The Cat’s Meow

You know I’ve known for a very long time that a cat “meows”. I have a memory of it from my “typical hearing” childhood, and I have read in the books that the cat said – well… “Meow!”

When my kids were toddlers, we played games like, “this animal said what?”, and I even passed on my knowledge that cats say “meow”. Profound, huh? Grin!

I am 14 weeks post-activation. Wanna know something I learned? Not every cat meows the same! We are the proud owners of 3 house cats and their perspective litter boxes. All three look different and act differently. I have known for some time that one cat, Sonya, is the “boss”, and administers swift and severe punishment on any other feline who’d like to think otherwise.

I have known since we brought her home as a kitten, that “Mandie” is completely nuts. She has obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, and sees things that are not there. Her senses are extremely keen to the point that the most mundane sound, sight or smell, distracts her to idiotic responses.

Kiki, another one of our cats, “mothers” everyone else, and believes that if her food bowl is empty, that there is an immediate shortage of cat food on planet Earth, and all felines must need to show themselves excessively shaken by that fact.

I did not know that one cat’s meow sounds like she is asking a question – “Meow?” in a high pitch plaintive tone.

Another meow’s with a definite “purr” interruption, causing an almost rattly “mm-ee-oo-ww”.

The third cat meows rather low and bored.

A cat’s meow is individual. That all may seem like I’m stating the obvious. But I just now am hearing it – thanks to my cochlear implant. The CI has allowed me to hear something rather wonderful in a simple cat’s meow. Imagine learning cat’s meow differently at the age of 39! I’m momentarily stunned into silence about that. Ok, the moment is over…HORRAY!

Denise
Frederick County SHHH
Left CI implant: 4/6/05
Activation date: 5/13/05

©2006 Hearing Loss Diary