猫猫的语言你知多少？

 Sure, you talk to your cat now, but does he know what the heck you’re saying? And do you understand his purrs and meows? If not, it’s time to have a good chat with your furry¹ friend.

当然，你现在也可以和你家猫猫说话，但是你家猫猫知道你到底在说什么东东吗？而且你知道他的呼噜声和喵喵叫都是什么意思吗？如果你不知道，那么你是应该好好地与你这位毛茸茸的朋友聊聊天了。

You will need: a willingness to look silly, attention to pay to his sounds and a working knowledge of cat body language.

你需要：愿意看起来有点傻，注意猫猫的声音，学习猫猫肢体语言。

Step 1:

Create greater intimacy² with your cat by mimicking³ his meows. Just knowing that you're attempting to speak his language will make him feel closer to you.

通过模仿猫猫的喵喵叫来与他建立亲密的关系。要知道通过尝试说他的语言会让他觉得你更亲近。

Step 2:

Increase your chances of your cat listening to you by using his name when you're issuing a command.

当你对他下达指令的时候，通过叫他的名字来使他更能听你的话。

Men should use a higher-pitched voice when speaking to their cats, because cats respond better to sopranos.

男人应该提高嗓音和猫猫说话，因为猫猫对女高音的反应比较大。

Step 3:

Like humans, cats seek clues about a person's mood by listening to his voice. So when you talk to your cat, be sure that your tone matches the message you want to convey.

像人类一样，猫猫也在通过人们的声音来发现人类情绪的蛛丝马迹。因此当你和你的猫猫说话时，要确保你的音调符合你想传达的情绪。

 If you want your cat to know you’re upset that he just peed on the rug, do what his mom would do: Gently pick him up by the scruff of his neck and growl⁴.

如果你想让你的猫猫知道在地摊上撒尿很让人讨厌，就按照他妈妈的做法：轻轻地提着他颈部的皮毛然后喊骂几句。

Step 4:

Cats have about 100 words in their vocabulary in the form of meows, growls⁵, purrs and hisses⁶. Pay close attention and you'll begin to learn sound he makes when he's hungry, angry, fearful and so on.

猫猫们的语言形式有喵喵叫、咆哮、呼噜声和嘘声，在这些形式中一共有大约100个词汇。要密切观察然后学习他们发出的声音，如饿的时候、怒的时候、害怕的时候等等都是什么声音。

Step 5:

Learn how to read your cat's tail. If only the tip is moving, he's irritated. If the tail is swinging from side to side, he's PO'd. If he's carrying his tail tall and proud, he's happy.

学会看猫猫的尾巴。如果只是尾巴顶端在移动，表示他在愤怒。如果他的尾巴来回摆动，则他很紧张。如果他的尾巴高高在上，表示他很高兴。

Step 6:

Figure out kitty's mood by paying attention to the speed and volume of his mewling. Fast, loud sounds indicate anxiety, while slow, quieter sounds convey confidence.

通过猫猫喵喵叫的速度和声音大小来判定小猫的情绪。如果又快又响亮，则暗示着不安；如果又慢声又小，则表示自信。

Did you know? In ancient Egypt, cats were so revered⁷ that when one died, the owner placed embalmed⁸ mice in the cat’s coffin⁹ so he’d have food in the afterlife.

你知道吗？在古埃及，猫猫们是如此高贵，当一只猫猫死后，它的主人会在它的棺材里放防腐的老鼠，希望它死后能吃饱。

1 furry   

adj.毛皮的；似毛皮的；毛皮制的

参考例句：

• This furry material will make a warm coat for the winter.这件毛皮料在冬天会是一件保暖的大衣。
• Mugsy is a big furry brown dog,who wiggles when she is happy.马格斯是一只棕色大长毛狗，当她高兴得时候她会摇尾巴。

2 intimacy   

n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行

参考例句：

• His claims to an intimacy with the President are somewhat exaggerated.他声称自己与总统关系密切，这有点言过其实。
• I wish there were a rule book for intimacy.我希望能有个关于亲密的规则。

3 mimicking   

v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的现在分词 )；酷似

参考例句：

• She's always mimicking the teachers. 她总喜欢模仿老师的言谈举止。
• The boy made us all laugh by mimicking the teacher's voice. 这男孩模仿老师的声音，逗得我们大家都笑了。 来自辞典例句

4 growl   

v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣

参考例句：

• The dog was biting,growling and wagging its tail.那条狗在一边撕咬一边低声吼叫，尾巴也跟着摇摆。
• The car growls along rutted streets.汽车在车辙纵横的街上一路轰鸣。

5 growls   

v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的第三人称单数 )；低声咆哮着说

参考例句：

• The dog growls at me. 狗向我狂吠。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The loudest growls have echoed around emerging markets and commodities. 熊嚎之声响彻新兴的市场与商品。 来自互联网

6 hisses   

嘶嘶声( hiss的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The speaker was received with a mixture of applause and hisses. 那演说者同时得到喝彩声和嘘声。
• A fire hisses if water is thrown on it. 把水浇到火上，火就发出嘶嘶声。

7 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

8 embalmed   

adj.用防腐药物保存（尸体）的v.保存（尸体）不腐( embalm的过去式和过去分词 )；使不被遗忘；使充满香气

参考例句：

• Many fine sentiments are embalmed in poetry. 许多微妙的情感保存于诗歌中。 来自辞典例句
• In books, are embalmed the greatest thoughts of all ages. 伟大思想古今有，载入书中成不朽。 来自互联网

9 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。