~~SYN/ACK~~ ME/OW

Yes but also it’s encrypted!

More like ICMP echo request and reply (ping).

Cat just checking in if you're still alive

Yeah object permanence is not strong with mine either. She'll go into another room, forget I exist, scream, I respond, she's like, "Oh hey, you're right where I left you!"

Tiny fuzzy airhead.

"I'm alive, are you?"

"Yes."

Then you're all like:

"You are approaching meee?"

Cue to the Stands appearing behind you two.

I had to explain to my boyfriend that my cat absolutely has a "name" for him. My cat has specific meows for all his favorite humans.

That's one fuckin nice kitty right there.

and sometimes this sounds like a crying baby.

Yeah, you're gonna wanna eat some catfood, chug a beer and huff some glue. It'll make you feel really sick and then put you right out.

Yeah... My oldest cat makes different noises for different requests. Yowling near door to go outside, chirping near bowls for dinner, and little mews while following you around to be picked up. And I'm not really sure it's an outlier case as the other two younger cats are starting to learn to do the same.

As a cat person, I find most explanations of cat behaviour generalised and ingomplete; scientific or not. My Siamese cat yells at me when I have not met my side of our obligations.

Consistency is important for children and animals.

• We get up at sunrise, so he will nuzzle or meow to be let in if he's locked out of my room.
• We get wet food at 7am, and if I'm late he will not be impressed and yell until we are in the kitchen. However, if I'm on time, he will sit on the counter and say a quick meow to let me know he's ready and a good boy.
• He will bring his toys to me when it's time to play, if I don't notice he'll let me know.
• When there's something outside and I come watch he'll look at me and do a little chirp, approving my presence and proud of what he's found
• And when we get home he greets us with the back and forward calling and a nuzzle.

There's much more nonverbal communication than verbal. Everyone knows when their cat is scared or excited, but with a good relationship you can tell when they're anxious or in pain. Cat's know human non-verbal communicotion; they know when you're sad, it just depends on the cat if they'll cuddle or knock you're nick-nacks off a shelf.

Meowing is very common among cats. Go look up videos on YouTube where people attach GoPros to their outdoor cats and see them interact with other cats in the neighborhood.

It can be both. I think it really depends on the specific cat and person. My cat "barks" for needs, "whines" when he loses us, and meows for attention or to get vocalization back. I think attentive cat owners probably know their cat and because it's adaptive behavior it's not the same across the board.

And the "i need pets so bad out of nowhere that I'm in a crisis" meow.

yeah that's because the little ones mean "hii" and the big ones mean "HELLO???!!"

I used to have a semi-outdoor cat. She could come and go from the basement through a cat door. That little shit knew where my bedroom was and every morning she would climb up on the shelf as high as possible and meow loudly as if to say, "Hey! Hey Dumbass! Are you gonna feed me or what!? Heeeeyyyy!"

"Give me tummy rubs until I'm overstimulated! I'll let you know when the time comes."