Tag cats

‘How to Speak Cat’ cards help decipher feline behavior

Nancy Crowe
A sampling from the “How to Speak Cat” card deck.

This 100-card deck, given to me for Christmas by someone dear, is a treasure trove of tips about twitching tails, different meows and more. Animal communication has many facets, especially where cats are concerned. Though cats have a reputation for being mysterious, they’re actually not if you learn what to look for.

While I’m no stranger to cat language of all types, I found new info here. For example, when a cat lies on his back and rolls from side to side, that is called “the social roll.” It has a name and indicates a willingness to interact. “It’s safe to pick up the cat, just don’t go for the belly!” the caption explains. 

According to another card, a stretch means the cat has been stressed but is now relieved. I’m less sure about this one, as most of my cats’ stretches follow naps. There’s always that one cat who does things differently. Like my calico, who this morning did a stretch followed by a social roll. Then she declined to play with the dangle toy I offered. When I asked what she actually wanted, she went to get a drink of water. 

As a proponent of indoor cat living, I disagree with the card that suggests letting your cat out. Double ditto for the one that suggests searching after she’s been gone for three days. (Um, try three hours. Max.)

The record for the loudest cat purr, by the way, is held by a cat named Merlin who could purr at 67.8 decibels. That’s about as loud as a shower.

Lovers of cats and fun facts will find this a great conversation piece to keep on a bookshelf or coffee table. You can pull one a day to see what new insight you might find about your feline friend. It might be spot on, or it might make you wonder if only their creator truly has cats figured out. 

Animal health info: what I do (and don’t do) with it

Nancy Crowe

As an animal communicator, I sometimes get information about sore hips, tummy discomfort and more.  

The animal’s human caretaker often tells me about any health issues going in, and I always want to make sure any potential medical reasons for behavioral changes have been addressed by a vet. Other times the animal himself will tell me, or show me through images or feelings, during a communication session. 

One horse I’d worked with for a while showed me some pain in his hips and along the left side of his torso. The next thing I knew he was backing up to the fence and asking me to place both hands on his hips. I did and began a Let Animals Lead® meditation to help him relax. After a while he began licking and chewing, then walked off to rejoin the herd. 

I passed all of this along to his person and to the equine bodyworker who also worked regularly with him. After her session with him a day or two later, she sent me a diagram to show how she adjusted a misalignment on the left. The horse knew what he needed from each of us.  

The codes of ethics I follow for both animal communication and Let Animals Lead® are clear about not dispensing medical advice or treatment. They’re also clear about showing up and doing what we can do. 

Find the extraordinary in the ordinary

Nancy Crowe

This season reminds us that the humblest places — barns, pastures, homes — not only provide safety but connect us to something bigger. So many of these connections happen in the company of/because of our animal friends.

As an animal communicator and Let Animals Lead® practitioner, I’ve been privileged to share many such moments this year. Please enjoy this three-minute video honoring them. (Sound up … breathe.)