Cat owners know: Next to every closed door there is often a cat meowing with all its might. What purpose can these meows serve and can we decipher them? Reply.
Of all the sounds cats make, meows are the most familiar. This is the cat’s preferred way of communication in contact with people, and certain breeds do not deprive themselves of it, such as the Bengal, the Siamese or the Maine Coon. Note that most adult cats that meow only do so to interact with their owner. When it comes to interacting with a fellow cat, the cat prefers bodily communication. However, not all meows are created equal. Depending on their duration, their intensity, as well as the animal’s good health and well-being, the cat’s meows have a very specific meaning.
Why is my kitten meowing? What does it mean ?
If your cat meows next to his empty bowl, the message is clear: he is hungry. However, not all cat meows are equally easy to decode, and you also need to pay attention to your companion’s body language to understand the full meaning of what they are trying to tell you.
A short meow with a straight tail is a hello, while a long, insistent meow is an urgent request to be fulfilled immediately. If your cat emits loud, soft meows (with the purr), it’s a sign that he’s feeling good, but if they’re jerky meows, it’s because he’s stressed. Finally, a low or hoarse meow indicates anger or fear and is accompanied by a rounded back and/or bristling hair.
What are the different sounds my cat makes?
The cat does not only communicate by meowing. It uses other sounds, most often when interacting with other members of its species. So, the cat meows, but it also happens to purr, it chirps, it spits or hisses, it howls, it growls and it cackles.
These different sounds are produced in very specific situations and are accompanied by specific body language. In cats, much more than the sounds they make, their posture, their tail movements, their ears and even their whiskers are as much signs of communication as their meows.
Understand the meaning of my cat’s cry and its language
Every shout has its meaning. A kitten that meows loud, loud and prolonged is a kitten in distress and crying out for help. In adult cats, the sharp, loud, short meow is a cry of pain. A cat that spits does so to defend itself and threaten an opponent. This is often accompanied by a low, hoarse, endless growl or howl. This behavior is intended to avoid a fight between two males. The cat’s growl should not be confused with the sexual demand during the mating season, which is a more plaintive cry. More pleasing to the ear, the cat’s chirping serves to greet a fellow creature, and cuter, the chattering teeth reveal the cat’s frustration when it observes prey and cannot reach it.
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