How to understand your cat's meowing?
It is well known: the meows of the cat are difficult to understand as they are so different. Don't panic, this article will provide you with valuable advice and help you decipher the mode of communication of your four-legged friend.
Majestic, unpredictable, independent… The cathas fascinated people since the dawn of time. In ancient Egypt, this ball of fur was considered a divine creature. Today, the felid enjoys huge popularity all over the world, especially in France.
See alsoIn France, the cat occupies more than 14 million homes and is number one among the favorite pets of the French ahead of the dog. As you will have understood, this quadruped is a real superstar who melts the heart of his master. On the other hand, these felines are sometimes difficult to understand. And their meows don’t have the same meaning.
Gray kitten meowing. Photo credit: Kirin Art / Shutterstock
Why do cats meow?
You may not know it, but cats do not meow in the wild . Only kittens squeal to get their mother's attention. But this habit ends in adulthood. So why do these animals meow?
Tomcats have learned to meow to communicate with humans. For example, they increase their vocalizations in certain contexts: asking for food, water or togo out in the garden. As you will have understood, our four-legged friends have developed a code to make themselves understood.
The cat has learned to meow. Photo credit: Kaan Yetkin Toprak / Shutterstock
And the least we can say is that this technique does not work every time. Indeed, teachers sometimes have difficulty in grasping the meaning of these sounds. This is why it is important to identify them and decrypt them.
Understanding and Identifying the Types and Causes of Meows
As mentioned above, there areseveral types of meows more or less important. In order to cohabit peacefully with your cat, it is essential to listen and understand it in order to determine its needs b>. Remember that each of these meows is associated with a different context.
The Brief Mew
This type of meowing is completely normal. These short, high-pitched tones mean your cat is happy and wants to chat with you. It can also purr to get your attention. Faced with this situation, all you have to do is play with him.
The Long Mew
There are several types of meows. Photo credit: MVolodymyr / Shutterstock
Prolonged and high-pitched meows are a real enigma: your cat is meowing for a very specific reason and it's up to you < b>discover the cause(s). For example, he may ask you to feed him or open the door for him so that he can poop in the garden. In both cases, he will probably be near his bowl, in front of the door or next to his dirty litter box.
The muffled and discontinuous mewing
If your cat starts making hoarse, jerky sounds, it's not a good sign. These vocalizations mean that your pet does not smell on his plate (health problem). They are usuallyaccompanied by rumblingor hissing.
In most cases, cats utter this type of whine when they are confronted with a dangerous or stressful situation. Thisvocal manifestation also indicates acute pain in your animal (fracture, wound, etc.).
Warning, purring can also express intense pain. If in doubt, do not hesitate to seek the advice of aveterinarian.
The hot meow in the cat
During this period, your cat tends to exhibit affectionate behavior. Other telltale signs: it gets sticky and rubs against furniture or yourlegs. It's official: your cat is "in heat". It then emits long hoarse sounds in order to attract males.
Why does my cat meow at night?
Like the hamster, cats are nocturnal animals. As soon as the sun goes down, your pet adopts an unusual behavior: it's time for the fifteen minutes of madness. Your furball will then run and jump in all directions.
During the night, your favorite feline may meow for various reasons : bored (kitten), stress, loneliness, hunger, hormonal fluctuations... If one of these causes prevents you from sleeping, it is important to discover its origin. Remember that the cat meows to communicate with you. Through thislanguage, it tries to send a message and attract the attention of its master. To overcome this problem, it is advisable to fill your bowl with food and your bowl with water before going to sleep. This is because cats eat small amounts throughout the day. You can also buy a food vending machine. Your pet will be able to eat as it pleases without disturbing you.
Cats are nocturnal animals. Photo credit: Vlad Antonov / Shutterstock
Generally, kittens and young cats enjoy meowing at night because of boredom. Therefore, professionals recommend stimulating them with gamesandother toys during the day. This moment of sharing should tire them and put them into a deep sleep. You can also adopt a second cat or kitten.
You can also choose to ignore it: ignore when your cat meows behind the door for a few nights. Over time, your feline will understand the message and stop meowing. On the other hand, if the nocturnal meows persist, seek advice from a veterinarian. Your cat may be subject to stress or anxiety.
How to stop your cat from meowing?
Like humans, cats have needs and know very well how to express them: meowing. But some felines are more capricious and others multiply vocalize for a yes or a no.
Indeed, these tomcats love to torture their masters even if the latter meet their needs: food, fresh water, clean litter... Unsurprisingly, this bad habit is linked to education! A cat can meow excessively to force its master to give in to its whims.
And the least we can say is that this way of doing things quickly becomes unbearable. It is important to re-educate your cat or cat to erase this character trait. To do this, opt for ignorance. Note that the education of your pet must be firm but without brutality, at the risk of traumatizing it. If in doubt, expert advice is welcome.
Why do some cats hardly ever meow?
Wild cats do not meow to each other because their mode of communication< /b> relies heavily on body language and pheromones. On the other hand, they learned to meow when they began to mingle with humans. The cats noticed that this kind of code was a way to get everything they wanted.
Some cats don't meow because they don't need to. Photo credit: Esin Deniz / Shutterstock
Most of the time, the absence of meows is not alarming since cat has a different history. Indeed, some stray cats who have been adopted did not feel the need to meow in the street. The reason ? They did not depend on a human to live and had their own language.
At home, a stray cat tends to reproduce this behavior, but it will not hesitate to purr to show its contentment.
On the other hand, a cat can stop meowing for a specific reason, including a health problem. It is important to recognize the symptom(s) that could be the cause of this attitude change:
In this case, a visit to the veterinarian is essential!
What about purring in all this?
The Larousse dictionary defines purring as “the noise a cat makes while purring”. Like the meow, this language has several meanings. You may not know it, but cats purr during birth to ease pain and guide kittens. This vocalization also allows feral cats to calm down when faced with a dangerous situation. As you will have understood, purring acts as a tranquilizer. At home, cats purr when you pet them.
Purring has many meanings. Photo credit: PHOTOCREO Michal Bednarek / Shutterstock
But that's not all! These animals make small sounds to express their well-being, reassure themselves, relieve pain, communicate with their fellow creatures or with humans. In some contexts, a kitten or an adult cat will purr when it is not feeling well.
For its part, a dying or elderly cat purrs all day long. Finally, a feline in the grip of stress or fear will behave the same way, but it will nervously wag its tail. This suspicious behavior is an alarm signal not to be overlooked, requiring an appointment with the veterinarian.
Bonus: top 3 cat breeds that meow the most
Obviously, some cat breeds are more talkative than others. And apartment cats are real chatterboxes. Discover above the list of cats that meow the most to the delight of their masters:
The Siamese
The Siamese is renowned for its unlimited speech rate. This apartment cat tends to meow for anything and everything. He also spends his nights chatting because he can't stop himself. This ball of hair is also very close to its master provided that it shows him attention. This quadruped has a hoarse meow recognizable among a thousand that leaves no one indifferent, including the dog. These two species that everything opposes get along very well.
Burmese
The Burmese is extremely talkative. Photo credit: seregraff / stock.adobe.com
This cat is a pet that combines all the ingredients to please: an endearing personality, an easy character and a good dose of curiosity. Like the Siamese, the Burmese chatters non-stop and its soft meows ring like a melody in the ears of its master. This cat - who has an iron health - loves caresses. As you will have understood, he loves to keep his favorite human company.
The Tiffany
This well-furred feline is known for its balanced demeanor. This fairly rare breed of cat is quite unknown in France. Unsurprisingly, this ball of fur - which adapts very well to life in an apartment - often meows to communicate its needs: eating, going out, litter. During the day, the Tiffany likes to explore the world around her in the garden. In an apartment, this quadruped loves to climb on his cat tree.
Sources:
Meowing cat: why, what does it express, under what circumstances?
Why doesn't my cat meow?
My cat meows at night
