One of my cats, who is going on 13-14 years old (he was a stray, not sure of his exact age) has a specific pitched meow for when he wants me to do something for him.
He'll use that, combined with lifting one paw off of the ground to "ask" me to do something for him.
Once I follow him, he'll nudge his head in the direction of what he wants. The sink? He wants to drink out of the faucet. The counter? He wants treats out of the drawer. The pantry? He wants food. If he just sits there and cries I know he wants to be pet.
He'll use that, combined with lifting one paw off of the ground to "ask" me to do something for him.
Once I follow him, he'll nudge his head in the direction of what he wants. The sink? He wants to drink out of the faucet. The counter? He wants treats out of the drawer. The pantry? He wants food. If he just sits there and cries I know he wants to be pet.