The tone of your voice matters.
In previous posts, I mentioned reading a great deal about cat behavior. While all the books, blogs, and resources had bits of useful information, nothing seemed to fit our “unique” situation. One resource that was recommended was Socialization Saves Lives.
According to their site, “They practice a step-by-step method that is cat-led and consent-based. Regardless of what you’ve been told, any cat of any age can be socialized to humans.”
Unfortunately, I found this resource long after we had established our routines, but there was one lesson that really stuck with me: The Low Slow DJ Voice.
Now, it’s not like we were communicating with Totti and Wallace in short, squeaky baby voices. But we were not using the normal tone we would use when speaking to family and friends, either. Our tone with them was different from the tone we used with each other.
The Low-Slow DJ Voice didn’t make a dramatic difference in our journey, but it was just one more small thing that moved us closer to them.
I’ve volunteered at several shelters over the years, and I see and hear people interacting with animals in pet stores, too. Baby-talk, chittering, and other “scary” noises are often heard. If you are involved with animals at all, the following video is worth your time:
So now, everyone in our home is spoken to at the same level and in the same tone. Communication, affection, and love—without any high squeaks!
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