WilliamPitt
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:14 PM
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My cat loves to sit in the window and watch the birds flit to and fro on the power lines. When they get close, she gets into deadly pounce mode and does this really weird thing with her mouth. The best way to describe it is she chitters. She opens her mouth and goes "ka-a-a-a-a-a-a-e-e-a-a" real soft, with her jaw twitching each time and her teeth pretty much bared.
What is that all about? My other cats have done that, too. What is that behavior?
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flamingyouth
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:16 PM
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1. It's their hunting cry |
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And boy, do our cats ever get mad when we laugh at them when they do it.
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Bertha Venation
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:16 PM
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2. I don't know why they do it, Will. |
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Mine do it too. It is common cat behavior for when they're watching birds. I love it.
Wenchzilla also does it when she's disobeying. We'll tell her to get down from, say, the mantle, and she'll chitter at us. Then knock something off. THEN get down.
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MidwestMomma
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:20 PM
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6. Now that's really scary |
SOteric
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:18 PM
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3. I've wondered if it was a bird call... |
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But I don't know for certain what it is. All my kitties have done it.
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MidwestMomma
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:18 PM
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4. I actually know an answer for something! |
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That weird thing with her mouth is what she would do if the little bird's neck was in her mouth...it's how they crush the little preys neck.
Kind of creepy huh?
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thelocalkgb
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:21 PM
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Man, it freaks me out when one of our cats does that to another one of our cats.
Almost as much as replying to you on a thread when we are sitting in the same room.
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Womblestuffer
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:19 PM
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5. mine do that too, kinda weird |
VelmaD
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:22 PM
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8. That just your kitty's way of saying... |
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"mmm...tastes like chicken" :-)
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HEyHEY
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:22 PM
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9. Off topic, I've heard bears do it too. |
SOteric
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:23 PM
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WilliamPitt
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:26 PM
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12. You've got my face!!! |
SOteric
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:28 PM
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But I'm still much prettier than you in a dress. :7
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HEyHEY
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:27 PM
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13. now that was funny and well -timed |
Mz Pip
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:26 PM
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Edited on Wed Feb-18-04 11:27 PM by mzpip
of something yummy coming their way?
My little feral kitty does it when she is stalking flies. Then she pounces. Then she catches them. Then she eats them. Flies are like candy to this kitty. Go figure.
MzPip :dem:
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bicentennial_baby
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:29 PM
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I swear, they are imitating the birds at the feeder, the sounds they make are bizarre and adorable!
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Zomby Woof
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:30 PM
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Sounds almost like chirping... a decoy call, lol. :-)
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XanaDUer
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:32 PM
Response to Reply #16 |
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He is getting ready to kill, I think. Also does it when he sees other cats outside.
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DarkPhenyx
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:51 PM
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18. Yes, they are delicious. |
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Oh...that wasn't your question. Sorry mate.
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absyntheNsugar
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Wed Feb-18-04 11:53 PM
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19. She thinks she is a tiger |
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Housecats are proof God has a sense of humor. Take the mind of a predatory killer and put it in the body of a fuzzy care bear.
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SoCalDem
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Thu Feb-19-04 02:20 AM
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20. Mine love to "cackle" at the birdies outside |
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It might be a warning to the other cats nearby.. "That juicy grey one on the left is MINE.. back off "
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neebob
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Thu Feb-19-04 02:46 AM
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21. My cat does that, too - |
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I have a loveseat that's backed up against a window, and every morning she crouches down on the seat, peeks up over the sofa back as if the magpies outside can't see her, and makes that noise. I call this ritual "peekin' the birdies."
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non sociopath skin
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Thu Feb-19-04 05:45 AM
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22. Here's an interesting thing... |
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Our two American cats both do the hunting cry thing both when watching birds and chasing insects (we call the latter "Dances With Flies").
But our Brit cats DON'T do it!
So a whole new question opens up. Do American cats have different behaviour patterns from their American cousins?
The Skin
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Thu Apr 25th 2024, 03:56 AM
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