DEAR JOAN: Once in a while I’ll find our male cat sitting next to one of several neighborhood cats, howling at the top of his lungs. Why does he do that ? — Dennis M., San Jose DEAR DENNIS: Normally, ...

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.

DEAR DENNIS: Normally, howling and yowling in the presence of another cat is not a good sign. It is a clear indication that there is something territorial going on, and we’re about to see an epic cat ...