If you live with a cat, you have probably noticed this. You say a normal household word, and your cat suddenly freezes, leaves the room, or looks alert from across the house.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Suzanne Marshall / Moment via Getty Images Cats communicate in a variety of ways, including purrs, meows, and hisses, in addition ...

Your cat’s purr may say more about who they are than their meow ever could. Scientists discovered that purrs are stable and uniquely identifiable, while meows change dramatically depending on context.

Meeaaaoow rises like a question mark before dawn. Anyone living with a cat knows their sounds: broken chirrups like greetings, low growls that warn, purrs stitched into sleepy conversation.