No Onomatopoeia Possible

[plumtreeblossom]

A Siamese cat's vocalization can't aptly be called a "meow." I have described it as a combination of a human baby and a rusty door hinge, or alternately, "the sound you'd get if you made a talking human baby doll out of metal and let it rust." I'll add another one: infant ogre.

I came across this video on siamesecats. I miss my dear Rowley Menace. Even BenBen's ears pricked up and he came over when I played it. I hope vanguardcdk didn't think it was the squirrels.

Comments

[muffyjo]

LOL! Ms. T didn't actually know how to meow at all until I moved in with two housemates and their Siamese cat. Unfortunately, she now meows with a Siamese accent. Seriously, she sounds JUST like that video. If you ever get too nostalgic, you're welcome to come over and sit quietly in the chair at around 6pm when it's time for her meds or at 10pm when it's time for me to go to bed. Both times are not so much commented on as ANNOUNCED! :)

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Hee! Siamese accent!

Rowley could even inflect his. Different pitches meant different things. And loud meant FOOD!

[joyeous.livejournal.com]

Aww, they have two Siamese! So cute. And they're talking to each other! I miss dear Rowley as well. :-(

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Funny how, when he first moved here with a long-gone roommate, he was skittish and sneaky and we (Rowley and I) had a very hard time accepting each other. But once the roommate disappeared, we grew to love each other very much.

You should come over and see BenBen sometime!

[soothethemuse.livejournal.com]

Wow. That is the most ungodly sound I've ever heard a cat make... LOL Now I know why the Siamese cats in whatever Disney movie that was ("we are Siameese if you pleese, badum bum bum") were cast as evil.

*grin*

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Those Disney cats are in my icon. :-)

The sound becomes endearing once you fall in love with the cat. But yeah, hard to believe an animal can sound like that!

[soothethemuse.livejournal.com]

Oh! Was that Lady and the Tramp? I think it was. :) LOL I was always scared of those cats.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, I remember it well -- the sound of my old Tim Thai's voice greeting me with a hearty "Hello" whenever I came in the door. He also had several other sounds he made, which he taught me to understand. One of these was, "I know I really shouldn't get any of that, but maybe just a little taste?" The sound was kind of a semi soft "Rahhh?" which ended on a question mark as he looked me right in the eye. Something unique about the Siamese was that he never looked away first from an eyeball to eyeball stare. I miss him.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Amazing how they can do that, isn't it? Rowley made a sound that was a pout. The inflection made it sound just like a child's pout. Untypeable, of course, but if you've had a Siamese, you know.

[scholargipsy.livejournal.com]

This sound scared the shit out of Millie, the more fearless of our two cats.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

That was the sound I woke up to almost every morning when he was with us. :-)

He liked to wedge himself between a sleeping Jay and me, and he would announce it vocally, making sure we were awake to adjust our body positions to accommodate him.

[heatherp8.livejournal.com]

Savannah came wandering in and looked all around the room, finally focusing on the computer screen, her blue eyes wide.

In the evenings when I'm watching TV and a commercial comes on, if I even make a motion to get out of my chair, they all tune up. It's snack time, of course!

Thanks for sharing this...and hugs.
I know you miss your Rowley boy.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Savannah's eyes are so gorgeous. :-) This video seems to be getting the attention of as many cats as people.

[sernin.livejournal.com]

That video got my two running across the room with concern.
International Cat Language?

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Weird, isn't it?

[wolfkitn.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting that... It's quite the sound! I can understand your missing your kitn... so sorry! Did Rowley sound like that?

(I miss my former Maggie, as well, though she was not a Siamese.)

[spacechicken.livejournal.com]

Roxanne went bananas when I played that. She jumped up on the computer desk and pressed her face to the screen! Normally TV kitties don't phase her at all.

i think you may need another Siamese.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I totally need another Siamese! Once I get back on safe financial footing, that is!

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

I played this just now and Marlowe looked rather disturbed when he heard it. :)