Why do Cats Meow back at you? Here is the Answer

Every cat owner’s dream is to understand their cats, to be able to tell when they are happy or sad. Not only does this help with creating a strong bond with your cat but it also ensures that your cat is safe. Cats are particularly social animals amongst our pets. And for this reason, they have learned how to communicate their needs to us. However, to understand why do cats meow back at you? we have to ensure that we understand them first.

In this article, we are going to look at some of the reasons why cats might meow back at you. We are also going to look at other forms of communication in felines.

 

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Some of the reasons why cats meow back at you may include the following:

To greet

As we have mentioned previously, cats are social creatures. He will want to casually greet you or your guests as they enter your home. This will be a simple and short meow usually in the morning. Well, understand that cats also observe human behavior and they know that we say hello to our family members. As a result, your cat may start meowing back at you as if he is mimicking your words.

In addition, your cat will give you short multiple meows when he is too excited to see you or any other member of the family. Even though it can be stressful for your cat to be without you all day, it is always exciting to see you back. The multiple meows are usually your cat checking up on you after a long time without seeing you.

In order to get him to fully engage with you, you can teach your cat how to high-five. This is an alternative way of greeting that will have you bonding with your kitty. In addition, wouldn’t it be awesome to have a cat who can actually high-five?

 

To communicate his needs

This is the primary reason for a cat meowing at their owners. Cat behaviorists admit that adult felines will barely use vocalization in the wild. On the contrary, cats use vocalization exclusively to communicate with us humans. Therefore, you should listen to your cat so that you can be able to meet his needs.

Different cat meows

Once you adopt a kitty, you will assume the role of feeding him and also cleaning after him. However, whenever you are delay feeding your cat, he is bound to communicate. The same case goes for when your cat needs to potty outside or for you to open the door for him. He will give you a mid-pitched meow in efforts to communicate his needs.

Should you ignore your cat when he is demanding something, he is going to continue meowing until you oblige.  To put emphasis on their needs, cats shift from the mid-pitched meow to a long-drawn-out meow. This is their complaining voice which can turn out to be quite annoying.

As much as you should pay attention to your cat when he meows back at you, be careful so that you can be able to control his behavior. Otherwise, he is going to make it a habit as he gets what he wants by meowing at you insistently.

On the contrary, only allow him to have his way after he is all quiet and calm. On the other hand, ensure that you stick to a routine in order to avoid delaying feeding time as well as playtime. A good routine will also eliminate the chances of making any changes to avoid stressing your cat.

The cat will meow back at you when irritated

Cats also get irritated and easily frustrated. Well, they will rarely react aggressively towards us by the way. So you are likely to observe irritation when your cat is probably startled while in his sleep. For instance, if you have a dog in the house, he might bother your cat as he sleeps. As a result, your cat is going to get irritated and you will hear him complaining. Children can also be quite irritating to cats when they are relaxed.

In this scenario, your cat is going to give you a loud and high-pitched meow. You may also observe your cat wagging his tail slowly which suggests you should leave him alone. If you accidentally step on your kitty as you are walking in the house, your cat will give you this type of vocalization.

Always check on your kitty when you hear him give a loud high-pitched meow. He could be under attack from a stray cat coming to your home or a lurking dog in the neighborhood. Do not ignore your cat when he seems irritated. You would rather get him out of the fear causing the situation. Prevent other cats and dogs from accessing your house. Also, warn kids about playing with your cat appropriately in order to avoid a commotion in the household.

 

Stress or illness

However, if you spot anything causing fear in your cat, it is vital that you eliminate it. In addition, it is important that you check on your cat’s stress level if you have observed him meowing in a low pitch. This is the same way that your cat is going to let you know when he is ill. Therefore, you cannot ignore your kitty when he is giving you a low-pitch meow.

Some cats will also adopt this kind of meow when they are anxious. It is commonly observed in cats suffering from separation anxiety. In order to comfort these cats, it is advisable to spend quality time with them as well as provide enough toys to keep them busy.

Get your cat to the vet’s office if you cannot seem to decipher why he is meowing consistently. This way, your vet will be able to examine your kitty and rule out any medical issues leading to your cat meowing consistently.

If a cat is afraid, he will also let you know. Fear can be as a result of another strange cat intruding in your house or even a stranger. Your cat will meow in a low pitch but consistently. It is, however, might happen when you are dealing with a new kitten all the same. This is because it is going to take some time before he is used to new environments.

 

Yowling

When your cat is in discomfort or generally sick, . Well, this is similar to a long drawn out meow, which is more like ‘meow, Meeeeow!’ Well, most cat owners have had to deal with their cats yowling annoyingly at some point. This will happen when your cat is in pain or female cats in heat.

Yowling can become increasingly annoying when you ignore your cat. Ensure that you provide enough comfort as well as resources in the household. Managing stress is also essential when you are dealing with a yowling cat. In addition, spay/neuter your cat in order to avoid seasonal yowling for female cats.

Chattering and chirping

Some cats are quiet talkative with their owners while others will react to outsiders and unusual elements in the household. Have you ever heard your cat making funny sounds? Well, that is probably him chattering or chirping which is normally aroused when your cat spots prey nearby. For instance, if there are small animals or birds in your homestead, you might hear your cat chattering.

Cats chatter when their predatory instincts are aroused. He is a natural hunter and the sight of prey excites him. You should not have any problem controlling chattering or chirping as it rarely happens.

 

Does my cat talk to me when meowing?

 

Well, in normal circumstances, your cat will be talking to you whenever he is meowing. As we have mentioned above, cats meow at us when they need something. This is also the reason why feral cats appear quieter at all times since they dislike human contact. However, domesticated feral cats will definitely communicate only when they need something.

In the first section of this article, we had discussed the reasons why cats meow back at us. We have also outlined some of the cat sounds that will let you in on what your cat needs through different forms of vocalization. However, this might not be enough as vocalization can be as a result of several reasons. Therefore, you may need to observe his behavior and overall body language in order to understand why your cat meows back at you.

Some of the most important body languages may include the position of a cat’s ears and even body posture. His eyes and tail are also essential in feline communication.

 

Eye talk

A cat’s eyes will definitely help you determine what he is trying to tell you. We forgot to mention that sometimes your cat will use his vocalization to get your attention. It might be his way to initiate a play session. Well, monitor your kitty when he is meowing and observe his eyes. When his eyes are wide open, he is probably afraid or there is something posing a threat to him.

At this point, you should be concerned and look into what he is focusing on. On the other hand, if your cat has calm and slow blinking eyes, it means that he is peaceful and happy. You will observe your cat blinking slowly or completely shutting his eyes when you are petting him. He will only do this when he trusts you to actually close his eyes as you pet him.

This is actually a very effective cue of communication among cats. If you are running a multi-cat home, then you might observe your cats exhibiting this body language in order to show acceptance to pet or play with each other. When a cat is blinking slowly, the other cat will understand that he can come closer.

Ear talk

Your cat’s ears will also communicate with you or with other cats. For instance, when your cat has his ears facing forward, he is trying to figure something out. Your cats might be reacting to the outside noise, a doorbell or even strange noise in the other room. Well, cats are quite attentive. Because they have a strong sense of hearing, they will catch any sound from the surroundings and want to figure out.

When your kitty’s ears all falling sideways or leaning backward, your cat is getting agitated. Well, as social as cats are, they also get agitated real quick. If at all there is someone or another cat bothering him, it is best to get him out of the situation.

In addition, if your cat has his ears flattened on his head, he is completely angry. As a result, you might notice that he has an arched back and unsheathe claws. This behavior is usually accompanied by hissing or snarling. Your cat is prepared to attack his opponent. Some cats will also roll over as it is also a defensive posture. It is best to get your cat out of the situation by eliminating the fear-causing element from his sight.

Tail Talk

Like with the eyes and ears, your cat’s tail will also let you into his emotions. For instance, when your cat is extremely angry and agitated, he will wag his tail in slow motion. If in this case, you are petting him, it is advisable to leave him alone. In the case your cat is facing an opponent, he will also try to make himself look bigger as well as develop a Halloween-tail. At this posture, your cat is ready to pounce on the opponent. Once again, get him to safety and eliminate the opponent.

 

Conclusion

If you are wondering why your cats meow back at you, it is usually to communicate with you. Otherwise, adult cats will not need to meow. Therefore, it is important that you figure out why your cat is vocalizing. Ensure that your schedule aligns with your cat’s routine so that you can avoid delaying feeding time as well as manage to pet him. You should always stick to a specific routine to make sure that all your cat’s needs are taken care of.

Understanding your cat when he meows back at you can pose a real challenge. However, with the knowledge above, you can be able to translate what your cat is trying to tell you. It could be that he is saying hello or reminding you that his bow is empty. This, however, is up to you to figure out. Through understanding why cats meow back at you, you will find it easier to bond with your kitty.