Cats are usually solitary animals. In general, they don't like company - even the company of another cat. They hunt by themselves, are self-sufficient, and could leave you at any time and survive.

So if you have a cat that likes you and elects to live with you, you are being honored by your feline. There are ways to communicate with your cat so that you have a more loving and warm relationship.

Cats generally initiate the "conversation." If you speak to your cat first, he or she might listen but probably won't respond. Cats communicate verbally and use lots of subtle body language.

In addition to having an average repertoire of six or seven different basic meows, representing different feelings, cats use their whiskers, ears, tails, pupils and posture to communicate to us and to each other.

Cat talk for "hello" is head-butting or rubbing. If you head-butt him back in a return hello, he will reply by arching his back and raising his tail, and his whiskers will cup forward.

Besides saying hello, he is also rubbing his scent on you to claim you as his "property." Thus, you are owned by your cat. Even when you rub him back, you are saying, "Yes, I am your property." See? We don't own our cats; they own us.

Cats "meow" to express their needs to humans and to each other - using as many as 19 different meows to get their points across. Your part in the meow conversation is to do what is being asked of you. See our Web site for details: www.dog-vet.com

The approach: Did you ever notice how your cat knows you're approaching him and about to shove him into a cage to go to the vet's? When approaching a cat directly and deliberately, you are telling him that you're going to "attack" him. This is how they communicate that they are out for blood. Instead, tell him you are not going to leap on him by approaching at a diagonal, or from the side. Friendly cats approach their buddies in this way.

Next time, we'll cover the purr, as well as whisker, facial and tail communications.