Why Do Cats Meow?
Dear Diary,
The clock shows 2.37 am.
It’s in the middle of the night. Something has woken me up. There it is again, a persistent meow in the distance. It’s coming from the living room. Alarmed, I’m getting up. Thinking of the worst-case scenarios.
Is he sick? Did he hurt himself? Maybe he’s hungry? Like a crying baby, I try to figure out what’s wrong with my cat.
The short answer. Nothing.
It took me a while to realise that Jamie was just bored. Demanding my attention. Outraged that his “mistress” is trying to get some beauty sleep. I mean, come on, a couple of hours are enough, time to get up and have some fun.
Sometimes he takes it a step further and underlines his meowing by throwing his toys around. Like kicking his ball against my bed. Apparently whilst being in a very good mood. Trying to motivate me to join in.
So, what do you do? Give in? His meowing is just heartbreaking…
NO! Stay cool. Ignore him. Resist the urge.
And then, after a couple of minutes, the meowing stops. Jamie crawls back into bed with me and continues his night's sleep. Just like that. As if nothing has happened. Whilst I’m wide awake. Thanks for that buddy.
So, apart from being bored, why do cats meow?
The cat language
The first thing to know is that they only meow to their humans. You will never see a cat meowing to a fellow cat.
It’s their way of communicating with us.
Interesting, right? They basically came up with an entirely new method to make their voices heard by their owners. A learned behaviour that developed over time.
If you listen carefully, you’ll notice different types of meowing. From a deep demanding meow to a short and high-pitched more questioning one. Cats have a wide range of noises to choose from.
How to speak cat?
Here are some reasons why your cat might meow:
Food - I’m hungry.
Boredom - let’s play.
Hello - I’ve missed you.
Outdoor - can I go play outside?
Ouch - I’m not feeling well.
Alert - be careful, something is wrong.
Disorientation - I’m old, and sometimes I get confused.
What’s helpful is to consider the context and timing.
Did you just come home? Is it past their mealtime? Did you pay them enough attention today? Do they otherwise behave normally? Some simple questions to keep in mind when trying to decipher your cat’s meowing.
Here’s the part I most enjoy. Sometimes, I just join in and meow back at Jamie. So we talk for a little while, sharing how our day has been before we have a well-deserved cuddle. What a life!