Meow! Is your kitty a talker? Do you like it?

[fairlady68]

Hi, my calico kitty Julie is a GREAT talker. She meows a lot, and I thoroughly enjoy her tremendous vocal range. When I come home from work, for example, she greets me with a series of loud cries that gradually soften into "fuzzy meows" laced with purr as I start to pet and kiss her.

She vocalizes at almost every turn of events...when I speak to her, when I touch her, when she is about to jump up on something or perform her hilarious barrel roll that she enjoys so much in front of the couch in my living room--and obviously when she wants my attention.

I have often wondered why her previous owners dumped her, because she is a great and beautiful cat. She formerly resided at a duplex across the street from our apartment building. When her former companions moved away, they left her behind. Could it have been they did not like her meowing or constant seeking for attention? Though at first I found them annoying, too, those things have turned out to be the things I like the best about her, as I live alone and she provides me so much entertainment and company!

What about you? Do your cats meow very often? What situations cause them to meow...just when they need something, in response to your own speech, or just for the heck of it?

By the way, I have heard that cats do not meow among themselves but save this sound only for interacting with humans. I wonder how they ever came up with it? Does anyone out there know?

Thanks...MARTHA and Julie (meow!) the Calico Princess!

[Siva's mom]

Out of my 4 cats, 3 of them do that throaty chirpy noise and the tortie vocalizes her annoyance with hissing, growling, and the sounds heard when cats fight. Should one of the other cats stir the air around Siva (the tortie) she will at times sound like she wants to do horrible things to the offending cat. Only one of the four, one- year old Sweets, actually talks to me. She calls me from another room if she hasn't seen me in a while or will just chat while she walks around the kitchen while I'm doing something in that room. I've often wondered why my other cats don't talk much. Sweets is a rescue kitty so that may have something to do with it. So I guess cats really are like people - some are talkers and some aren't!

I haven't heard about cats saving their meows for only humans but it makes sense. Since cats aren't pack animals, I suppose they have no real need to talk to each other.

[catlady1945]

Our calico, Ginger, is a real talker. When we speak to each other, she will chime in. She has different tones and chirps depending on the situation. When we scolder her for being naughty, she will talk back to us. Louis has just an 'ordinary' meow when he wants attention. Krissy doesn't say much, but has a complaining type of meow if we pick her up or try and move her. Patty has hardly any meow - it is almost a silent meow. When she was younger sometimes she would open her mouth and no sound would come out. Anyway - we like communicating with our cats.

[carole]

Yes Lexie is a real chatterbox, and I just simply love it, she is a great little companion, I am so used to my Old Ash who is almost non-vocal, so it is a pleasant suprise, to have my little furbaby who talks back all the time, she has little squeaks and chirps and miaows, rather large vocal range really, I swear every sound means something different.

[nodgeness]

My kitty Bernie meows anytime he wants our attention. My favorite is when he's been sleeping upstairs & comes running down the steps meowing as if saying [where have you been]. Squeak meows when she's playing w/ her black/white mouse and when she wants our attention. She also will meow/squeak if you hold a treat for her (kind of like a dog that's trained to speak). They both seem to really meow when we're talking to them. They love that interaction as much as we do. They also really love canned food day. All I have to do is hold up their special dishes & they know what they're about to eat. Both will meow as loud as they can. I LOVE TO HEAR THEM

[IttyBittyKitty]

It seems that torties talk alot!!

My Mum has two torties and both are very chatty! They will often "talk" to you when you say their names, and will also try to join in on conversations.

My Pixel is rather silent for a Meezer, but I think she's just coming out of her shell since we adopted her from a shelter. She often chirrups to announce her arrival or when she jumps on a bed or a lap. She is also becoming more "chatty" as well.

I love talkative cats! they are so cute

[catlover4ever]

All of my babies talk to me. Abner, Smokey and Tucker are my biggest talkers. Abner, whenever he sees me, Smokey, when he can not find me, and Tucker everytime she want attention.

Mystic and Tigger are more reserved, they tend to only talk when they want to be fed or want some attention.

Tobias who I lost last year was a mute kitty. He could not speak. I have never had a kitty that could not talk, he was my first.

I have to say that I LOVE it when my babies talk to me. I have to say that each one of the "kids" has their own vocal range and it has been a learning experience with all of the different ranges each one of them has. Everytime I think I have mastered their language....someone chimes in with a different chirp.

[Soledad]

Boo talks ALL the time.

He meows and chirrups when we come home. He meows when you say his name. He just meows all the time, except for when he's sleeping.

Mostly it's fine, but it really annoys me when he meows constantly to wake me up...even AFTER I've fed him. I don't know how to control that behavior or if it's even possible.

[K & L]

Our Tortie, Gabby (hence the name) talks constantly. We love it though!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Tubby talks a lot, but it's mostly either complaining (I've been brushing him too long for his liking) or begging (he must have that treat now!

Peanut very rarely says anything, but when she does it's the same as Tubby. Complaining (why are you picking me up again?) or begging (can't you see I'm a poor starving little girl that needs that now!

Tubby will also talk when he's looking for attention, or when he's looking for us. At least I think that's what he's doing when he starts his yowling thing. He will also talk to Peanut when he sees her. He does that little mrrt thing in his throat when she first appears in his site.

Oh, and another time Peanut talks is when she's trying to get her daddy's attention. It's so funny to watch. He'll be sitting in his chair, on the computer. She'll walk up behind him and meow. When she gets no reaction, she'll go to his side and meow. Still no reaction? Up front and rubbing on legs and meowing. still no reaction? She jumps up between his legs and lands in his lap, whether he's ready for her or not. Usually after the first one she'll get no reaction because he's knows she's still too far away and she'll come closer. Then after the second meow he'll reach down to pet her and pick her up. What a daddy's little girl.

And or those who haven't experienced this yet, here's a video of T & P during their morning begging session. Warning! If you're at work, you might want to check you volume level as Tubby tends to come through loud & clear! And I'm slow with the camera, so when you see Peanut, you hear Tubby and vice versa except the very last meow I finally get it right.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by Soledad
"...control that behavior..."

Good Heavens!

"Control That Behavior..."

Words you don't often see in association with Kat!

As for Boots, da Kat...
As a tiny Kitten - he did *Chirrrrp*
quite a bit when viewing da Burdz through the windows...
But seemd to loose interest when they began to ignore him!

He's normally quite NON-vocal; hardly ever responding to being called - UNLESS the Treat Pouch is being rattled.

He CAN become "quite vocal" (often a tirade of *GRrrrr* & HissSSS*) if Cinder or Smokey tread too close to "his space"...
But he also deals with "space intrusions" with a quick *wave* of a paw (Knives FULLY extended) and a VERY *toothy smile* - but No Audio provided.

*PURRing* is another talent that is practiced when HE wants to... Often in the morning or at night when I'm trying to eat something and he'd like a taste.

[Soledad]

Words you don't often see in association with Kat!

I know! I was just hoping that maybe, just maybe some PetTalker had cracked that code.

[RedHedd]

Mishi talks all the time - very LOUD MEOWs. Sometimes it gets annoying, like at night when I'm trying to go to sleep. He just walks around the house meowing, whether I'm in the room or not. It doesn't matter if I pet him or call him, he just keeps MEOWING. I also worry about the neighbors complaining because at times he gets REALLY LOUD. My RB Goldie was virtually silent, rarely mewing or chirping, but when she did it was cute. Mitzi squeaks - it's SO cute. Sometimes it sounds like she's hoarse when she comes out with a cracked squeaky mew. She will only squeak-mew when she wants attention or treats. My cute little girl

[gini]

All of the cats that have ever owned me have talked. My first cat, Sugar talked and acted like Boo. If he wanted something, God help you. He wouldn't stop talking until he got what he wanted. He also liked me to get up at no later than 5 AM. We did not always agree about this hour.

Patches, my second kitty was a back talker. She was always in trouble one way or another. If you scolded her, hah, she would have none of it and would clearly tell you so. She also would chime right in on conversations.

Magic, my dearest boy, wasn't much of a talker. So when he did talk, you listened and jumped to meet his command.

Rascal has this great way of saying "what?" when you call him. it always makes me laugh. When you call him, especially at dinner time, he comes a runnin' talking the whole time.

[slick]

Both Max and Speckles are talkers. Actually Specks does not really have a meow, but rather a squeek and sometimes she'll open her mouth to meow but nothing comes out....too funny. Max howls when he wants dinner and it's not served on time. (What was I thinking???)