The psssppsssp thing just gets their attention. It may not get them to come over and they may act like they’re ignoring you, but it absolutely gets them to notice you- especially if it’s quiet.
It doesn’t change how the cat is going to behave after noticing, though and it’s best to play it off as not meant for them.
Another way I’ve had good luck is in creating some kind of toy to entice them to play- anything similar to those feather toys, for example. Rather than trying to play directly, flip it around in an open space… make it twitch… trigger their predatory instincts.
It’s also regional. Most people around here click their tongues at cats. In Quebec I’ve heard people whisper “ici” at cats.
Oh, that’s interesting. It never occurred to me to think the sound might vary. Does ici mean anything, or is it just a noise?
