Top 10 Most Common Cat Vocalizations and What They Mean

What is your cat's favorite thing to say to you? Tell us about their signature noises!

Very informative, although this would be a LOT better if you included some audio clips of the actual sounds

I have a 13-year old female, Molly. If I walk into a room she's in, she does this little “brrrrrrr” with a head up nod. It’s like she’s saying, “what’s up?” or “hey.”

One of my 2 cats has me trained, she calls me when she has used the cat box. I once heard her call when she used the box and I cleaned it right away, that’s all it took for her to decide that I’m expected to clean her box as soon as she calls me. I’m well trained!

My cat likes to go "Brrreow, brrrreow" when he sees me when I first wake up and head downstairs as he tries to trip me the whole way lol

For what it is worth I had an abscessed tooth and it caused me to be very sick. I was flat out on the couch and my cat sat on my stomach and purred. I am convinced they see purring as a healing thing. He was trying to help.

Isn't it interesting how the yowl is used for both the pre-fight psych out (seemingly trying to avoid a fight by being perceived as the tougher cat by the other) and as a mating call? What I noticed is that the pitch of the mating call is slightly higher than the psych out. Also my one cat used to talk to me in long "sentences." He would string together 15, 20 or more tones while looking at me. I get the impression that, as I talk to my pets in normal speech and not baby talk, he picked up that this is how his human slave communicates, and tried to do the same. Finally, when the one cat would come into a room I was in, I would always ask, "How are you?" Eventually, he would walk into a room and go "wah-ohh-wah." It hit me one day that he was replicating the sound of the interrogatory "how are you." He wasn't doing the words, obviously, but the sound and pitch of it. He seemed to understand it was a greeting. What we can learn if we just pay attention... Take care.

I've had many cats in my lifetime.My present tuxedo darling is so intelligent, she is the only cat that realized she was looking at herself in the mirror ! 💜💕

I have a rescue feral colony. My fur kids are humane society "working" cats, fixed and vaccinated but not considered adoptable It was so interesting that they were so silent. However, one of them has bonded with me and he has started meowing when he sees me and now the oldest and the most feral cat has started meowing to me too. We have spent several years getting them to trust us through the "kitty kiss-slow blink" lots of treats, catnip, fishing pole toys and respecting their boundaries.

We have a Maine Coon who trills a lot. He sounds so cute when he does it.

I have a chatty deaf cat so translating his strange noises to these is fun haha! No cute "meows" here 🤣 lots of "MOW!" And "MERRRR!" And his trilling sounds more like he's just gargling spit at you 🤣🤣🤣

Excellent video! I speak cat with my cat Skit all the time. I use “meh” which i have discovered can be used as acknowledgement like “yeah i know” or “ok” but if i say “meh” with questioning tone she receives it as something curious. I also “purr” in various context. Yes , i am single male lol

My cat lived to 20 years of age, I grew up with her many different sounds and had a good idea what she wanted (more often than not attention, she was always picky with food and she loved being handled). She would occasionally catch mice, and she used to yowl once she entered the house with a mouse. We always knew when she'd caught something because she used to yowl; she didn't mind us taking her prey and would stop vocalising once we approached her to dispose of the mouse!

One of my cats is a "purr-meow" kinda cat & the other one trills or meows constantly. Usually it's for affection, play, or food. Love all their cat sounds❤️

I have 2 Maine Coons and they have a language all their own, something I haven't heard before in a cat. Not a meow or a hiss, they have trills or tribble sounds that are as long as some sentences. Very, very talkative they are, usually when they walk into the room, kinda announce their presence, they might interact if they are so inclined to jump up on my lap 😹

Wow Dr Wooten you're really good at meowing 👏 👏 👏

I thought you’d mention the trill when you take them by surprise it’s like ‘hey you’re here? What’s up’ my favorite 🥺

One of mine yips and trills while purring. Makes her sound like a tribble.

When Cosmo cat sits in front of the window chattering at the birds it sounds like "get off my lawn!"

I adopted a four year old cat several months ago and she's a triller. She trills when she jumps up or down, or uses any physical exertion. It's so sweet to hear. The longer we're together, the moment I learn. Hopefully Dr. Wooten will cover non-verbal next!