Cat Language Meow. What Are They Saying?

Cats are wired to communicate through vocalization. They communicate with each other and even with their human parents given their social nature. However, in most cases, you may not be aware of what your kitty is trying to tell you. Therefore, there is a need to have you observing and spending time with your kitty. This way, you will pick his language and understand the Cat language meow.

 

 

In this article, we are going to look at first, cat language and what each meow may mean.

 

Why do cats meow?

 

Vocalization is the first language kittens learn from their mothers. It is the way they communicate their needs with their biological parents. The bottom line of this is to understand that cats meow as a way to get what they want. For instance, the mother will definitely understand what the kitten wants through different meows. So why is it important that you understand why your kitty is meowing?

The truth is, kittens will meow most of the time, out of fear, anxiety, change, and stress. However, adult cats will only meow when they want to communicate with you. In fact, feral cats are mostly silent as they do not need to communicate with other cats or humans.

We are going to look at some of the reasons why your cat is meowing. What is he trying to tell you?

 

‘I want food’ meow

 

This is the most common reason for your cat meowing. It starts when they are born and have to communicate with their mothers. Kittens will cry in the form of meowing in order to get their mother to feed them. Once you adopt a kitty, you automatically become his immediate family. You will be the one to feed him every day, as well as play with him. This means that he will consider you his parent and demand things from you.

When your cat wants to be fed, you will definitely know. He will meow insistently, which might become annoying if you do not feed him. However, feeding him every time he cries is not an efficient approach to handling this vocalization. In order for you to keep him well-fed, you should understand his feeding behaviors. This is going to be especially necessary if you are a new cat parent.

Firstly, cats are more hunters. You have to approach feeding him from this point of view. This means that you provide foods rich in proteins and also feed him severally in a day. Since you might not be around the house every minute of the day, you will have to improvise.

For instance, you can get a food puzzle for him. This will not only ensure that he is well fed but also enhance his hunting nature. He will have to figure the puzzle out before he gets to feed. In addition, do not forget to leave enough clean water for him.

If you are running a multi-cat home, then ensure that each cat has its own feeding and water station. This will help you avoid unnecessary competition for resources. A hungry cat will use a mid-pitch meow to let you know that he needs food.

 

‘Hello’ Meow

 

Well, lime we have previously mentioned, cats will meow to humans than they will at other cats. Somehow, cats had to develop a language that involves meowing in order to communicate their needs. Well, they have indeed developed different meows to communicate different things. For instance, when you come home from work, he will be excited to see you. He will give you the short and happy meow that you are finally home.

In some cases, your cat will meow repeatedly when you arrive. It might be his way of saying ‘hello, I’m excited to see you!’ It is up to you to decipher what your cat is telling you through meowing. They have also learned from us that we say hello to other people in the morning. Once again, do not be surprised if he learns to say hello to everyone in the household.

 

‘Please open the door’ meow

 

While we spend time housetraining our cats, we forget that he will need to go out at some point. Cats are quite adventurous and even when they are completely indoor cats, they need to explore the surroundings. They have also mastered the cat language in form of meows.

This can actually be pretty annoying because it will be consistent. In the case where your cat is demanding for you to open the door, he will use a drawn-out marrow kind of meow.

Well, you will have to really pay attention to your kitty in order to pick the different types of meows. This way, you can be able to live harmoniously with him.

 

‘Let’s Play’ Meow

 

Most cat people tend to understand cat language. They will know what their cats want through different kinds of meows. Well, when your cat wants to play, he will definitely seek your attention. However, if you give them the attention they seek every time they meow, you will be encouraging many vocalizations. Thereafter, you will have to deal with this behavior correction in your cat which can be somewhat tiring.

Therefore, it is important to control this kind of meowing. You should train your cat with other methods to invite you to play rather than a meow. As much as it is their primary way of communicating with us, it can get annoying.

I’m telling you that your kitty may not let you do anything when he is in this state. In order to have him calm down, you should develop a routine. Ensure that you play with him every day at the same time. This way, he will not have to seek attention at the wrong time. Create a routine that allows you to feed, pet, and play with your cat at the same time every day.

If your cat is already engaging in this annoying behavior, then you should train him to wait. To do this, ignore him when he meows for no reason. Do not look at or pet him until he goes all quiet. This way, you will be associating his calmness with his desired outcome.

 

 

Pain

 

When your kitty is in pain, he will actually exclaim, For instance, if you have ever accidentally stepped on his tail while walking in the house, he definitely screamed. Well, it is more of a high-pitched kind of ‘Arrow’. This is usually the meow he is going to give you when you hurt him, or when he has been frightened by someone or another cat.

If you are petting him and he gives you the same kind of meow, he might be injured. If so, you may need to visit your vet for a close examination. Stressed cats also tend to have more vocalization than normal. Therefore, you may want to spend some time with him and check on his emotional status.

 

How to deal with excessive cat language meow

 

As we have already discovered above, your cat will meow as a form of language to communicate his needs. He will barely meow at other cats but definitely will meow at you. It is for you to decipher what he really needs resulting in meowing. We have already discussed the most common reasons why cats meow at their human parents. However, a cat with excessive vocalization is not only annoying but could also indicate that your cat is unwell. Below, we are going to look at how you should deal with a cat who won’t stop meowing;

 

Take him to a vet

 

Has your cat suddenly started the habit of meowing for no reason? This is a reason good enough to get him to the vet’s office. Your vet will examine your cat for any injuries or illnesses that might bring about excessive meowing. As much as meow is a form of cat language, it can also be related to the health of your cat.

For instance, if your cat is growing older and has started excessive vocalization, you might be looking at dementia in cats. However, this will also be accompanied by extreme irritability as well as forgetfulness. He might forget all the house training and thus end up soiling the house.

Knowing how much cats like cleanliness, a senile cat will lose interest in self-grooming. Some cats become very unfriendly and may develop other forms of illnesses like diabetes and hyperthyroidism.

Immediately you spot some or all of these symptoms, consider getting him to a vet. Your vet is going to examine your cat closely. This way, you will be able to take care of your kitty even when he gets agitated.

 

Correct behavioral causes for excessive Cat language meow

 

 

In most cases, cat meow as a language to communicate with you. However, they can also turn out to be quite nagging when they want you to do something. We often end up giving them whatever they want because we do not want to deal with excessive meowing.

This only encourages our cats to keep engaging in the habit to demand food, plat or even petting. In other cases, cats will meow excessively and continuously when they are bored or feeling lonely. We are going to look at some of the ways in which you can be able to alleviate the behavioral causes of excessive meowing.

 

Provide toys

 

Cats tend to get bored when they do not have much to do. For instance, when you leave the house and go to work, he will probably spend the entire day bored in the house. This is why we insist on getting a few toys for your kitty to play with when you are not around. In addition, you can get a food puzzle to ensure that he regularly feeds throughout the day.

Make sure that you spare a few minutes to pet your kitty each day. Not only will this strengthen your bond with him but you will also be able to monitor and observe your cat. This way you will be able to identify with your cat’s language. You can be able to tell whether he is stressed or not.

Train him on how to play with the toys. This way, you will have him occupied throughout the day and thus curb boredom. You can also leave your TV or radio to provide soothing music.

 

Feed your cat regularly

 

Your cat will meow in order when he is feeling hungry. Unlike a dog whereby you only have to feed him 1-3 times each day, cats tend to eat several meals in small quantities. Therefore, if you are not going to spend the entire day at home, you have to figure out a way to feed him.

You can leave a few of his favorite snacks in different rooms in the house. Keeping in mind that cats are natural hunters, this will be exciting for him as well as ensure that he feeds on healthy snacks throughout the day.

It is also important to have a fixed schedule for feeding your cat. This way, you can be able to estimate when your cat is likely to feed most. Furthermore, this is going to be helpful with your litter box management. Also refrain from exposing your cat to major stressors such as moving to a new home, or leaving him alone for too long.

In addition, watch out for a cat in heat. This is because he will also experience increased vocalization every time he is in the season. Basically, a cat will have his own way of communicating his needs to you. It is up to you to decipher the meaning of his meows.

 

Conclusion

 

In conclusion, cats use meowing to communicate with their human parents. In most cases, your cat will be quiet until he needs something. For instance, when he gets hungry or bored, he will definitely meow at you. When looking at cat language, you must first understand what each meow means. Kittens will meow every time they need to feed, go outside or come into your bedroom. Some cats will actually want to come with you everywhere in the house.

Spend time with your kitty as you learn the cat language. Learn what each cat meow means. Most of all, develop a routine immediately after you adopt a cat. This way, you can be able to feed, play and pet your cat at the scheduled times of the day. With a routine, your cat’s needs will be met without him having to demand through consistent meowing. Understanding your cat is the key to keeping a happy cat.

[su_box title=”If You Are In A Hurry”]If you are in a hurry, as most of us are, and haven’t got the time to read the full article then I am going to show you how you can understand exactly what your cat is saying in the form of a meow. Cats are so misunderstood because unlike dogs cats cant be trained and spoken to. SO WRONG. All you have to do is Go Here to learn all there is to know about cat speak. If you want to build a better relationship with your cat you should, at least, take a look and then download it now. [/su_box]