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My cat Oliver is so talkative that I've often suspected there are birds hidden somewhere in his ancestry. You name the occasion he has a sound for it. Like most cats, his chatter can be sorted into two categories: meows and purrs.

The language of meowing is easy to pick up if you're paying attention. Loud meowing in the morning translates to, "Hey, you forgot to fill my food and water dish last night." Stop-and-start meows, accompanied by fast trots in and out of the room, generally signal that it's time to change the litter box. Meows that sound like bells ringing mean Ollie has spotted something living that interests, but doesn't alarm, him: usually a spider, bird or squirrel. Lastly, because a cat does not live on kibble and dead spiders alone, Ollie will occasionally wander around whatever room I'm in, meowing for no obvious reason. This is his way of saying, "Yo, stop what you're doing, and pay some attention to me." I'm generally happy to oblige.

The language of purring is a little more subtle. Since all of Ollie's purrs sound exactly the same, the key to telling what they mean is context. If he's sitting on his own and I hear contented rumblings, he's acting as a sort of emotional barometer for the household. Basically, he's sounding the all clear: everyone in the family is happy, healthy and accounted for. On the other hand, if he's settled on my lap and I've been paying sufficient attention to him, that purr signals that I've made him happy through a back rub, a chin scratch or just a comfortable pair of knees to perch on. But it's the final type of purr that ensures I will always adore him, no matter how many times he shreds my favorite sweater or pukes on the carpet. Whenever I'm sick or unhappy, Ollie can be counted on to seek me out, snuggle up against my stomach, and purr as loudly as a cat twice his size. This final purr is all for me. He's saying, "I know you're hurting, and I'm going to take care of you. You aren't alone."

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