Hot off the keyboard: When cats type

The cats at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary have a lot to say, but you may want to bring in a translator to interpret what these five cats typed.

By Sarah Thornton

July 30, 2020

Cats have a lot of opinions. And while most of us humans don’t speak cat, that doesn’t stop them from trying to get their point across. Who hasn’t had a cat try to get onto their keyboard? It seems like no matter how many times you try to redirect their attention, within seconds they’re back stepping on numbers and letters and punctuation. So, we decided to give some cats free rein of our keyboards and see what they’ve got to say.

via GIPHY

These Sanctuary cats have taken to the same keyboards that they always see people type-type-typing on, and we’ve included their unedited “mewsings.” But, further translation is still necessary.

Pipkin gives us the 411(1111111)

Cream tabby cat on a desk next to a computer with a masked woman sitting on a chair behind her

As a kitty who calls a Cat World office her home-between-homes, it’s safe to say Pipkin is familiar with computers. When we asked for her contribution, she even showed off her computer skills by opening up source codes and (before she was finished) locking up the keyboard. Here’s what Pipkin typed:

11111111

;.//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// p[-09fvc

“”” ncvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvnLLLLLLL

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Single-minded Koda

Orange tabby cat standing on a desk with front paws on a woman's shoulder as she's trying to type

Koda was more than happy to participate and lend a paw to satisfy our curiosity in return for some quality hugs and snuggles. He didn’t even have to look at what he was typing to properly express himself. Here’s what Koda typed:

Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

More translation necessary for Skyler

Dilute tortoiseshell cat lying in a bed next to a computer

Skyler wasn’t entirely sure about the whole thing. A little shy at first (by nature maybe), she was feeling bashful about opening up and typing how she felt while we were watching. It’s OK, Skyler. Your secret’s safe with us (especially since we can’t exactly understand what it is). Here’s what Skyler typed:

0--\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;l.4p[-1

Woodrow’s musings

Tabby and white cat rubbing face against a computer monitor

Another sweet guy who was much more interested in scratching all the right places than coming up with a written monologue, Woodrow seems to have gone with just trying to tell us how he feels about being petted. “Mmmmmmm, that feels nice.” Here’s what Woodrow typed:

4rjkmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

An ‘ez’ assignment for Twiggy

Gray longhair cat looking at an open laptop computer

Twiggy has already watched enough typing for the novelty to wear off. She knows what to do and finds the whole thing terribly simple. In her own words:

;………………..ez nmmmmm

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Photos by Molly Wald and Sarah Thornton