Cat Noise Meanings

Cat Noise Meanings

Learn to speak the language of Cat!

Discover the vast range of noises your cat makes and what they all mean, from purrs to hissing!

Purrs

One of the most well-known sounds that a cat makes is the Purr. We often associate purring with happiness and when our feline friends are at their most happy.

However, cats can also purr when scared or injured as a way of comforting themselves. The best way to discern this is to check their other body language, with flat ears and arched back meaning distress.

Hissing and growling

Both hissing and growling tend to be negative communication in cats. They signify that the person or other animal close to them should back away and that they are at risk of attack.

Some cats growl when they are overstimulated too, especially if they have possession of prey or a toy that they do not want to give up. Therefore, it's always better to give a growling or hissing cat a wide berth.

Meows

Another of the most common cat noises is the meow. Overall a meow is used to gain the attention of another, particularly humans. Your cat may meow at you for strokes, food, or attention.

Some owners even report that cats have different kinds of meows that mean different things. A language of sorts if you will that a sharp-eared human can learn over time.

Chatter

Have you ever seen the Jurassic Park movie, the first one with the velociraptors? Well, in that movie, you will notice that those predatory dinosaurs chitter and chatter when on the hunt. Cat's it seems, do something very similar too.

While experts do not know precisely why they sound so much such as sound, some suggest it may be excitement or even calling other cats in the area to join the hunt? Either way is a suitable method of discovering when your cat is about to catch something and intervening, quickly.

A trill or chirrup

A chirrup or trill is quite a wonderful noise coming from a cat. It usually means hello, and you will find that many felines offer it as a greeting to their owners if they have been out at work all day.

Specialists suggest that the greeting is used between mother cat and kittens in your feline's primary stage of development. Which might also indicate that they see their relationship with us, their humans, as a proactive, maternal one?

Wailing

Last of all, if your cat is wailing, it is probably not a good sign. Wailing is a peculiar noise, something like a cross between a baby's cry and a howl. It is such an awful sound that it has its unique name - caterwauling!

Of course, if your cat is making such a sound, it means they have a problem. Caterwauling can signify distress, fear, and pain.

While it's a pretty fearsome sound and can indicate that something is wrong can also be used for good in alerting you to the problem. Something that means you can attend immediately to your cat and resolve the issue.

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.