If you want to understand your cat, you need to read this book
23.9.2025
Translation: machine translated
Cats talk to us all the time - but we hardly understand them. This book shows how much more there is to their purring, meowing and head-butting than you realise.
I have shared almost my entire life with these wonderful, velvety creatures. I have learnt to read them in many situations. And yet I am always at a loss in front of my cats and simply don't understand what they are trying to tell me. A problem that many cat people are probably familiar with. Because even if they try their hardest, our felines just can't quite make us understand some things. Because we don't understand their language.
That should change. And so I set out in search of a book that could teach even experienced cat fans something. To my great delight, I found what I was looking for: «Cats and Their Secret Language» by Sarah Brown is indeed one of these special books.
30 years of research - real cat knowledge instead of myths
What makes this book stand out Sarah Brown doesn't just write about cats, she lives for them - as a researcher, cat owner and counsellor. Thirty years of research have gone into it, and I quickly realise that. Instead of clichés or half-truths, Brown explains how cats really communicate. She reports on numerous scientific studies that have gradually made it clearer over decades how cats talk to each other and to us.
Purring: a multi-layered message instead of just a feel-good sound
Many people think that cats only purr when they are happy. Brown shows that this is only part of the truth. Purring can mean comfort, communication and even self-healing. The author takes you through the history of research into this sound, describing experiments and observations and getting you right into the thick of the action.
By the way, my favourite cat sound is the joyful cooing when my velvet paws greet me or when they snuggle up to me. Combined with giving my head and having my tummy stroked, this is the ultimate accolade when it comes to cat affection.
Direct, down-to-earth and always comprehensible
Although there is a lot of research involved, Brown manages to make the sometimes tedious and quite dry scientific work entertaining - without unnecessary technical terms. After reading the book, you will understand how ear position, tail wagging, meowing and even the famous head giving have their very own meaning in the cat world. Brown's language remains friendly and clear, her examples come directly from real situations - often from her own cats or experiences from the research lab.
In a nutshell
If you want to understand cats, you have to read this book
If you really want to understand what your cat is trying to tell you - far beyond the usual guidebooks - then this book is the best choice. Comprehensible, approachable and written with a real spirit of enquiry.
Pro
- New perspectives even for experienced cat people
- comprehensible and clearly written
- Scientifically sound instead of full of myths
Contra
- No quick tips or brief explanations, instead detailed in the programme description
Header image: Anna Sandner
Anna Sandner
Senior Editor
Anna.Sandner@galaxus.deScience editor and biologist. I love animals and am fascinated by plants, their abilities and everything you can do with them. That's why my favourite place is always outside - somewhere in nature, preferably in my wild garden.
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