Don’t lie. We’ve all had a moment when the cat is meowing, for no reason known to you, and all you want is to rip your hair out. If Aria doesn’t like the way I’m facing in bed, she will sit there and meow at me until I turn over so she can cuddle. I know I should be flattered, but…
A cat’s meow could mean several different things. I previously wrote a post about wanting to know what my cat was thinking and why she acts the way she does. In Kate Antoniades’ article The Cat’s Meow: Understanding Your Feline Friend, she gives some great explanations for the different sounds your cat might be making! She definitely makes a clear presentation of the different sounds.
“Your cat’s vocabulary may seem limited, but you can learn to associate the sounds she makes with certain moods or desires.
- The all-purpose “meow” can be a greeting, a command, an objection, or an announcement, like “Here’s your mouse!”
- Chirps and trills are how a mother cat tells her kittens to follow her, and if you have more than one cat, they will often converse with each other this way. (If your kitty chirps at you, she may want to lead you somewhere—probably to her food bowl.)
- Chattering is the strange noise your cat makes when she’s sitting at the window watching birds or squirrels.
- Her rumbling purr is usually a sign of contentment, but she may sometimes purr when she’s anxious or sick as a way to comfort herself, like a child sucking his thumb.
- Growling, hissing, and spitting indicate that your cat is annoyed, frightened, angry, or defensive.
- The yowl or howl is a long, drawn-out meow with a few possible meanings: your cat is scared, in pain, looking for a mate, or has captured prey.”
Purina does a pretty good job of explaining this as well – similar but different.
Aria doesn’t do a lot of growling, so I guess that is definitely a good thing. But she doesn’t really have anything to defend herself against… Jordan wants to get a puppy when we move – I’m sure that will go over oh so well.
Caroline Golon wrote an article on petfinder.com, entitled Cat Talk: 10 Reasons Cats Meow. Even though they are not the top three, these are the three that Aria does the most:
“8) I want food – The “I’m hungry” meow is likely one all cat parents know well. “Lots of cats know just how to tell their families that it’s time for dinner,” says Petfinder.com senior producer Jane Harrell. “My cat Mojo would run around after me, meowing the whole time if she thought dinner was going to be late.”
7) Pay attention to me – Sometimes cats talk simply because they want your attention – and they learn that meowing gets them just that. “Cats often meow to initiate play, petting or to get you to talk to them,” explains Web MD.
6) Let me in – “If a door is closed, cats might meow to get you to open it for them,” says Harrell. “I have a foster cat who meows every time I close the bedroom door. She doesn’t want to come in – she just doesn’t like having it closed.””
Aria does these. All. the. time. God forbid I close to the door to use the bathroom. You’d think she was dying out there. She hates being restricted. We have a room in the apartment that she isn’t allowed into – it has a lot of random stuff in there and there is a strong possibility that she could get lost in the tiny room for hours. She sits outside that door at least twice a day and just meows at it.
WebMD (for kitties!) has some really great explanations for other reasons why your cat could be meowing, especially if it is excessive. If you think someone could be wrong, you should definitely take the cat to the vet!! Check it out.
Even though meowing can start to get a little irritating at times, there is usually some type of reasoning behind it. Just because you don’t know what that reasoning is doesn’t mean it’s not there!! the ASPCA gives some great tips on what NOT to do if you think your cat is meowing too much!
“Do not ignore your cat when she meows. The one exception is if you know for certain that she’s meowing to get you to do something she wants. In every other instance, it’s safest to assume that something’s wrong—she may not have access to her litter box, or her water bowl may be empty, or she may be locked in a closet. Always make sure that her needs are met before assuming that she’s just being demanding by meowing at you.
Do not scold or hit your cat for meowing too much. While these punishments may send her scurrying at first, they are unlikely to have a lasting effect on her meowing behavior. They may, however, cause her to become fearful of you.”
Thankfully, I don’t do those things to Aria! Usually I spoil her rotten, even when I shouldn’t. But how can I say no to snuggling with my princess?
Just Another Purr-fect Day 
