Do sand cats meow?

On the basis that the feline meow is quite a variable sound even among domestic cats, I think that we can say that sand cats do indeed meow but they produce their own version of it.

Sand cat meows when presented with a sprig of catnip
Sand cat ‘meows’ (their rather aggressive version) when presented with a sprig of catnip. Screenshot.
Two useful tags. Click either to see the articles: Toxic to cats | Dangers to cats

It is interesting that the excellent reference book that I have on the wild cat species, Wild Cats of the World, does not tell me that sand cats meow. However, a video on YouTube shows a person teasing a sand cat with a sprig of catnip. The sand cat response typically by rolling over and therefore we know that sand cats respond to catnip! At the same time, the cat makes this growling/meow sound. I would call the sound a meow if, as mentioned, we agree that this feline vocalisation can be quite variable.

Note: This is a video from another website. Sometimes they are deleted at source which stops them working on this site. If that has happened, I apologise but I have no control over it.


We know that sand cats growl and spit just like domestic cats. They are also known for a loud barking call much like a dog. It’s funny that because my cat barks sometimes as well. He’s a domestic cat by the way! There is this natural flexibility in vocalisations. Sometimes people think that you can compartmentalise cat sounds into neat tidy brackets but feline sounds are quite flexible.

The small dog bark of the sand cat has been described as a rapidly repeated harsh cry which sounds like: “yea-yea-yea”. The experts think that this call is produced by males seeking a female mate. In captivity the sound is made when sand cats meet each other.

The sand cat vocal repertoire, to use the words of Mel and Fiona Sunquist in their excellent book, includes the gurgle which is a sound that sand cats make when they are friendly with each other. It is made in close contact as it is a quiet sound.

SOME MORE ON THE MEOW:

Cat meowing for food you don't have

When to know your cat is asking for food you don’t have

This is a little thought that might help one of two people. Nothing startling but it has just happened to ...
Cat's meow

Cat’s meow is a reflection of the kitten-to-surrogate mother relationship we have with them

There are two very well-known biologists and cat behaviourists who, in my view, agree on this point which is that ...
Female cat's meow is like music

The cat’s meow and talkative cat breeds

This is a brief discussion on the well-known domestic cat's meow and talkative cat breeds. You will see some websites ...
Burmese are vocal

Are Burmese cats vocal?

The question in the title is asking if Burmese cats make a lot of noise! The simple but slightly vague ...
Chatterbox cat

Is your cat a chatterbox?

Talkative domestic cats are good. They improve the human-to-cat relationship. Cat owners want their cat to initiate an interaction with ...
Female cat's meow is like music

Female cat has a beautiful, unique two-stage meow

I, and many others, have said it before, individual domestic cats have their own way to deliver the classic meow ...
Female cats responded about 10 per cent faster to kitten calls that conveyed high arousal – greater urgency – than to kitten calls that conveyed low arousal

Female domestic cats respond particularly quickly to urgent kitten calls

A study found that female domestic cats responded about 10% faster to kitten calls which conveyed to them a high ...
Cat meow translated into English

The meow translated into English

Do you want to know what the meow means in the English language? Here it is: "I require your immediate ...

Please search using the search box at the top of the site. You are bound to find what you are looking for.

Useful tag. Click to see the articles: Cat behavior
follow it link and logo

Note: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified.

I welcome and value comments. Please share your thoughts. All comments are currently unmoderated.

This blog is seen in 199 of the world's country's according to Google Analytics which is pretty much the entire world.

Scroll to Top