Cats make a lot of sounds, but do they mean anything? What is a chirp, and why do they sound so much like a bird? What does this mean?
Cats chirp to get your attention. Kittens learn this particular noise in the early stages of their life when their mother uses it to get their attention. It means “follow me.” This is almost like a bird sound your cat makes when they want attention.
Cats tend to make a specific sound for specific things. These are not random cries from your cat. They usually mean something. It is your cat trying to communicate with you.
As humans use words and gestures to communicate, cats use different noises and behavior to let us know about their world and how they feel about us.
Motherhood is about learning the different signs of your baby. Cats are almost the same. The longer you share your life with them, you will begin to understand what their mannerism means.
Just listen closely and use all you can learn to your advantage. This may lead to a more peaceful life with your adorable pet.
After thousands of years living with a human, cats have learned that “speaking” is the best way of communication they have with their pet parents.
Chirping is a way to say hello to someone or something. It can occur when something catches the attention of your cat. And it could be friendly or aggressive.
Usually, when a cat chirps at its owner, it is with bright eyes, tail swinging, and ears to the side with a gentle head movement—the whole body language.
It means they want something from you, some food or maybe some loving petting.
When a chirp is aggressive, it would be accompanied by a crouching attacking stance—dilated pupils and an arched back.
An aggressive chirp could be passive. For example, when a cat notices a bird outside, it could just chirp at the sight of it. But we know what our cat is thinking and what that passive chirp really meant.
A chirp from a cat is also a way to see how someone or something reacts to them.
That chirp typically has the same sound as birds. This is because cats are mimics, so they tend to emulate a sound they hear at the moment.
Like a bird, cats possess a wide range of vocalizations. These animals have the broadest range of any domesticated pet. One may reduce the cat’s sound to just a few, but they have the ability to produce very distinctive sounds whenever they want.
These sounds can roughly be translated into our human language: that way, we kind of know what our cat means while they’re making noises at us.
What Are Other Sounds My Cat Makes?
These sounds or noises from your cat have their meaning, and we should pay close attention to them. They are indicative of your cat’s emotions.
There are many sounds from a cat. These are meow, purr, chirps, chatter, hiss, yowl, caterwaul, Scream, and Growls.
The most common cat sound is known as a meow. This is an exclusive form of communication cats have with us.
In a kitten’s life, the meow is learned very early on in their lives, and it is the baby’s way of calling for their mother. Since a domesticated cat is eternally our son or daughter, they use the meow with us.
Wild cats tend to forget or never again use the meow once they leave the company of their mother. It is not a form of communication they use with other cats. They lose this vocalization as they grow older.
Domesticated cats keep this form of communication to express loneliness, helplessness, and even illness. A cat can meow at you when you get home as a welcome gesture and a “Where have you been?” type of question.
A short meow that sounds like a question could mean they feel lonely and hungry. A succession of meows means you need to pay attention to them quickly.
When a cat is worried or annoyed by you or something, it will launch a longer meow. If a meow doesn’t stop, it might mean your cat feels sick.
A purr is a soft, deep rumble your cat makes when they are in the best of moods. It might be one of the cutest sounds in the whole world.
Lovely petting your cat while next to you will assure you of a couple of purrs. It will bring both of you satisfaction.
Sometimes a purr can occur when your cat is agitated. Notice the body language so you can tell if your cat is purring out of satisfaction or out of concern.
The purpose of chirps is to get someone or something’s attention. It is also a reaction to an object or prey. Cats can also chirp at their toys, especially if they make noises. Chirp is also known as a thrill and a chirrup.
When savoring the possible hunt for prey, cats often chatter after a chirp. Chatter can be presented as excitement from cats when they are lurking for prey.
Chatter may also occur when the stress of not catching prey kicks in. Cats are silent hunters, so chatter won’t happen while they’re in the process of hunting.
With a hiss, there’s no doubt of your cat’s intentions. A hiss comes when your cat feels threatened, and it is ready to attack. A hiss sounds like something burning in a pan.
Body language is also part of the hiss. A cat will show its fangs, arch its back, and puff its hair showing that it is ready to attack or defend itself.
The yowl is a vocalization often used between cats. It is known to be a long moan that alludes to mating seasons. It is also both wanting to mate or not wanting another cat around.
A cat also uses a yowl when it feels discomfort with its surroundings. For example, a cat that has recently been adopted or has moved to a different location.
Different from a yowl, a caterwaul is exclusively for mating and is only vocalized by female cats. This is a sound used in popular culture like cartoons to exemplify someone liking another person in an exaggerated and cartoonish way. It almost sounds like “aaa rooo ugh!”
Screams or shrieks are sounds of pain. Cats that get into fights scream or shriek out of pain. Also, female cats do it after mating is finished. This is because the extraction of the cat’s penis hurts the female cat a lot.
Growls are a cat’s way of communicating fear or anger. It usually accompanies the hiss. A domesticated cat will growl louder. If your cat is not in any particular danger and is growling, just let him be.
Do These Sounds Help Me Know If My Cat Loves Me?
A meow and a purr can be signs of affection from your cat. These sounds are made by a pet cat that is comfortable in the place it’s in. When a cat meows to you, it sees you as a parental figure.
However, there are more clear signs of love that a cat shows to you. They rub their bodies with you. They follow you to a room. They curl their paws in front of you, which means they see you as a mommy and want food.
Cats can show you their bellies as a sign of love. This would lead to petting, and that would lead to purring. So purr might be that sound of love you’re looking for.
Do They Know I Love Them If I Kiss Them A Lot?
Cats express themselves differently, so they may not understand the act of affection that is kissing.
We still need to try and let them know we love them and hugging and kissing are some of our favorite forms of affection. They may not understand this, but we will feel pleased that we do it.
Cats will understand your appreciation when you pet them when you let them cuddle with you, and of course, feed them and respect their space.
Sometimes they won’t respond kindly to the gesture of kissing, but it doesn’t mean your cat does not love you.
Final Thoughts
Cats don’t have the expressive face of a dog. Instead, they are quieter and less hyperactive, so knowing what a cat is feeling is more challenging than a dog.
A cat making noise is a cat trying to communicate. Cats are not very “talkative” animals. Instead, they’re expressing feelings and desires when they do make sounds.
Cats have a very distinctive way of making sounds, each one meaning something different. So we, as pet owners, have to pay close attention to them.
Chirp is usually a positive way your cat has when communicating with you. Chirping to prey or an object may have a different feeling.
Knowing each sound and what it means will lead to an easier life with your pet cat.
More like this post:
- Why Do Cats Chatter? What Does It Mean When They Do It?
- How Do Cats Get Worms? What Can You Do To Prevent It?
- What Do Cats Dream About? Why Do They Move In Their Sleep?
Shawn Manaher is a serial entrepreneur but when he isn’t working, he loves dogs. He’s owned different pets over the years, and always gives a part of his heart to each pet.
