Everyone knows that cows moo, gulls shriek and cats miaow. In fact, most species have a far wider range of vocal expression than we give them credit for. Seep, seep, seep of a juvenile begging for food. While cats do miaow, they are also capable of blood-curdling screams and the low menacing thrumming of two toms trying to face one another down. Gradually this mutated to a guttural trill, a bit like someone imitating a machine gun. It was a definite miah sound, accompanied by a searching gaze into my eyes. Freya makes is a soft trill in the back of her throat. At other times it is no more than a vibration of her chest and throat muscles that i see rather than hear. This is an exclamation of pleasure or pleased surprise which she makes, for example, if i stroke her in passing. This morning, when i handed over the cage, i heard the machine-gun eck-eck-eck and it made me feel bad. It was the equivalent of a child stretching out her arms disconsolately to a departing parent. She is the one thing that accompanied me from my old life into my new one. Fortunately, the happiness of being home again seems to wipe away the sadness of betrayal, at least until next time. Chingford because we too are going on holiday. If you have read previous posts, you may recall that we try to get away for our respective birthdays and this is my birthday jaunt. As usual, i will not say where we are going until i blog about it on my return but will leave you a couple of easy clues which you may use if you want to guess our destination. England and it has a canary named after it. We will be staying in the town but, as usual, visiting various places in the area, having acquired rail rover tickets for the purpose. We expect to be out of the town more than we are in it. Internet with my phone. Cats do vary in individual ways.