why do my moggies "chatter" to the birds?

[ThatVikRinA22]

what does it mean? They sit for ages and "talk" to them....its not a miaow, its a chattering noise and always makes me laugh....id love to know what they are saying!

my old moggies didnt do it - these two sit at the door and talk to them, sometimes the birds talk back...one of my moggies is not a hunter, the other one is, but they both talk to the birds.

im sure it must mean something and there must be an explanation....

i dont know wether its a call that encourages the birds to come to them , out of my four only one does the chatter thing biscuit but hes indooras when he does it the others dont as far as i know

Telling the birdies off for daring to perch out of their reach.

Mine does it too, it's very cute no idea why though

1 of mine does it, almost like a chattering/clicking sound but doesn't seem upset, tho the window often gets wet!

Maybe they're smack talking the birds?

It's not actually a communication at all, it's a kind of smelling/tasting in order to sense where exactly the prey is. I can't remember the name for it though.

Sparkling Cat doesn't do it. All previous cats did.

I read in a Desmond Morris book that it is the cat practicing their killing bite, sort of instinctively.

Oh no, seems I was wrong, the thing I'm thinking of is called Flehmening and it's silent.

There is a big long worded name for this, i cant remember what is is - its a reflex action apparently. Like bertie said i think

our cat does this too, he makes a kind of clicking noise with his mouth, only does it when he's watching birds in the garden.

ah, cross posts with bertie thats what its called

bertie the mouth open lip curled face is called flehm (sp?) and is a way of forcing smells including pheromones against their smelling organs. Horses definitely do the same.

I read somewhere that it from the pent up energy due to all the about to commit mass murder adrenalin rushing around their bodies. Mine love a good mass murder.

Mine do it when about to pounce. They do it chasing flies too!

Mine do it through the window at the bird table.

Interestingly, one of them also does it at a light shone on the ceiling - ds2 had great fun with a flickering torch one day, and also by turning his watch to and fro in the sunlight. The cat was going mad.

Check out you tube cats watching the birds the translation all will become clear. While you are there also watch cat versus printer the translation.

Mine do it too. I always think they're saying 'ack ack! let me at it!' because they want to chase the birds but can't because a window is in the way.

Haha, you learn something new every day. All 3 of my cats who I have had the pleasure to have in my life have done this... I thought all cats did, apparently not! :)

thanks for the explanations....thats interesting to know. mine do it when there is no barrier or window in the way - they just sit in the garden and do it! they dont go far and one of mine has never caught anything (im glad to say! she is a fluffy ball of cute with no killer instict - the other one on the other hand is a dark tortie and is rather bad tempered, yet they both do the "chatter"....

My kitten does it to flies...and to other cats she sees through the glass back door.

My old cat used to do this to butterflies! My parents cats do this to birds

it's what bonzo said - practising biting

mine don't do it

My ex-husband used to reckon that they were saying to the birds 'Mack, Mack, I'm a cat!'

Just so as the birds were clear, you know? :)

My cat does when she is st.the window or backdoor watching the birds, but I don't think I have ever seen her do it outside.