500" height="2273" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/27090/cat-behaviour-explained-infographic_500x2273.jpg" alt="Cat Behaviour Explained Infographic" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><em>First appeared on <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.sainsburysbank.co.uk/money-matters/understanding-your-cat" target="_blank">Sainsbury’s Bank.</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/07/why-do-dogs-tilt-their-head/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Why do dogs tilt their head?</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/07/test-to-find-out-how-smart-your-dog-is/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Take this test to find out how smart your dog is</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/07/9-tips-for-calming-your-cat/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>9 tips for calming your cat</strong></em></span></a></p>

Family & Pets

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Determined kitten plays with dogs tail

<div> <p>It’s no question kittens are adorable, but let’s face it, they can be a little self-centred.</p> <p>In fact, their cuteness is their saving grace when it comes to how often they disregard their effect of their antics on others. This tiny creature for example has demanded that the dogs tail be its new toy, and will not rest until it has it tamed. </p> <p>The little brat overtly nips, bites, paws and even jumps on the wagging tail, despite getting repeatedly wacked in the face.</p> <p>It doesn’t look like the chocolate Labrador has even noticed! Watch it in the video above.</p> <p>What are some playful (but selfish) things your cat has done? Let us know in the comments below.</p> <p><strong>Related links:   </strong>        </p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/06/do-our-pets-dream/"><strong>Do our pets dream?</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/05/dr-chris-brown-secrets-to-dealing-with-allergies-to-pets/"><strong>The secret to dealing with pet allergies</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/05/reasons-your-dogs-health-is-as-important-as-your-own/"><em>6 reasons your dog’s health is just as important as your own</em></a></strong></span></p> </div> <p> </p>

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Understanding your cat’s meow

<p>Do you understand what your cat says to you?</p> <p>You probably think you do. And you probably realise that a cat "talks" with its whole body - the ear angle, the back arch, the slow blink, the knead. You can't grasp a cat's intentions without knowing what it's doing with its body.</p> <p>Scientists have delved into feline body language. They've found, among other things, that "Blinking is like a kitty kiss."</p> <p>But cats have voice language too. That vocabulary of meows, trills, chitters and wails that can be mysterious but that clearly isn't random.</p> <p>Well, scientists are looking into that too. A team of Swedish researchers led by Susanne Schotz has begun studying how voice, intonation and speaking style - both human and feline - influence the way the two species communicate with each other.</p> <p>The Guardian put together a video on some of the common cat sounds and what Schotz says they mean. For example, the "trill-miaow" that is a friendly greeting; the purring that means "I pose no threat".</p> <p><img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/21602/shutterstock_149489063_500x333.jpg" alt="cat meow"/></p> <p>Which all seems elementary, but Schotz plans to dig deep into how cats vary their intonation in certain contexts, and how humans interpret those sounds. The result will be a "prosodic typology of cat vocalisations" that'll be presented on a science website.</p> <p>But the scientists will also study how cats interpret the sounds, styles and patterns of human speech.</p> <p>The aim of this project is humane, not trivial. It may lead to a better quality of life for cats and other pets.</p> <p>"Understanding the vocal strategies used by humans and cats in human-cat communication will have profound implications for our understanding of how we communicate with our pets in general, and has the potential to improve the relation between animals and humans within several fields, including animal therapy, veterinary medicine, and animal sheltering."</p> <p>I wonder if this study will help us know whether there's a universal cat-to-human language - a set of sounds that mean the same thing no matter who the person is and who the cat is. Perhaps we'll have a deeper understanding of the meow, a sound that adult cats use only with people and not with other cats.</p> <p>As I understand it, some scientists so far think that cats shape their meows to what works for them - what gains a human's attention, gets it fed and meets the other needs that humans fulfil for them. The sound itself is an adaptation of a kitten's alerting cry to its mother.</p> <p>So in that respect, when you talk to your cat and when your cat meows at you, you're both using a rich private language (or dialect or accent) that you've invented between yourselves. But does that language share characteristics with the way other human-cat pairs communicate? Perhaps we'll know in time.</p> <p>The more we understand them, the better we'll be able to treat them.</p> <p>Do you have a cat? Is it well behaved? And what do you generally do when it meows?</p> <p>Please let us know in the comments below. </p> <p><em>Written by Nick Barnett. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/05/things-you-did-not-know-could-poison-your-pet/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>8 things you didn't know could poison your pet</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/05/video-of-baby-animals-yawning/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Watch: Baby animals yawning</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/03/tiny-kitten-claps-paws-for-treats/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Tiny kitten claps paws for treats</strong></em></span></a></p>

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