Many books in market now days to show you how to talk to your cat and understand your cat. I raised cats since I was 6 years old.I was fascinated by animal behavior and language and king Solomon who can understand the language of birds and ants. Most booked and Vets are missing one important point when they talk about decoding the cats Meows . I discovered that back in 1990 and soon I will write a small book to put all my notes and findings in God well.
Meowing can sound charming at first, but quickly becomes obnoxious. Cat language what I call “felinese”—is composed of a combination of body postures, scent, signals and vocalizations. Humans are scent-blind compared to cats, and we often overlook talk and ear signals that make up the majority of their communication.
But feline yowls, growls, hisses and purrs get our undivided attention.
There are four major categories: murmur patterns include purrs and trills
vowel patterns are meows in all their variations (cats can produce several diphthongs, too);articulated patterns are chirps and chattering that express frustration; and strained intensity patterns are warnings such as hisses and growls.
Some cat vocalizations may be so subtle, or pitched at such a high frequency, that only other cats can hear these “silent meows.”
Not all cats are vocal. Persians and the beautiful blue Chartreux breeds, for instance, tend to be rather quiet. Others never shut up. Siamese and Oriental-type breeds are especially talkative. My cat Serendipity holds long, drawn-out conversations and insists on having the last word.
What Does Meowing Mean?
Felines use a wide range of vocalizations to communicate with other cats, but seem to reserve “meows” primarily for talking to their people. What exactly does Kitty want? Is she hurling cat-curses Terrorists cats.
Meows are demands: let me OUT, let me IN, pet me, play with me, FEED me! As the cat becomes more passionate and insistent, his meows grow more strident and lower-pitched. Meow demands most frequently take place in the wee hours of the night, when owners want to sleep.
Midnight Meowing
Cats normally sleep 16 hours a day, and are most active at night when mousy prey is about. Kitty goes through the motions of mouse-patrol whether outside or indoors. It’s aggravating, but it’s normal.
The determined and savvy cat visits the bedroom, and may even snuggle and sleep with you for a portion of the night. But then she decides you’ve both had enough sleep. She first offers loving head-bonks, nibbles your nose or toes, or drops toys on your head. If that doesn’t rouse you, the meows escalate.
Soon, the human is desperate to shut off the caterwauling. Once you roll out of bed, Kitty scampers ahead of you, leading the way to (often) the empty food bowl. Sometimes, there’s still food available—but Kitty wants a dinner companion to watch her eat.
Filling the bowl may, indeed, temporarily stop the yowls. It’s hard to meow with a mouthful of kibble. But something else is going on.
You have been trained by the best!
Out-Thinking Loud-Mouth Cats
Giving in to meow-demands tells the cat that pestering you is an effective means of getting her way. Putting the pillow over your head, yelling at her, or pushing her off the bed still gives her the attention she craves. It teaches the cat that the longer she persists, the more likely she’ll succeed.
Cats uses meows for variety of reason. To communicate with us, with each other and sound alert. They have many sounds for fear , love, joy, comfort, asking for food, water, to go out or come in, dont bother me, dont hurt me, I am here, dont step on me watch out, there is a bird, a fire,danger, i am cold or hot, leave me alone, i like you , i love you, fights and anger meows, mating meows, They use all that with there eyes ,body and tail gesture,ears and burring sounds.
They also have meows for different types of animal they see . Whatever if the cat indoor or outdoor. But they use frequency like dogs but they make different meows depends on the size of the animal. Cats also dream and has a nightmare.They meows to ask for permission to come closer to you or sleep beside you and sit on your chest.
They watch TV and meows when they see birds and other animal. Cats do not like you to scream to your wife and children they hate that few people know this. They also dont like loud music.If you read something in loud voice they will tell you to shut up or be quite and lower your voice. Cats also pray to God make praise to God but you have to know when and what the meows .They also have meows for water and shower ,taken bath of course they hated.
The meows depends on the age , size , and the health of your cat. The tones will change but the key discovery that I found is The frequency of the sound . I recorded hours and hours of cats meows and I know exactly what they are saying or wants.
The cats meows have these frequencies of meows . The primary frequency are 9. The secondary are more than 30.
They are divided to these frequencies Short-short, short-medium, short long,medium short, medium medium, medium long. long short,long medium, long long, and fast repetitive compensations under stress or threat or when they trying to hunt.There are more than 30 different meows.
Also you have to figure out the pitch , how loud how frequent and the timing between the meows. Kittens also learn the meows from there parents but they born with the most important meows to survive, ask for attention to feed them and shelter them.
NOW FOCUS ON THE LETTERS – ( M – m, E e, O o , W w.)
Kittens:
- Mew (high pitched and thin) – a polite plea for help
- MEW! (loud and frantic) – an urgent plea for help
Adult cats:
- mew – plea for attention more than 6 different type of meows.
- mew (soundless) – a very polite plea for attention (this is Paul Gallico’s “Silent Miaow” which is probably a sound pitched too high for human ears) they use ultrasound meows.
- meq, mek = food meq meq, mek mek – feed me.
- Meq = watch out , i am here, hello.
- I discover also that most cats do use an infra sound pitches meows that human can not hear but cats do hear between them this discovery I made IN 1990. Cats have ultrasound meows and it was well known
- The infra sound is the low frequency below the human hearing range.
This infrasound meows like a secret code for protection and survival. People think that cats have a telepathy in fact cats use this infrasound gift not in there meows but also in their hearing .
- Cats do hear infrasound ranges so we see them run so sudden ,spooked out because they can hear sound below our hearing range below 30 Hz per second. So people think that cat is seen a ghost .
- I can teach you how to use this gift of communicating with your cat and you will be amazed how your cat will respond and come to you with out making a sound.It is all about INFRA SOUND .
- meow – emphatic plea for attention
- MEOW! – a command!
- mee-o-ow (with falling cadence) – protest or whine
- MEE-o-ow (shrill whine) – stronger protest
- MYUP! (short, sharp, single note) – righteous indignation
- MEOW! Meow! (repeated) – panicky call for help
- mier-r-r-ow (chirrup with ) – friendly greeting
Tomcats:
- RR-YOWWW-EEOW-RR-YOW-OR – caterwaul
- merrow – challenge to another male
- meriow – courting call to female
Mother cats:
- MEE-OW – come and get it!
- meOW – follow me!
- ME R-R-R-ROW – take cover!
- mer ROW! – No! or Stop It!
- mreeeep (burbled) – hello greeting to kittens and disarming greeting to adult cats (also used between adult cats and humans)
There is more to felines than the simple miaow though. In 1944, Mildred Moelk made a detailed study of cat vocabulary and found sixteen meaningful sounds, which included consonants and vowels. She divided cat-sounds into three groups:-
- murmurs made with the mouth closed
- vowel sounds made with the mouth closing as in “iao”
- sounds made with the mouth held open.
Although these may not be used in grammatical sentences, one definition of language is “any means, vocal or other, of expressing or communicating feeling or thought” (Webster’s Dictionary). Observant owners will notice the following sounds which cats make to communicate their state of mind (this list is not exhaustive, since cats will improvise):
- Caterwaul – cat wants sex!
- Chatter – excitement, frustration e.g. when prey is out of reach or escapes (involves rapid teeth-chattering jaw movements)
- Chirrup – friendly greeting sound, a cross between a meow and a purr! (friendly greeting sound with rising inflection; familiar to most cat owners)
- Cough-bark – alarm signal (rare in pet cats); like us, cats can cough both voluntarily and involuntarily)
- Growl – threat, challenge, warns others to go away
- Hiss (with or without spit) – threat, fear, warns others to back off
- Meow – general-purpose attention seeking sound used by adult cats to communicate with owners or with kittens
- Mew (of kittens) – distress, hunger, cold (to attract mother’s attention)
- Purr – contentment, relaxation, also to comfort itself if in pain (cats in extremis may purr); a loud purr invites close contact or attention
- Scream – fear, pain, anger, distress
- Squawk – surprise, shock (somewhat strangled sound)
- Yowl – a threat, offensive or defensive, but also used in a modified form by some cats seeking attention when owner is out of sight
- Idiosyncratic sounds – a sound which a particular cat uses in a particular context.
Occasionally, a meow can signify loneliness or even illness. Older cats often meow more because of failing senses or due to anxiety over not being as nimble as before. In younger cats, the meow often gets shortened to an interrogative “mew?” when lonely or hungry. And the frequency of meowing is an indicator of a cat’s frame of mind; rapid-fire meows mean hey, pay attention to me, I’m talking here!
A longer, more plaintive “meowww” can indicate worry, annoyance, or objection to something. This version will often have a throatier quality to it, almost as if she is saying, “oh, come on.” And incessant meowing could indicate illness or injury; if you suspect this, consider a trip to the veterinarian.
Purr
Perhaps the most enjoyable and hypnotic of cat sounds, the purr is a soft, deep, throaty rumble, most often made when your cat is in the best of moods. Gently petting your cat while she nests in your lap is a sure way to bring forth this motoring sound of utter contentment.
On rare occasions, purring can occur when your cat is agitated over something. It’s similar to how you might nervously whistle or hum while waiting for in-laws to arrive for dinner. The key to discerning this “worry-purr” is body posture; if your cat’s ears are back and her body seems tense, the purr denotes concern over something.
Chirps, Trills, and Chirrups
Learned in kitten hood, these birdlike utterances are slightly more declarative than a meow. Originally used by mothers to tell kittens to pay attention and follow her, your cat may chirp in an effort to get you to pay attention to her or as a way to get you to check out something she deems important. Chirrups and squeaky little trills might also happen when a cat is excited and happy.
Chatter
You might have heard your cat chatter her teeth while longingly staring out a window at a sparrow or squirrel in a tree. Sometimes accompanied by a chirp, squeak or faint cry, the chatter is thought to be an indicator of a cat’s predatory excitement and of her stress at not being able to get to the prize. Some claim the chatter is actually a mimicked bird or rodent call, but this is anecdotal at best as the hunting prowess of cats is dependent on silence and stealth.
Hiss
There is no mistaking the intent of a cat’s hiss. Sounding like of a steak sizzling on the grill, it means your cat feels threatened and is ready to fight if need be. A big, goofy dog who gets too chummy with your feline is sure to provoke a hiss and perhaps more. Along with the threatening sound comes an arched back, puffed hair, twitchy tail, flattened ears, and an open mouth, fangs ready to strike. Spitting can also occur with a hiss. When your cat takes on this serpent-like guise, back off, and do what you can to remove the perceived threat.
Hissing depends very much upon the individual cat’s perception and level of comfort. Some friendly, outgoing felines might hardly ever hiss, while a more shy, reserved cat will resort to it whenever unsure of a situation. Abused, stray or feral cats are much more likely to go into “hissing mode” than is a well-adjusted, sociable pet.
Yowl
Unlike the reasonably happy, searching sound of a meow, the yowl is a longer, more drawn-out moan that denotes, worry, discomfort, territorial concern or mating issues. The yowl is often a cat-to-cat communication; it can mean “I want to mate,” or “I don’t want you coming around my place.” It can also occur when a cat isn’t feeling well, when senses or cognitive functions decline, or when something in her environment (perhaps a new cat on the block) isn’t to her liking. Cats who get relocated to new territories or adopted out to a new home can often yowl out their regret at the lost digs. And some cats will yowl simply out of boredom.
CATS ARE MORE ROMANTIC THAN HUMAN. and they are not gold diggers.
If your cat begins to incessantly yowl, check for signs of illness; a trip to your veterinarian might be in order. If he or she has not yet been altered, see to it as soon as possible, especially if you let your cat outdoors. Be aware of any cats who might be “invading” your cat’s territory; in some cases, strays or feral cats may need to be trapped, neutered, and hopefully adopted out to the right home. Be sure your cat has ample toys and that she gets enough attention from you. Sometimes all it takes to end a case of the yowls is just an extra play session each day.
Caterwaul
Uttered by females in heat when calling out to prospective mates, this abbreviated, plaintive, hollow-sounding version of a yowl has an almost “ahh-roo-ugh?” sound to it. During the caterwaul, the un-spayed female will do all she can to get outside to meet up with males cats, who will most likely be milling about, yowling and fighting for the honor.
Scream
If the un-spayed female is outdoors, her caterwauling will draw in a male, whereupon mating will surely occur. She will assume a head-down, rear-up position (called lordosis), while the male bites her neck and begins the mating process. When removed, the male’s barbed penis evidently creates pain for the female, causing her to emit a blood-curdling scream. The moral here: have your cats sterilized!
Cats in the midst of a fight may also scream. These primeval shrieks often come after a long, ominous yowl, and usually punctuate a climactic paw swat or vicious bite. Whole cats are more likely to fight, though even fixed pets will actively defend their territories. To avoid fighting injuries to your cat, consider keeping her indoors.
Snarls and Growls
Often accompanying the hiss are random snarls and growls, usually indicative of fear, anger or territorial threat. Unlike those of larger cats, such as tigers and lions, the domestic cat’s snarling and growling are of a higher pitch and can start or end with a yowl. Generally, just leave this cat be, unless she’s in imminent danger from another cat. A snarling or growling cat will have the classic defensive body posture—puffed up fur, arched back, ears back, tail twitching.
Breed Talk
Some cats are by nature more talkative than others. As a general rule, short haired cats tend to be more talkative and outgoing than long haired felines. And if you are looking for an instinctively chatty kitty, consider certain breeds of Asian origin. These include:
If you’d prefer a less vocal cat, consider a Persian, Russian Blue, Chartreux, Norwegian Forest Cat, or Maine Coon. These breeds tend to be on the quieter side. But breed-specific guidelines are not fail safe; you could end up with a noisy Persian or a silent Siamese!
Dr Saad Ramzi ( Steve Ramsey), Calgary -Alberta- Canada- 1990.