# What does this cat behavior mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 23, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691 "2016-08-23T00:32:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/1 "2016-08-23T00:32:50Z")
We were out in the backyard just now with our Lab (who was more interested in cleaning up downed fruit from the apple tree than in playing Frisbee), when we heard meowing at intervals of a few seconds, coming from a dense patch of shrubbery. Eventually a black and white cat emerged, still meowing. It acted skittish around us at first (despite my helpfully meowing back at it). Eventually it came over, head-butted my hand and let me stroke it. All this time it’s been meowing every few seconds, with a few longer breaks, and also intermittently lifting and putting down its front paws. Obviously this is somebody’s cat, hopefully just out for a jaunt and soon to be off home or to other parts. Any idea why it’s acting like this (aside from being pre-rabid :eek:)? ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/2 "2016-08-23T00:56:23Z")
Looking for a mark. Needs a meal. Maybe a new room over her head. I’m going with looking for a mark. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/3 "2016-08-23T01:00:36Z")
yeah someones looking for a friend … might be lost and hungry ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/4 "2016-08-23T01:18:31Z")
Wants to be your friend. Wants food. Both or either. Or neither. Maybe it wants to live in your house! The only possible course of action for you: Invite it in, feed it, and give it the free choice of whether or not it wants to move in permanently. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/5 "2016-08-23T01:39:45Z")
Yes, looking for a friend. My cats will exhibit similar behavior in our house when they’re looking for us. They’ll meow loudly until they find us. Then they will head butt us while continuing to cry until they get their fill of petting. The kneading feet (AKA happy feet) mean they are happy. 🙂 If the cat keeps showing up, you may have been adopted. See **Johhny LA** ’s thread on Creamsicle kitty for hints on this. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/6 "2016-08-23T01:54:39Z")
when I and mom had multiple cats (like 13 ) we had one that apparently just walked in and decided she liked the joint since we had plenty of food and litter boxes we didn’t notice for like a month we had a new cat Which was odd because there wasn’t the usual attitude towards a new cat because most of our cats were pure black (as was new kitty) and related and since the dog was used to cats he didn’t growl or anything either … mom thought that maybe one of them had a kitten somewhere else and just brought it home … but after we finally noticed it didn’t have a collar it was groomed and shots and such and lived til it was 8 or 9 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/7 "2016-08-23T02:03:59Z")
It’s on the back stoop. Still meowing. If it’s around in the morning, it gets the hose. \*Mrs. J. is highly allergic to cats. A few years ago we temporarily took in a black kitten that wandered out of the woods, keeping it in the garage until we could drive it halfway to the east coast, meeting my brother who drove halfway so he could adopt it. We will not be played for suckers again. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/8 "2016-08-23T02:09:26Z")
its not that kitty coming back maybe ? ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/9 "2016-08-23T03:00:18Z")
Sounds lost. Can you take it to a rescue? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/10 "2016-08-23T03:08:42Z")
Keep the cat. Lose the spouse. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/11 "2016-08-23T03:34:58Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > It’s on the back stoop. > > Still meowing. > > If it’s around in the morning, it gets the hose. > > \*Mrs. J. is highly allergic to cats. A few years ago we temporarily took in a black kitten that wandered out of the woods, keeping it in the garage until we could drive it halfway to the east coast, meeting my brother who drove halfway so he could adopt it. We will not be played for suckers again. Contact a no kill rescue shelter. Now. Your proposed morning behavior is animal abuse, boring on cruelty. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/12 "2016-08-23T04:47:24Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > head-butted my hand and let me stroke it. , and also intermittently lifting and putting down its front paws. The cat is reaching out to you. Feed it, give it a cardboard box in your back yard for a few days. Call the local humane society. > [@](#): > > We will not be played for suckers again If the spouse is so alergic, you can’t adopt the cat…but you _can_ save its life. And that’s not being a “sucker”–it’s being a decent human being. Please act like one. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/13 "2016-08-23T05:58:22Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Contact a no kill rescue shelter. Now. > > Your proposed morning behavior is animal abuse, boring on cruelty. That is inflammatory hyperbole unworthy of this board. If a little water were “abuse,” then animals would be abused every time it rains. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/14 "2016-08-23T13:10:03Z")
Cat update: It parked itself on the back stoop, meowing for a couple of hours. I sneaked out the front for my semi-nightly run, taking care that the cat didn’t race around the corner and get in the door. Came back, still no cat. Leashed the Lab for its last trip outside, opened the front door, and there’s the cat on the front porch. _Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow._ It followed us around the front yard, meowing. The Lab (who had chased it to the woods the preceding evening) was both curious and apprehensive. We managed to get back inside without the cat entering. I got ready for bed, brushed my teeth, paused to listen at the top of the stairs. All quiet. I got into bed and decided to quietly crack the window to let the nice cool night breeze in. No good, the cat heard me. _Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Miauw. Meow._ Gave up, closed the window, fell asleep. In the morning, no cat to be heard/seen. Apparently it went home, moved on to the next sucker, or was eaten by fox/coyote/other creatures that haunt the neighborhood at night. All is well. I wouldn’t have hosed the cat. Though occasionally I make a few bucks on the side trapping strays and selling them for research. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-cat-behavior-mean/763691/15 "2016-08-24T04:20:46Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > That is inflammatory hyperbole unworthy of this board. If a little water were “abuse,” then animals would be abused every time it rains. There is a difference between animals being out in the rain, and being deliberately and maliciously hit with a concentrated water stream under pressure.