I have lived with cats for close to 38 years, and until several months ago when I got my now 1-year-old cat Sumi, I never experienced a duo of cats who had their own secret language. Sumi was introduced into the household in June, and she quickly bonded with my 2-1/2-year-old cat Koji, which made perfect sense since she was only six months old at the time and wasn’t nearly as interested in being around my two senior cats. A couple of weeks later, I started hearing some very bizarre vocalizations which I knew were coming from Sumi or Koji, but I wasn’t sure which one was making these noises.

The vocalizations I am referring to sound like a combination of meowing and cooing, and they are only heard when Koji and Sumi are play-fighting. Initially, I had assumed that the sounds were emanating from Koji, so I started watching the two kids so that I could find out which feline was making such bizarre noises. I was able to confirm on two occasions that Koji was making those utterances, but then a couple of other times, I distinctly saw that Sumi was the one with her mouth open, creating those sounds. There was also one instance in which I saw both cats making their ridiculous babble, and they were actually doing it in sequence, as if they were communicating with each other.

I have determined that Koji is the instigator, and definitely chatters at Sumi more than she does with him, but they both engage in this adorable and funny vocal interchange quite frequently during playtime.