Cats and Whistles

trisha · Post by **trisha** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 2:02 pm

Surrounded by a sea of musical instruments, we've only just taken to the whistle..I say we as the children just seem to home in on anything noisy :roll:

So...added a SweetOne to the collection this week - wonderful little thing and plays well without me wondering if it's me or the whistle that needs tweaking.

Only trouble is, the normally snooty Maine Coone is in love with it and jumps on my lap (which she does not do) and purrs and winds herself around the whistle. This is abnormal behaviour for an animal who prefers to turn taps on and shower under them for entertainment.

Does anyone else have animals who show preferences for particular whistles?

Steven · Post by **Steven** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 2:10 pm

Whenever I get out a whistle, my cat looks at me and walks out of the room. At least he's stopped giving me nasty looks!

When I play my flute, though, he pretty much just ignores it. I think he just doesn't like the high register of the whistle.

(What? It kinda looks like an unhappy cat!)
Steven

thurlowe · Post by **thurlowe** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 2:23 pm

Hi Trisha,

Both my cats have the same reaction as yours. It's very strange! They get as close as they can, trying to rub, paw at, and chew the whistle. Often they're meowing while they're at it. I have to be on my feet and moving if I don't want them to completely disrupt my playing. I feel like the Pied Piper for felines.

Cara

Gunnar · Post by **Gunnar** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 2:24 pm

I have two cats. My female one tends to run, but she runs from all high-pitched noises. My male cat loves the whistle. He won't leave me alone when I play. He jumps in my lap and thinks that the whistle was made to scratch under his chin and side, I'm pretty much forced to stand and play or close the door.

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 2:31 pm

I've read that when a cat rubs against something with its cheeks and sides, it's marking it with its scent.

MINE!!!

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 3:46 pm

My mom has something like 50 cats and 60 dogs, but none of them even notice my whistling.

When we had birds, though, they would scream over the slightest noise. That's why they lived on the porch.

Celtoid · Post by **Celtoid** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 4:22 pm

Misty does not mind the Clark at all, but she hates the Susato. It must be the high register that bothers her, because she will walk up to me and give me that "I'm annoyed" miow, and come back every few minutes until I quit. So now that its warm I let her out into the sun room and play all I like, either that or I just ignor her.

tubafor · Post by **tubafor** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 4:38 pm

I think I've mentioned this before, but of our two dogs, Kira (the older one) totally ignores the whistles. Of course, she totally ignores me too...

Ezri, on the other hand, comes into the room, and sits at my feet to listen to the whistles. The only time this is an issue, is when I'm playing a low D or lower, and she decides to stick her nose into the end to see where the sound is coming from...

Got a slight cut on the lip the first time she "investigated" my bass A...

serpent · Post by **serpent** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 5:05 pm

My feral, Mr. Stripes, looks askance at my doing anything when in the room with him but holding him, petting him, head-butting him, giving him milk, or dangling bits of string holding catnip-stuffed critters in front of him. Bedelia, the Himalayan, sits beside me and meows - not, you understand, to sing along, but to get me to stop and pet her. The other five tend to totally ignore it, or to find somewhere quieter to pursue their naps.

The dogs just howl.

serpent

selkie · Post by **selkie** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 5:12 pm

My feral now tamed cat is sitting behind my backside in my wheelchair snoring while I play the whistle. Phillogar slept through a rendition of Colonel Bogey on the 6key flutes witch is loud and goes up to high F. BT the old cat often sits on my lap when i play. My house ferret Kenny likes all music as long as it doesn't go above high A. He comes out of his bed and glares at me then. The Bombarde is something else. Gave it up due to asthma and the dog always howled when it came out. I got banished from the house with it as well. Have a good picture of BT sitting on my lap listening to the whistle.

Byll · Post by **Byll** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 5:33 pm

Trisha: Aren't Maine Coon cats amazing? Velvet loves the Hoovers and most of the Burkes. Pixie, the Birman, dislikes all of them...The other five cats tolerate the instruments, but with little enthusiasm. None of them really like my one lone wooden whistle, my Busman...But I like it...
Best.
Byll

Curlyblue · Post by **Curlyblue** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 9:12 am

The strange behaviour around the whistles certainly comes from their hate of high piercing sounds. They have such sensitive hearing.

Timo, my Norwegian Forrest Cat doesn't seem to care when I play most whistles, or he leaves the room.
Bodi, my lovely and very lively Somali (he's my avatar

) starts running around like crazy, harrasing the other cats and just act like a maniac until I have to come to rescue. Lately he's a lot quiter.
Tutti, my carefree nothing disturbs me white Persian, is the one that is really disturbed by the sounds. She's a loner, totally in her own world and only comes to me for food or play. Unless I start playing...... She'll meow, walking around me wagging her tail, tapping my arm. When I stop, she'll very contently settles in her own box and goes to sleep.

High whistles get more of a reaction than low whistles but the one exception is my beloved Hoover narrow bore. That's why I say that they absolutely love that whistle! They don't seem to be bothered by that whistle at all, even playing high in second octave!
My Timo is so comfortable with it that he falls asleep in my lap while I'm playing it. In fact, he loves it so much because he's made the connection of me sitting on the sofa for a while to play and him having a comfortable lap to sit in during that time. So now he starts meowing, jumps on the sofa and rubs against the hoover. He's such a happy kitty when I respond, sit down and he can curl up on my lap

So the one whistle that is 100% cat approved is my Hoover narrow bore.

Gunnar · Post by **Gunnar** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 10:42 am

Cats seems to have some influences in songs such as "The Cat's Jig" or "The Old Grey Cat". I wonder if the composers did it after the reaction cats have had to the whistle. Never heard of any songs with the word 'Dog' in it yet

trisha · Post by **trisha** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 3:25 pm

Byll - it's her shower fetish that really creases me up (the Maine Coon cat dear reader...). She just stands in the cubicle for hours waiting for it to drip on her head, knowing full well that anyone will turn on a tap to let her drink - no lowly plastic bowl with dog slobber on for Sheba. :roll:

The Norwegian Forest is very like the Maine Coon - they are "different"! The two ex-ferals and the llamas have yet to be subjected to my efforts - the echoes in the valley are such that everything ends up at our neighbour's house across the valley

so it'll need to be concert standard first...

Trisha, Wales

dakotamouse · Post by **dakotamouse** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 5:24 pm

Ted doesn't do it anymore but he used to climb up on my shoulder when I was playing and nibble my neck.

Glad he's given it up. I hate smelling like cat spit.

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