What Do Cat Sounds Mean?

Every sound your cat makes means something a little different right down to the tone they’re using. One meow from another cat can mean something entirely different or in a different environment, they may be trying to communicate something else. It’s all about taking in both the sound they’re making and the situation around them to really work out what they want and understand what they’re trying to tell you.

The meow comes in lots of different volumes and pitches to let you know what they need. A cat meow is something that first develops when your feline friend is a kitten. The meow is a means of communication kittens use to get their mother’s attention. They use it to express when they’re cold, hungry, hurt or they’ve strayed too far from the litter and need help finding their way back. As they get older, kittens will use their meow less as they learn to fend for themselves.

Over the years, we have noticed that cats don’t tend to meow at each other, it’s predominantly something they do to us. Studies on cat behaviour have taught us that they communicate with each other mostly through scent to avoid meeting face to face. Cats are not naturally social with one another so they’ve evolved to communicate without being in each other’s presence.

When it comes to us, that’s a little different and further research suggests that domestic cats and feral cats who are not used to being around humans communicate differently. Namely, domestic cats meow as adults while feral cats do not. They use their meows to tell us when they’re hungry, when it’s time to wake up or when they might just need attention. When it comes to our fur babies, they learn as they grow that communicating with us through meows tends to get them what they want. You can either look at it as an act of love since we take the place of their mother in this situation or as very cheeky manipulation on their part!

If a meow is to tell us when they need something, a purr is more like your cat’s way of telling you when you’ve done something right and they’re very content. Purring tends to occur when your cat is either making themselves comfortable and relaxing or they’re getting settled on your lap and enjoying a stroke. Not only does it convey that they are happy and relaxed but it often has the added benefit of soothing us and sending us to sleep. There’s something about the repetitive noise that makes it overall soothing to everyone around which just helps to give a clear image of how your feline friend is feeling.

There are some situations where your moggy may be anxious and purring and this isn’t because they’re enjoying the stressful situations, it’s a method of self soothing. Self soothing is like when we bite our nails or hum to ourselves, something that can be done when feeling anxious to try and relax yourself. Cats associate purring with feeling good so when they’re stressed, they can purr to try and help themselves feel better. To tell the difference between a happy purr and a stressed purr, you just need to look at the body language they’re displaying. If their ears are flat and their body is tense, they’re likely keeping a bit stressed while if they’re nice and relaxed, they’re probably enjoying themselves.

Unlike other cat sounds, the hiss can’t be mistaken for anything other than an unhappy sound. When your feline friend feels threatened, they will usually show all of their teeth and make a hissing sound. It doesn’t sound all that different to frying bacon and it can only mean one thing, they’re telling you they need space. Cats will hiss at both people, other cats or any other animals that get in their way. Dogs are very common recipients of the hiss when they clumsily gallop over to make friends with unsuspecting cats. The hiss is normally accompanied by their tails puffing up and arching their back in an attempt to look as big and threatening as possible.

While a hiss is quite universal, cats still differ in how often they use it and how great a threat is before they feel the need to use it. A study found that shy cats were more likely to hiss more often as they had a lower threshold for what made them feel threatened. A stranger just approaching them could illicit a hiss while more confident cats would just take themselves away if they didn’t want attention.

Chirps are a sweet little high-pitched noise that sounds almost like a bird noise. It tends to be quite short but is how many pet parents are often greeted by their fur babies. The chirp is first used by a mother cat to greet her kittens and reassure them when she gets back from hunting. It’s also how a mother would get her kittens to follow her when she needs to move them. As kittens become older, they will use it as an exciting noise that often happens whenever they’re happy to greet us. It can occur between two cats if they are bonded and happy to be back in each other’s company again.

Another form of chirping will occur often when your cat is staring out the window and watching birds or squirrels. Many pet parents will even notice that their cats seem to mimic the tone and length of a bird’s call while they watch. This is thought to be out of excitement as their predator instincts are triggered and a little frustration because they can’t get to them.

More often than not, your cat’s decision to meow at night will usually come from boredom and loneliness. Cats have a sleep cycle that is polyphasic which means they don’t just sleep during the day or night. They actually sleep through a 24-hour period in short bursts. A cat will sleep many times throughout the day with a few hours of activity between naps. Naps on average range between one to two hours long so they are often awake when we are asleep. If you sleep for eight hours a night, that is potentially six hours where your cat is awake with no attention from you. If it becomes excessive, it could be that they need your attention like they ran out of food or their litter box is full but as long as you make sure they have everything they need before you sleep then you shouldn’t worry. Leaving them with lots of toys to play with and maybe some activity feeders to keep them occupied overnight can be the key to a good night's sleep.

If you have yourself a vocal feline friend one day and the next, they just don’t make a noise then they may have something medical causing their sudden silence. Any illness that impacts the chest and throat can cause them to be less vocal. Cases of an upper respiratory infection can make cats less willing to be vocal if it hurts to make noise. In these cases, a vet will be able to help you get to the bottom of what is causing it and help them to feel better.

If your cat has never been one to meow from a kitten then it could just be part of their personality. It’s often not a case of them being unable to meow but just that they’re not a very talkative cat individually. Certain breeds are more likely to be vocal like short haired cats are often more chatty than long haired cats. Breeds like the Bengal are known for being especially vocal, they’re like the husky of cat breeds. A lot of what noises your cat makes is often down to personality and if you have a quieter cat you should just embrace being able to sleep through the night without being awoken instead of worrying about it!

For more advice about your kitty’s behaviour, have a prowl online at the rest of our blog articles here.