The Unique Language of Cats: Meowing Explained

If you have a cat, you may have noticed that cats don’t meow at each other. Instead, they meow at you. This is the reason feral cats do not meow as much as domestic cats. Meowing is a unique language reserved for communication between pet cats and their people. And like people, cats communicate to achieve results. So, what exactly is your cat trying to tell you? Continue reading to gain insight into the wonderful world of mews, meows, and yowls!

Kittens

Kittens are the exception when it comes to meowing at their fellow felines. Kittens meow at one another and to communicate with their mother. However, once they become adults, cats no longer meow at each other. A mama cat will vocalize to help a stray kitten make its way back to the litter, but otherwise, cats communicate with other cats primarily through scent.

Wild Cats

Wild cats don’t meow. They use their sense of smell for communication. Lions are an exception. Lions will vocalize to communicate with other members of their pride. However, they tend to growl, grunt, or roar. Wild cats have complex systems of communication including tail and ear positions, but meowing is not used. So, why do pet cats meow?

Common Reasons Cats Meow

Since humans don’t have a keen sense of smell like wild cats, their domesticated cousins had to find a different way to communicate their desires and needs to their caregivers. When urinating on furniture didn’t work, cats learned how to meow. They have since created a repertoire of distinct vocalizations designed to get results in a variety of situations.

To Greet People

Cats meow to greet people. They may also sometimes circle your legs to welcome you home. Rubbing against your legs is another form of greeting. When you speak to your kitty, it may respond to say that it understands you. Very few cats will ever display the theatrics of their canine counterparts, but if they have formed a bond, they will greet you in their cat-like way.

Cats Meow To Demand Attention

Some pet cats enjoy social contact, especially with their people. Cats meow to voice their need for attention. They meow because they want to be stroked or have their bellies rubbed. Felines are clever and if vocalizing has achieved the desired response previously, you best believe they will continue to vocalize until they get the intended response.

To Ask for Food

Cats can be demanding creatures. When they are hungry, cats will meow. They also use their meows to beg for human food. Unlike their wild cousins, domestic cats have learned that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, or in this case, the chow. This meow can range from a soft and gentle nudge to a more persistent and demanding growl, depending on how hungry your little furball is.

Cats Meow to Ask to Be Let In (or Out)

A cat meowing by a door wants to go out or come in, depending on which side of the door they are on. However, if you are training a cat, it can take weeks for these cats to get used to staying indoors. Making your interior space inviting to your cat, with toys and a scratching post helps. A perch next to a window from which they can view squirrels and birds is another nice touch.

To Express Pain

Since meowing is the only way for cats to communicate with their caregivers, they will meow to communicate when they are injured or unwell. Cats are typically stoic, so if their demeanor is off or they have a visible injury, an increase in vocalizations may indicate that your cat is in distress or pain. These meows tend to be prolonged and more urgent than usual. In these situations, you must seek the advice and care of a veterinarian. Elderly cats will meow excessively when they are confused and disoriented. Excessive meowing in elderly cats is a symptom of cognitive dysfunction syndrome in cats, which is similar to Alzheimer’s Disease in humans.

Cats Meow to Find a Partner

Cats, especially unspayed females, will meow, or yowl, loudly when searching for a mate. This is typical behavior, especially when she is in heat, also called estrus. She is announcing her availability and the frequent, possibly excessive, vocalizations are simply part of the mating ritual. Male cats will also become very vocal, often in response to the female’s calls.

To Show Stress

When a cat is intimidated or stressed, they will make a variety of sounds, from low-pitched meows to hissing. when a cat is feeling intimidated by a larger animal, it will elicit a low-pitched meow to communicate that they do not wish to engage. If this fails, the cat may resort to a full-on growl, which signals that the cat will fight if necessary. Stress vocalizations run the gamut from yowling to whining, depending on the circumstance. Whining is most prevalent in kittens, but an adult cat that is trapped or in need of comfort will whine.

To Express Happiness

Though we associate purring with contentment in our feline friends, cats do meow to tell their people they are happy. The tone of a happy meow is soft and sweet. A cat will often combine a soft meow with a purr, and when they do, they are blissed out. So, while these finicky furballs typically meow when they want something from us, they occasionally meow to show their appreciation.