The Secret Language of Cats

September 17, 2018
Those who love cats will also adore this book from phonetics professor Schötz. She insists that cats possess their own language (of sorts) and that, with self-awareness and patience, owners can discern some of what their pets are “saying.” For example, her cat Vimsan, after receiving a bowl of food, responds “brrrt,” for “thank you.” Her cat Rocky, also during food prep, “lifts himself up with his front paws against my knees, where he drawls a me-aw, which I take to mean, ‘Oh that smells good, I want some too!’ ” Shötz shares a serious discussion of her academic specialty, dispelling any notion that the book’s premise is sheer fancy. To that end, she provides a chart of the various consonants she’s observed cats making—approximants, fricatives, and laterals, for example—while readily conceding the inherent limits to human comprehension; “cats do not have a language that works like a human language” and “we cannot look something up in Cat.” Still, chances are good that this lively title will help cat lovers achieve a surprising and animating level of understanding with their house pet.

December 1, 2018

This unusual entry in the pet titles arena comes from Swedish phonetics researcher Schötz, whose major professional interest and personal hobby are cat sounds. With a firm belief that humans, especially those who own (or are owned by) cats, can learn and interpret the vocalizations of their feline companions, the author provides a surprisingly thorough combination of facts and anecdotes to support her claims. The main narrative is followed by an appendix that references Schötz's website, where readers can access examples that clarify the most common cat sounds: low-pitched trill; the growl; the meow vs. the mew; and others. The appendix also includes tables of vowels, consonants, and other phonetic symbols that extend the author's research. The brief glossary of technical terms is an absolute necessity for understanding the text. VERDICT While not an essential purchase, this one-of-a-kind book is recommended for pet lovers, especially those looking to reinforce their belief that pets and humans can definitely learn to understand each other.--Edell Marie Schaefer, Brookfield P.L., WI

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