10 noises your cat makes – and what they all mean

Meowing comes in many variations, and each one means something slightly different. “Adult cats developed meowing specifically to communicate with humans. The only feline-to-feline meows are done by kittens to get fed by their mothers,” notes Susan Rubin, a pet expert and trainer. “A short, high-pitched meow is your cat’s way of saying hello to you.” She adds that several of these meows strung together could mean “I’m so happy to see you!” or it could be a “Hey, let’s play!”

Loving pet parents will want to learn these 17 other things your cat would love you to know.

A meow that sounds pleading or drawn-out – somewhere between a meow and a cry – is another way your cat tries to get your attention, says Rubin. This time it’s a little more serious, and could mean anything from “Please feed me!” or “Please let me out!” or even “Please pet me!”

Test your feline knowledge with this cat trivia quiz.

A crying meow is longer than the pleading meow, and it tends to sound more urgent and perhaps even a little agonised. “Kittens will emit a cry when they are in distress with the goal of eliciting a search response from the maternal figure to look for them. If they have wandered from the nest, she will retrieve them and bring them back,” says Wailani Sung, a pet behaviourist with Chewy.com.

Check out the 12 telltale signs your cat is happy.

This type of meow isn’t quite a yowl (which we’ll get to), but it sounds decidedly urgent and even a little angry. Rubin says, “This harsh-sounding meow is our cat scolding us for something we did, or maybe something we did not do.”

These affectionate cat breeds are far more likely to want attention.

“Some extra-chatty cats yowl as part of their everyday communication, but if your cat is yowling without precedent then [it could mean] they’re in distress,” notes veterinarian Dr Gary Richter. “A low, drawn-out yowl can be a complaint. In older cats, [excessive] yowling is often a sign of cognitive disorder or dementia.” If your cat is non-spayed, loud, long yowls can be part of mating behaviour, he notes. If the vocalising goes on for 24 to 36 hours, this could be a sign that your cat is unwell.

“This noise sounds much like the word does – like air slowly escaping through a hole,” says Rubin. “A cat makes this noise as a warning that it is very angry or fearful and is going to strike out. The noise is made when the cat feels that its life is threatened.” It’s intended to scare away predators as a pre-defence to actual fighting. Sometimes spit inadvertently comes out at the same time as the hiss.

Like hissing, when your cat makes a growling or snarling noise it’s their way of saying, “Hey buddy, back off or else!” Dr Sung says, “These are aggressive vocalisations. If the other party does not retreat, then a physical confrontation will occur.”

These hilarious cat memes are guaranteed to make you laugh.

Purring is a soft, low rumbling sound that almost all cats make. Depending on the cat, it may be a very quiet murmur or so loud you can hear it across the room. You can also often feel a vibration when they purr. “Purrs are produced by contractions of muscles in the throat, as well as the diaphragm in the chest,” explains Mikel Delgado, a cat behaviour expert with Rover. “Purring most often happens when cats are content, such as when they are enjoying being petted, about to be fed, or when a mother cat is nursing her kittens.”

Dr Sung adds that in some cases, cats will purr when they are afraid or in pain, or even if they are feeling sleepy or drowsy. It’s believed that they do this to comfort and calm themselves, though we still have a lot to learn about why cats purr.

“Trilling lands somewhere between a purr and a meow,” says Dr Richter. “It usually means that your cat is extra pleased or excited.” It could be that they’re really excited to see you when you get home, excited to snuggle on the couch, or thrilled about the food you’re preparing for them.

Cat “chatter” is a quiet, fast-paced “ack-ack-ack” sound, or a clicking sound, that cats make when they see birds or other animals outside, says Delgado. “We don’t fully understand this behaviour, but because it seems to almost exclusively happen when cats see prey that they can’t access – like through a window – we think it might be frustration or excitement,” she says. “Some scientists have observed that some predators make sounds mimicking their prey as a way to sneak up on them, so it may be the cat’s attempt to ‘tweet’ like a bird.”

Next, here are 14 small cat breeds that make perfect pets for every family.

By the way, Reader’s Digest is always on the lookout for the most touching, adorable, or hilarious true stories about smart animals. Submit your story for consideration.

Sign up here to get Reader’s Digest’s favourite stories sent to your inbox!

Source: rd.com