What's In A Cat's Meow?
August 6, 2017
One fascinating fact about cats and their meows is that some sounds are only used to communicate with their human friends. It’s as if they’ve developed their own language just for their owners. The purr-meow is a good example of a sound that cats only utter in the presence of humans, and it’s usually to get food.
Unless you have a very vocal cat, most felines don’t meow much. Meowing is a language used between a mother cat and her kittens, and adult cats and their humans. Cats don’t often meow at each other as a means of communication. Instead they use an array of gestures and body language; for example, scratching!
What’s interesting is the kind of vocal cues they use to communicate with their humans to get what they want. Each cat is unique and will have his or her own voice, but there are a few standard sounds that you’ll probably recognize in your own cat. Here’s a compilation of some unusual sounds that cats make when they’re trying to express themselves.
The Chattering Cat
Cats will chirp and chatter usually at the window when they see a bird outside. The sound can be interpreted as frustration or excitement, and some believe it’s a mimicking effect that allows your cat to get closer to his prey. Whatever it is, it’s funny to watch and good to see your cat enjoying themselves.
The Purr-Meow
The purr-meow is the sound your cat makes when he or she greets you at the door. It’s a happy sound that say, ‘Gosh, I’m glad to see you,’ that’s usually followed with lots of rubbing up against your legs. In this video, however, these two funny cats seem to be discussing something beyond their owner’s imminent arrival. Still using the purr-meow technique, these cats are definitely in tune with each other!
Finding Your Voice
Like I said earlier, each cat is unique and will develop their own style of meowing and talking to get what they want. Sometimes it’s hard to understand what exactly they’re trying to say, especially when they mix yodeling with hissing like the cat in this video. You’d think he wants to be let in, but when the owner gets too close, kitty is not pleased. Check it out:
Growling
Growling is an unmistakable sound that warns you of the likelihood of a swat, so watch out! But not all cats like to follow the rules. You can tell by the body language of this cat that she’s clearly not happy, but the sound she makes doesn’t resemble a growl at all.
All of these funny, unusual, and cute sounds that your cat makes is for your benefit. Cats have learned over the years that humans like to talk and that's how they'll try to communicate with you too. Mother cats will meow, chirp, and trill to their kittens in different ways to communicate with them. The kittens learn these sounds and vocal cues, and use them to talk to their new moms (and dads). So listen up! Your cat is trying to tell you something!
by Natalie Secretan
PuppyDogCapers.com
Photo Credit: photoschafl - meow!