Buster the Maine Coon Cat Has Something to Say
Floofy kitty showing off his chattering skills
Your source for today’s header gif comes from here:
Buster, who is—we must admit—quite handsome, has some merch for sale through the YouTube channel. He reminds me a lot of my own departed Kapitano, who was the world’s most elegant cat, although less into self-promotion than these young upstart Internet star cats of today.
In the above video, Buster is exhibiting “chattering,” a rapid movement of the jaw that resemble teeth clicking together sometimes accompanied with vocal chirping or twittering. It is a behavior that cats sometimes employ when seeing creatures they consider to be prey. So why do cats chatter at birds and other potential prey? First we must acknowledge that cats, while domesticated, still retain some of their ancestral predatory nature. When they see a bird, for example, a burst of adrlenine kicks in, leading to increased alertness and triggering those hunting instincts. Researchers are not certain of why chattering often accompanies this heightened hunting state, but one explination might be that the chiping is an involuntary reaction to the physical excitement they are experiencing. Or it may be an expression of frustration upon seeing something that they want but cannot get to, because that dang window is in the way. Another possible reason for the rapid jaw movement is a “practice” for how they might bite and dispatch their quarry. Some believe that chattering is a form of mimcracy, producing sounds to lure prey into a false complacency; and in fact, this behavior has been noted in margays luring tamarin monkeys nearer to them.
Chattering is perfectly normal behavior for cats, and if you have one in your home, it’s probable that you’ve seen your furry friend do it. In typical circumstances, veternarians recommend that this is an important release for your feline friend and should not be discouraged. However, if you notice a cat chattering without the prey trigger, it may be a sign of dental distress: Inspect your cat for other problem indicators such as bad breath, drooling or lack of appetite and bring them to a vet if you note any points of concern. If insessent chattering is the result of too-frequent stimuli, this can lead to anger and agression in a frustrated cat. In this case, it’s best to remove kitty from the situation by closing window blinds and distracting them with a toy, allowing them to finally play out those hunting instincts.
The Spruce Pets: "Why Do Cats Chatter at Birds?" by Ingrid L. Taylor, 2/8/23
Kapitano was a handsome cat. I'm sorry he's gone. Buster is also handsome. I find it amusing that BIG cats like maine coons make such tiny squeaks. My black cat Cosmo is quite big but only makes tiny squeaks when he communicates which is rare. Just yesterday he gave me a couple of tiny chirps because I was lying on my bed watching tv and he wanted my lap. He doesn't care if I'm comfortable when he wants to nap in my lap. Thanks Martini.