The sounds of cats may seem a secret language: a greeting at the door, a rumble on the couch, a hiss when one is too close. The problematic aspect is that the identical sound can have virtually different meanings, with regard to what other things are going on, body position, time of the day, and routine variations all make a difference.
Listening becomes simpler when a home gets to know the normal sound of that particular cat. In a case where a known noise becomes common, a pressing, or accompanied by a new action (hiding, changes in appetite, restlessness), the sound can not necessarily be related to communication, but rather to discomfort.
1. Short, high-pitched meows
These fast meows are usually applied in a welcoming greetings, particularly when an individual enters the house or the room. In most cats, multiple in a row are signs of excitement and social activity, as well as may be interested in play or attention.
When a cat that is generally quiet starts greeting all the time, it is beneficial to see whether other changes of routine (less activity, hiding, or changes in eating) exist due to the fact that more vocalization is sometimes accompanied by pain or stress cues.
2. A drawn-out, pleading meow
An extended meow that is more of a meow than a cry may be seeking attention, and may be presented when a cat is interested in something: food, a door opened, or contact. The tone is more insistent than the nonchalant, as well as a hello.
This sound when it has a new pattern can fit in the anxiety or discomfort category as well, though when the pattern is pacing, clinginess, or repeatedly calling the household may not be able to determine the obvious cause.
3. Crying meows (distress calls)
This desperate, suffering sound is traditionally related to lamentations of kittens that lost their caretaker. A similar distress-style vocalization in the adult cat may manifest itself when a cat is enclosed, scared, or sick.
In case the sound is novel and the cat cannot be redirected or reassured, the second useful step is to monitor what the cat changed: litter box habits, appetite, mobility, or breathing pattern.
4. Quick, harsh “scolding” meows
A high-pitched, aggressive-sounding meow will tend to indicate discontent, e.g., being mishandled in a manner that the cat does not like, being disturbed, pushing the boundaries. Cats who take it as a quick signal before they intensify to more powerful warning sounds are known as some cats.
This is among those points, when the body language will be the most important: ears flattened, body straight, or twitching tail may indicate increased arousal and need of space.
5. Yowling or howling
The complaint can be a long, low, drawn-out yowl, or a sign that the cat is overstimulated, or has to do with mating, and in unspayed only a few of unneuted cats. Persistent yowling in the elderly cats may also be combined with cognitive impairment and nighttime confusion.
Vocalizing was prolonged with no apparent reason, so it is more critical to focus on health and aging variables. More than 55 percent of cats between the ages of 11 and 15 years have been estimated to experience cognitive decline, with one of the behaviors that can manifest as some changes in daily functioning being urgent vocalizing.
6. Hissing
His hiss is something of a warning out of breath. Cats use it to add distance and put off contact when threatened, afraid or cornered. It is a message to halt whatever is going on and allow the cat room to escape.
The best thing that a household can do is to consider hissing as a form of communication and not defiance especially during introduction, handling or stressful situations like travel and visits to vets.
7. Growling or snarling
Growls and snarls are more aggressive signals that normally signal the cat to be closer to the defensive reaction. These calls are usually in the form of strained communication with individuals, fellow cats or strangers.
Since the aggression cues are a combination of posture, face, tail, and sound, it is good to get out and re-evaluate the situation, instead of attempting to power through the situation.
8. Purring
Purring is a rank rumble that is created by muscular contractions around the breathing system and the throat. Several cats purr when they are happy, when they are being petted or when they are being nursed, and some cats purr so much that they can fill a room.
Nevertheless, purring is not necessarily comfort. Cats purr in cases of stress or pain and hence variations in the sound are more important than the sound itself. As the purring increases and other signs of concern such as hiding or loss of appetite appear, it could be prudent to revisit the usual clues of feline distress such as eating or drinking habits.
9. Trilling (meow purr)
Trilling is in a purr or a meow and tends to be very pleased, excited or to display social attachment. Others trill in a cheerful welcome; others, when directing a person somewhere tasty or to a toy or a favourite place, use it as a follow me signal.
When trilling is substituted by more pressing vocalizations (e.g. yowls) or when trilling is combined with avoidance/irritability, the context is worth mentioning in a discussion with a veterinarian.
10. Chirping or clicking on birds
This quick clicking or ack-ack-ack sound is often heard when a cat follows birds or another small creature that he or she has no access to and is often done through a window. It is commonly attributed to excitement and frustration, and this conduct over the years is more likely to manifest in brief bursts of behavior when the prey is visible.
It is also explained by some as a hunting-related action, either a frustrated action or a failed attempt at imitation, particularly when the cat is pursuing a movement in the outside world. Cat sounds rarely exist independently. A vocalization makes more sense when accompanied by alterations in the posture or routine, appetite, grooming or social behavior.
When there is an unusual or lingering change of vocalization in a household, particularly when it has taken longer than a day or two, the issue is more intense at night, or the animal is hiding, irritable, or eating less, the information can be helpful to provide a veterinarian.
