Haven’t you noticed that cats tend to meow to us, humans, almost exclusively? Adult felines have other ways to communicate between themselves. They can use scent, body language, facial expressions and touch. But why they refine their meows specifically to communicate with people. Amazing, right? This fact means that the decent thing we humans should do is to try to understand our cat’s meows. So, why do cats meow?
In this article, you will discover 7 main reasons your cat meows to you and simple tips to help you understand what he means.
- Cats Meow to Say Hello:
This may seem human-like but it’s actually true. Some cats may greet you when you arrive home or even pass them in the house. Generally, when this is the case your feline companions emit either a short Meow or a quick Mew. When they’re left alone for a rather long time, cats may voice multiple Meows at you when they see you. This type of meows actually conveys their immense excitement for your arrival.
- Cats Meow to Voice Their Hunger:
This is actually the reason why you may notice your cat getting more vocal whenever food-time gets closer. Some cats may even meow every time someone walks in the kitchen, hoping to get a bite.
- Cats Meow Because They’re Stressed:
Have you moved out of your house and noticed that your cat became more vocal? Did you get a new pet or baby and noted that your feline companion’s meows increased? Odds are your loving four-legged friend is stressed. In case you know what’s pressuring your cat, try to give it extra attention and quiet time to soothe it.
- Cats Meow Because They’re Aging:
Just like us humans, cats can suffer from mental confusion or cognitive dysfunction as they age. This may lead to your cat crying and excessively meowing for no apparent reason. If this is the case with your feline, it’s best to consult with your vet who can prescribe medication.
- Cats Meow to Get Attention:
If you leave your cat alone at home for too many hours, odds are it’s going to meow A LOT! Although many people think that cats like to be left on their own, felines actually often meow to initiate play, petting or to get you to talk to them. Sure they need some alone time. But, they actually are sociable creatures. You may notice this when your cat keeps meowing outside the door so that you let it in.
- Cats Meow to Voice Pain and Illness:
Constant cat meowing can be a sign that your cat is in pain. This ache can actually be caused ailments such as kidney disease, problems urinating, digestive issues or other health complications. If this behavior is new in your cat, you ought to contact your local vet for professional help.
- Cats Meow Because They’re In Heat:
This may be the only case where adult cats meow to one another instead of humans. As a matter of fact, cats that aren’t spayed or neutered will make a lot of noise when in heat: Females yowl constantly advertise her availability to males and males yowl when they smell a female in estrus.
How to know if your cat is in heat?
When cats are in heat they tend to make sounds like caterwauling, yowling and purring loudly. In some cases, some cats in heat sounds may include soft, melodious purrs. Please read our article “Why Do Cats Purr” for more information on cat’s purring.
In summary, there are a handful of reasons why cats meow. While you’ve learned some, the list is not complete and you will always have to learn from each cat. If you know other reasons why do cats meow, kindly comment and share them with our readers.
