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Chirps, wails, squeaks or rumbling purrs, our cats have quite the range when it comes to vocals. Our cats’ adorable little love language can be super sweet, but equally your worst nightmare when they scream the songs of their ancestors down the corridor at 5am, in their ‘outside’ voice. But what is it that makes our cats so chatty?
Cats meowing is a result of domestication
Probably one of our favourite factoids about furballs is that they developed their melodic meows purely to communicate with their humans. Cats mainly communicate with each other via scent, but being the clever kittens that they are, have learnt over time to develop their meows as they’ve become domesticated, in order to get what they want from their humans. Not to say they don’t chat amongst themselves, but before us humans came along and invited them to share our lives, it was a much more silent affair.
How can I tell what my cat is saying?
Our friends have developed quite the range of vocal outbursts in order to get our attention, and these are just a few of the most popular cries you’ll recognise as a cat parent:
- Greetings – those short little outbursts when you get through the door really are a sign you’ve been missed and your furry child just wants to welcome you back to the pack. Give them a little fuss and they’ll be right as rain, ready for another snooze.
- Food o’clock – our cats are like scheduled alarms, and once it hits dinner time you’ll know about it. Screaming until they get what they want. Though it’s best to try and avoid bad habits by rewarding the yelling, so hold off until they get a little quieter before filling the bowl.
- Attention – they’ve learnt along the way that raising their voices will surely get our attention, so more often than not our floofs will let out some cries purely to get some human time. Play, fuss, treats, whatever it is they want those smarties know that singing a little tune will get our immediate attention. It’s too cute to ignore.
- Illness – their little mewings can sometimes be a little more serious and an indication that something is wrong. If you notice a more unusual meow that you’re not used to, this could be a sign that your cat is trying to tell something isn’t right. If you think there’s cause for concern, always get in touch with your vet straight away to be on the safe side.
- Stress – certain situations can stress our housemates out, and certain meows might be letting us know this. If you notice a little more chat than normal, especially if there’s been a change in environment such as moving house or a trip to the vets, it’s probably just your favourite friend voicing their anxieties at the new situation. Lots of snuggles and plenty of reassurance will help, and making sure they have a safe quiet place to retreat to once the meows are done.
We love our daily cat chats, but be sure to know your breeds if you’re after a more peaceful pet as some can be much more vocal than others.
Do your research before taking on a bellowing bengal or shouty siamese for example, who really like to make their voices heard!
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