And we humans can’t help but surrender to the infectious vibration of the feline purr. Purring is the ultimate sound of kitty contentment. The secret healing power of a cat’s purr If your cat is showing other signs of cognitive dysfunction, such as litter box misses, excessive sleeping, or staring blankly into space, have your pet evaluated by their health provider. One sign of this is loud meowing when they become disoriented or confused (especially at night) as a cry for help. Confusion: Like humans, a cat can experience cognitive decline in their elder years.(You may even feel like they’re giving you a recap of their day.) Greeting: Some cats will excitedly greet you with a chorus of meows when you come home.They want in! (or out!): Even a cat that’s normally on the quiet side may meow and meow and meow when they really, really want to get to the other side of a shut door.Usually, it means they want food, water or attention, but here are a few more common situations that bring on meows. As adults, cats don’t meow at each other, but many (not all) do meow at humans. Recently, we’ve come to realize that meowing originates as a kitten vocalization - kittens meow to signal hunger or cold or in need of something from Mom. Are you picking up on a theme? Cats meow when they want something from the staff, er, their trusted human companion. Why do cats meow?Ĭats meow when they want to play, crave an ear scratch or want a refill of their food bowl. In the meantime, here’s your guide to what we know about cat sounds so far. So stay tuned for new insights on what makes your cat tick. However, interest in this field is growing. The sounds cats make have not been studied as extensively as those made by canines, as this article about purring from the BBC explains. Like many social animals, cats make sounds to communicate with each other, their young, as well as their human companions.
Getting to know your cat’s unique sounds is part of what makes life with cats so fascinating and endearing. At unexpected times, felines can make vibrating chatters, trills, beeps, chirps and other sounds that can sound downright odd. For a pet that has a reputation for being on the quiet side, cats are surprisingly vocal creatures.