8 facts about the cat yowl
The first task is to agree on the feline sound that we call the yowl. This is a domestic cat sound. There may be some disagreement or confusion over what it is. There is of course the issue of semantics … continue reading…
Category Archives: Sounds
Cat yowl, howl and growl
Yowling Cat yowling – why do cats yowl and what does it mean? You will see a lot of anecdotal responses to this question but I like to try and be as scientific as possible and there ain’t much science … continue reading…
Why can’t cats talk like humans?
By “talk like humans” I mean using a proper language but I don’t mean necessarily speaking in one of the many human languages. It’s probably useful to break the answer down into two sections. In the first I would like … continue reading…
Cute cat cries like a baby (but nicer)
Who said that cats cry like babies to get our attention? We know it. Research indicates that domestic cats have developed a baby cry to tweak our maternal and paternal instincts. And this sweet-looking cat demonstrates that ability to perfection. … continue reading…
Tiger roar – intimidating, low frequency, long distance call
One of the most imposing and characteristic sounds of nature is the tiger roar. How do they do it and what is its significance? Picture (thumbnail): by GavinBell (new window). Published under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs creative commons License — this site … continue reading…
Cat’s response to his owner’s sneezing is unusual
The title to the video is “Cat Gets Upset When Owner Sneezes”. I don’t think her cat gets upset. I see no signs of upset but I do see that the cat acknowledges his owner’s sneezing. My guess is that … continue reading…
Human: “How are you?” Maine Coon responds with “How are you?”
Some observers are saying that this is remarkable but I don’t think that it is. It is very cute, however. And it is an example of how cats are good observational learners. They learn from watching their human caregivers and … continue reading…
Kitten cries for mother and she runs in from 200 meters
This is a cute video which has gone somewhat viral on TikTok which is illustrative of the kitten-mother relationship. Personally, I don’t particularly like it but it is quite good nonetheless and informational. Kittens will cry when they are first … continue reading…
2 reasons why cats purr when about to be euthanized (and hum versus purr)
I discuss the 2 reasons why domestic cats purr when about to be euthanized at a vet clinic and a correlation between humming and purring.
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How do cats purr? Current theory.
Over the years, there have been several theories as to how cats purr. Of the wild cats, the puma and the clouded leopard can purr, for example, but the big cats can’t. In 1996, Dr. Desmond Morris, in his book … continue reading…
Cat sounds like a baby – the evolved meow
If you compare the meow of the domestic cat’s wildcat ancestor to that of the domestic cat today you will notice a difference. Over 10,000 years of domestication the domestic cat meow has evolved to better communicate with human caregivers. … continue reading…
Why do cats hiss at dogs? Answer: because they feel threatened.
Why do cats hiss at dogs? I have answered the question in the title. I will expand on it. The domestic cat hiss is very similar to that of the same sound produced by a snake. It is claimed that … continue reading…
Does a cat’s meow change with age?
Yes, normally a domestic cat’s meow will change with age. We can expect it because anatomically speaking the domestic cat is very similar to humans and we know that the human voice changes in old age. I am of the … continue reading…
A word describing a cat sound is an onomatopoeia
I am discussing words which describe the sounds that domestic and wild cats make and which are based on those sounds. An “onomatopoeia” is a word describing a sound and the word itself evokes the sound that it is describing. … continue reading…
Do feral cats meow?
In general, feral cats do not meow. This is because it is usually a learned vocalisation between domestic cat and human caregiver which is employed to ask for something. We hear it a lot. In short, it a product of … continue reading…