When Vinny Speaks, People Listen

Cats don't naturally verbalize.

Sure, in the wild, they hiss, spit, and growl at each other. They'll also chirp - I think this is a mimicry of birds. But generally speaking, they don't talk just to talk.

House cats who talk a lot do so because they are spoken to a lot.

Needless to say, Vinny, Wonder Guerrilla Terrorist Cat, talks. And talks. And talks.

My favorite verbalization he does is when he's particularly frustrated with me - usually because he wants to go outside and I won't let him. It comes out sounding like a cross between a whine, a growl, and a swallowed meow. I usually respond by saying something along the lines of "It's so hard being you."

Anyway, so based on the fact that cats don't naturally verbalize, I would have only thought Vinny would talk when he was interacting with me.

Not true.

Last night, in the middle of the night, I was awakened by the black ball 'o fur next to me who was doing the REM sleep leg twitch and mewling quietly...in his sleep.

It was the sweetest thing ever.