Cat Sounds - What Your Cat
Is Telling You

Cat sounds fascinate both cat lovers and zoologists. Many theories have been developed and some are plausible, but still there is no certainty about the meaning of these sounds.

Cats talk, people often say. And in some way this is true. Compared to other animals, cats have a very rich vocabulary and are able to express a variety of emotions.

Purring is probably the best known feline sound. The red lynx is the only cat that doesn’t purr. All other felines make this sound and they are the only animal family that does.

Read here why cats purr and how they do it.

Other cat sounds like meowing are used for communication.

The several variations of meowing are used to ask for attention, request food, showing complaint and so on.

Almost every demand or expression has a sound that is individual to each cat, which makes that all cats have their personal vocabulary. Only their owners are able to understand these cat sounds.

Click here to listen to purring, meowing and other cat sounds. This page will stay available in a separate window for explanation.

Some cats produce a beautiful meow, with all three vowels clearly expressed. Others have a less sophisticated pronunciation.

Cats may also growl.

Growling is usually done to communicate with other felines.

Cats that growl to show anger may also spit.

Another one on the vocal repertoire: hissing. It’s believed to be a form of self protection and tells the other cat not to enter prohibited territory.

Curious and quite funny to hear is the short gasping sound of frustration that cats make when viewing a bird behind the window.

Cats in heat make very specific sounds. Especially the female’s call is easy to recognize. When mating, queens shriek. It's scary and resembles the sound of a cat in pain.

Kittens start their lives with a rather limited collection of sounds.

During cat pregnancy a queen expresses herself as always, but after birth a mother cat starts to communicate almost unceasingly with her offspring.

Kittens learn most by imitating their mother. After three months kittens are able to produce all cat sounds an adult feline knows.