Why do cats meow

Cats communicate through sounds like “Meow” in order to convey some sort of message. Meowing starts at an early age in kittens when they want to attract the attention of their mother. They do so when they are hungry or when they feel scared and vulnerable. It is observed that under general conditions, cats do not meow to other adult cats once they grow up. It is therefore believed that cats use meowing as means to communicate with their parents or caretakers. As kittens, they meow to attract the attention of their mother and when they grow up as domestic pets, they use the same sound to communicate their needs and problems to their human caretakers.

Although the prime objective of the sound is to gain attention, there are various possible reasons for trying to attract attention. Depending on their objective, the meows also sound slightly or significantly different. A house cat may meow when it sees the humans in his family as a sign of welcome. The most common cause for meowing is food, which means a cat meows when it is hungry. The mood of a cat may also be indicated through its meowing as the cat may just make the sound to make its mood and presence felt. On occasions, if a cat is feeling that it needs to go out for relieving itself or just to play, it may meow to make its wish known. Also, at night, the cat may meow pleadingly in order for you to let it inside the house. On having their wish fulfilled, the cat could exhibit happiness through meowing and also another sound called purring. Lastly, it may decide to meow aggressively or tensely if it feels threatened or if it finds any other reason for being anxious.

Although grown up adult cats do not meow to each other, there might be an exception to this rule as they are found to make a high-pitched yowling sound in order to attract mates during the mating season. The sound can be quite annoying at times, especially during the night.