Do you sing to your cat?

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

IN A WORD NO LOL...........THEY WOUKD ALL BE FLYING FOR THE HILLS 

[Kay and Penny]

I used to sing 'Pop Goes the Weasel' to my Trigger, and he loved it because he knew he would be getting  big kiss on top of his head when I reached POP

[Judecat (Paula)]

Well I tried it with Pussy Cat, they have run for the hills! Time to shake the Crispies and gather the herd together again!

[jezebel]

This thread has gone bonkers - love it!

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Oh yes. Mosi loves it. At least I think he loves it. He may be rushing over to tell me to put a sock in it.  I'm not imaginative so have never got beyond changing the first 2 lines of his special song

Mosi Wosi, give me your answer do
You're half crazy but I still love you
It won't be a stylish marriage
I can't afford a carriage
......

99% of the time he comes running over as soon as I burst into song

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Yes - yes!!  That's it though - you can pick any song you like and change the words to something daft - the cats don't mind -  it's like they know you're singing to them, about them, and of course they adore that! 

I change the words to "What's new Barley-cat?  Whoooooa whooooa whooooa-oh"     


Barleycat, Barleycat, I've got flowers
And lots of hours
To spend with you.
So go and powder your cute little pussycat nose!

Barleycat, Barleycat, I love you
Yes, I do!
You and your pussycat nose!

It would work with Denzil's name, Dexter's name or Elsa's name.  Any name really.

Emma - you can't kid a cat.     not unless they want you to. 

[Berry]

I used to sing to Berry, it was usually that "sugar pie honey bunch" song except I changed it to sugar pie Berry bunch. He was never impressed!

[emmmy_lou]

Mmmm, don't know that one I'm afraid - may have to try Sue's 'Whats new Pussycat'!

I do know whenever I'm on the phone Denzel will come up to me for cuddles.... I have however tried 'pretending' to have a phonecall on many occasions but the little  can somehow tell the difference!!! 

[jezebel]

What tunes were you singing Jezebel?!

An old Pogues song called Oh Kitty - I changed it to "Oh Missy", which is the cat's name. (The last time I sang it aloud was with two flatmates, walking home from a very drunken night out, circa 1987.  )

[emmmy_lou]

No, but I might give it a go!

What tunes were you singing Jezebel?!

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

    I think from what you're saying, she's very much enjoying it - not the falling out of bed bit - none of us like that very much! 

[jezebel]

Thanks Sue, I'm glad it's not just me. 


To make sure Saturday's reaction wasn't a fluke, I tried it again yesterday. This time Missy rolled over onto her back, stretched her front paws toward me... and fell out of her bed! Understandably, she got a bit hissy and upset, ran out of her pen, ran back in and then sat on the floor, glaring at me. I knelt down (from a safe distance) and sang to her again and she actually came over and brushed herself against me, something she's never done to me before. But possibly she was just telling me to give it a rest.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

When we used to have our dog, Tess, she always recognised the theme tune for "Most Haunted" - it was her cue to clamber up on to the sofa and have a snuggle with her Mum, being scared to death in safety.   

None of our cats like loud music though they do quite enjoy soft music, especially more gentle stuff.

[Dawn F]

not exactly singing but willow hates music, she lived with several members of my family before who I can imagine probably played music too loud, she also hates raised voices for the same reason - she gets really stressed when music comes on the tv

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Oh yes, I do, and they do respond (not always favourably - sometimes they stalk off.)

I used to sing Monster (The Automatics) to Paddy and would sing "What's that comin over the hill - is it a Monsta?  No it's a Padster....!" to Paddy, and he would purr away.  When he went deaf after his health issues, I used to rest my throat against the back of his neck and sing it, and again, his purrs would intensify. 

With Barley Gurley I sing "What's new Pussycat" and she slow blinks me, and with Moray I sing "Moray Mint, Moray Mint - too good to hurry, Mint"  (Bit of poetic licence there of course as his name isn't spelt the same, but he doesn't mind.   )

You keep on singing, Jezebel.   

[jezebel]

A bit of an odd question, I know!


But if you do, does your cat react at all? And what sort of songs do you sing to him/her?


I'm curious because when I was at the shelter on Saturday, I started singing to one of the cats and the change in her behaviour was incredible!


This particular cat is unpredictable and can be hissy and aggressive without any warning. I was singing (quietly!) because I feel a bit nervous around her and I find singing makes me less nervous. Anyway, she was lying in her bed on the shelf in front of me, and almost immediately she started purring and slow blinking at me! Then she started kneading the air with her front paws. Eventually she lifted one of her back paws and kneaded the air with that too.


Now, I'm not flattering myself that she liked my singing, because I can't sing to save my life, but something made her calm and happy (my singing has never been known to have this effect before!)


So, do you sing to your cat(s)?