Every animal physically and verbally tries their best to communicate, including cats.
As their nature of being unpredictable be an obstacle for a pet owner, they are surprisingly also very social.
Cats love to cuddle and sleep together with the owner and sometimes bring them hunted gifts too.
But why do cats meow at us? Let us look at some of the reasons why cats do so.
Why Do Cats Meow Back At You?
Cats meowing back at you can be because they’re greeting you or because they demand food or attention from you. It can also be because it is a way for cats to respond whenever you’re talking to them or when they want to talk with you.
Why Cats Meow Back At You
According to Dilara Göksel Parry, a certified cat behavior consultant, it is perfectly normal for a cat to meow to you when you try talking to them.
Hence, we should learn what each cat meow means so that we can respond to their calls appropriately.
They might be trying to talk to you
Whether for food or for cuddles, your cat might try to tell you to do so by meowing because off course, there no other for them to ask you to do stuff for them.
So try giving them their favorite treat or pick them up and hug them.
These responsive buddies may not understand your language at all but love and care have no linguistic barriers, they will still understand what you are trying to communicate to them.
Reacting accordingly can strengthen the bond between you and your beloved cat.
They might be replying back
When your baby talks with your kitty friend, they might reply to you with an affectionate “meow”.
This is their way of telling you that they care for you too and responding to your compassionate feelings.
Cats being vulnerable are a rare sight, so take full advantage of it and tell them how much you love them.
A way of greeting you
When you reach home after a long day of work or going on a vacation with your friends leaving the kitty at your sibling’s place they might miss you.
When you come back to them and finally meet them, they feel thankful and meow back at you when you say hi to them.
They might have missed you a lot so keep on acknowledging their little meows that translate into “I missed you”.
To get your attention
It can be for food, for hugs, or just for any random reason.
Your cat might end up meowing all day long in case you are busy with a house chore or a project that requires a lot of time and attention.
The cat might feel furious and ask for your affection right away, whether they reciprocate the same affection afterward or not.
One thing to notice is that adult cats don’t meow at other felines. You are special if you are being blessed by their meow.
Now that you know the main reasons why your cat is meowing, let us look at the types of meow cats have.
Different Ways Cats Communicate With You
Meowing
Perhaps the most common way of cat communication is simply meowing. Cats usually do it for greeting the owner.
The longer their meow is, the more urgent it is for them to get your response. Meanwhile, a low meow would indicate pain, illness, or injury.
In case your cat is not eating even having a full bowl of meal in front of them and keep on meowing, they want you to watch them eat.
This is known as affection eating and is basically concerned with the cat’s personality. Most of the cats show similar behavior.
Purring
Purring is a sweet and steady rhythm. This sound is really intriguing and captivates the owner.
These sounds are an indication that the cat is happy and confident around the owner. Be proud if you see a cat purring on your lap.
Chattering
The adorable birdlike sound is a blessing for the owner. This sound is a sign of the cat’s enthusiasm and excitement.
The cats very actively chirp and chatter. Most of the cats chatter when they see prey but they cannot go outside.
Due to the uncontrollable excitement, the cats make these cute sounds.
Yowling
These are the loud sounds cats make either when they want to play or when they are stressed during their mating season.
Try playing with them whenever they make such sounds and the cat will soon be relieved.
Growls and Snarls
These sounds are most common among stray cats. These sounds indicate that the cat is extremely stressed or in extreme pain.
Since stray cats are wild, they usually get defensive while making these sounds and might hurt you too since stray cats can’t trust anyone.
Cats also growl and snarl whenever they are fighting with each other. This might be accompanied by:
- screams and hissing
- arched back
- puffed hair
- flattened ears
- bushy tail.
You should extra care of the cat that is getting angry for no reason. Consult a veterinarian since precaution is better than treatment.
Morning meows
These morning cries can be annoying since you have not completed your sleep yet and your cat wants you to wake up already.
If these sounds intensify, consider finding a source of their discomfort. Your cat might be in pain.
Nighttime howling
If your cat has been neutered and has no symptoms of any illness and is still howling in the middle of the night, it indicates boredom.
Perhaps they would love to spend this time with you playing around.
Since cats are nocturnal animals and are active at dawn and dusk the most, listening to their nighttime howling is completely fine as long as they are not sick.
You can also have their favorite toys around the house or if the howls intensify, just wake up for a while and play with them to eliminate their feeling of boredom.