Why is my cat making a weird noise
8 Sounds Cats Make and What They Mean
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when cats make sounds they're trying to
communicate an emotion or desire
some cat noises indicate contentment and
happiness
while others reflect fear worry or even
anger
all sounds though are indicative of a
cat's emotional state of mind
by knowing what your cat sounds mean
you'll better understand your feline
friend's mood
needs and intentions in this video we'll
talk about the top eight common sounds
cats make
and explain the meaning behind them
chattering
cats chattering almost always happens
when a cat is fascinated by a visual
stimulus
such as a bird or rodent outside a
window if you watch your cat's body
language when they chatter
you'll often notice that their eyes
widen with excitement
their ears tilt forward and they are
fixated on their target
this is because chattering is often a
reaction to prey
theories suggest that cats chatter in a
response to the excitement of seeing
their hunt
and the frustration of not being able to
catch it a prey being near but
untouchable is so provocative that it
causes a feline to express
themselves physically purring
purring is an interesting phenomenon in
felines and one that has not yet been
fully explained by science
the common consensus is that cats purr
when they are happy and content
it often happens when they are in a
relaxing environment
while we're stroking them or when a
mother cat is nursing her kittens
cats also purr as a way to soothe or
comfort themselves when they're sick or
anxious
this is why you'll often hear your cat
purring at the vet clinic as she's being
examined
they are using this self-soothing
technique to calm themselves down
studies have shown that the low
frequency of a cat purring
causes a series of vibrations inside
their body that can relieve
pains heal injuries and repair tendons
it gets even more interesting research
has shown that the vibrations caused by
purring
can promote bone growth in the wild
cats spend a lot of time lying around
waiting to hunt
so purring stimulates bones so they
don't become brittle or weak
in fact per-like vibration devices have
been proposed for potential use in space
flights to retain
astronauts bone density furring also
acts as a relaxing
internal massage for felines all in all
if your cat is purring it is likely out
of contentment
unless if they are injured or in some
sort of pain
cater walling
walling is a cat vocalization that
sounds like a cross between a yowl
a howl and a wine more often than not
an unspayed female cat in heat will
produce this disturbing sound to attract
prospective males
males in turn respond with equally
strange noises to let the females know
they heard the mating call
these sexual calls are often the primary
reason why many cat owners
decide to neuter or spay their pet
hissing
contrary to popular belief hissing is a
normal way that cats express
fear not aggression or hostility it's a
cat's clear way of saying
back off or i'll be forced to attack
cats characteristically want to avoid
confrontation at all costs
so think of hissing as a warning you may
see cats make this sound when they feel
threatened
if a mother cat has kittens to protect
or if the vet is trying to examine your
feline
a dog who gets too chummy with your cat
is also sure to provoke a hiss
and perhaps more the hissing sound is
usually paired with
other feline body language signs like
bare teeth
flattened ears and an arched back
spitting can also occur with a hiss
when your cat takes on this appearance
back off and do what you can to remove
the perceived threat
and remember cats may also hiss at you
when they're in pain
and you touch them on a particularly
sensitive part of their body
chirping or trilling
trilling is a chirpy high-pitched sound
that is mostly used by female cats
this is because when kittens are young
the mother cat will trill at them as a
cue to encourage her kittens to follow
her
or as a strategy to capture her kitten's
attention
if your cat is trilling at you there's a
good chance they're requesting the same
they want to get your attention cats
also trail to greet their humans
it's a cat's way of saying hello i'm
here
all in all the trilling sound is almost
always a sign of a positive emotion
or a welcoming vibe it often happens
when your cats are pleased or excited
it could be that they're happy to see
you when you get home excited to snuggle
on the couch
or thrilled about the food you're
preparing for them
meowing
meowing is an interesting vocalization
because adult cats don't meow at each
other
kittens meow to draw the attention of
their mothers like when they're cold or
hungry
but once the kittens are grown the
meowing stops
this means that meowing is often not
part of adult cat to cat communication
it is used almost exclusively with
humans
in general cats meow at people when they
want something
like attention food warmth or perhaps
access to a closed room
cats may even me out to greet you when
you come home
keep in mind that meowing comes in
several variations
and we can interpret what our pet is
trying to say by paying attention to the
intensity
and tone of the meow as well as
observing their body language
in general the more intense a cat's meow
the more
important or urgent the message short
pleasant sounding meows
are generally used as requests for food
or attention
whereas long unpleasant meowing is
usually reserved for demands or to
express
objection or annoyance yowling
[Music]
yowling sounds like a long drawn out
moan that comes from a cat's throat
[Music]
unlike meowing yowling is not only a cat
to human communication
adult cats also yell at one another
usually during their breeding season
a gyowl may indicate that a cat is not
feeling well or is in distress or pain
yowling may also occur when the cat has
some sort of territorial concern
like when something in her environment
such as a new cat in her area
is into her liking if your cat is not
neutered or spayed
long and loud yelling can be related to
mating issues
as yowling is meant to attract potential
mates
all in all yowling is a cat's way of
saying stay out of my territory or
i want to mate if your cat begins to
incessantly yell
a vet visit is necessary growling
the growl is another sound that cats
make when they are angry
or want to scare off a potential threat
it is a very clear warning to step back
and may be the last step before
attacking if your cat growls at you
it's best to give him or her some space
and leave your cat to calm down
but remember if your cat growls
frequently it may be a sign of pain or
health issue
which means a vet visit is necessary
screaming more often than not
cats scream after a mating session or
when they are in the middle of a cat
fight
screaming can also indicate that your
cat is truly frightened and fearful
if there's nowhere to flee and your cat
is extremely fearsome
the only option is to scream but
remember
screaming may also indicate that your
cat is very sick
or in serious pain some cats are by
nature
noisier than others as a rule of thumb
long-haired cats tend to be less
talkative and outgoing than short-haired
felines
if you prefer a less vocal cat consider
a russian blue
persian chartreuse maine or
norwegian
forest cat these breeds tend to be on
the quieter side
