Editing Cat (section)

===Communication===
{{Anchor|Purr}}

Cats use a wide range of vocal and non-vocal signals for [[communication]]. Vocalizations include [[meow]]ing, [[purr|purring]], trilling, hissing, growling, squeaking, [[chirp]]ing, [[click]]ing, and grunting.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030804205624/http://www.channel3000.com/news/1472741/detail.html |title=Meows mean more to cat lovers |publisher=Channel3000.com |access-date=14 June 2006}}</ref> Adult cats rarely meow at one another but frequently use meowing to communicate with humans, often modifying their vocalizations based on context and response.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=McComb |first1=K. |last2=Taylor |first2=A. M. |last3=Wilson |first3=C. |last4=Charlton |first4=B. D. |date=2015 |title=The Meows of Domestic Cats (''Felis catus''): Honest Signals or Vocal Deception? |journal=Current Biology |volume=25 |issue=17 |pages=2264–2268 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2015.07.048 |pmid=26235649}}</ref>

Purring is most commonly associated with positive states such as relaxation or social contact, but it also occurs during stress, pain, or illness, suggesting a self-soothing or physiological function.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Zambelli |first1=D. |last2=Torri |first2=R. |last3=Prato-Previde |first3=E. |date=2016 |title=The Domestic Cat: The Biology of Its Behaviour |journal=Animal Cognition |volume=19 |issue=6 |pages=1041–1051 |doi=10.1007/s10071-016-1007-8}}</ref> Trilling and chirping are often used in friendly interactions, particularly between mothers and kittens or during hunting-related excitement.

Feral cats are generally silent toward humans and rely more heavily on body language and scent-based communication than vocal signals.<ref>{{cite book |last=Jensen |first=P. |title=The Ethology of Domestic Animals |publisher=CABI |year=2009 |isbn=9781845935368 |location=Wallingford, England}}</ref>{{rp|208}}

Cats also communicate through [[Body language|body posture]] and facial expressions. Tail position and ear orientation are especially important. An upright tail usually signals friendliness and confidence, while flattened ears indicate fear or aggression.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cafazzo |first1=S. |last2=Natoli |first2=E. |date=2009 |title=The Social Function of Tail Up in the Domestic Cat (''Felis silvestris catus'') |journal=Behavioural Processes |volume=80 |issue=1 |pages=60–66 |doi=10.1016/j.beproc.2008.09.008 |pmid=18930121}}</ref> Cats may also perform slow blinking, a behavior interpreted as a friendly or affiliative signal toward humans and other cats.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Harper |first1=R. |date=2019 |title=Cats slow blink: A triadic social interaction |journal=Animal Behaviour |volume=156 |pages=13–19 |doi=10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.07.014}}</ref>

Tactile communication includes nose-touching during greetings, head rubbing (bunting), and allogrooming, which help reinforce social bonds and group cohesion.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Crowell-Davis |first1=S. L. |last2=Curtis |first2=T. M. |last3=Knowles |first3=R. J. |date=2004 |title=Social Organization in the Cat: A Modern Understanding |journal=Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=19–28 |doi=10.1016/j.jfms.2003.09.013 |pmid=15123163}}</ref>