Miaw or not miaw

[Randi]

You, who have had cats for decades, both older and younger, do you find that older cats miaw more than the younger? Fister hardly said a word the first few years, but now, he seems to talk a lot. Perhaps it’s because I’ve spoilt him by coming every time he calls - he certainly has me trained well! And I make an effort to figure out exactly what it is he wants. Then, I think it keeps him healthy and happy.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Fister hardly said a word the first few years, but now, he seems to talk a lot.
Perhaps it’s because I’ve spoilt him by coming every time he calls -
he certainly has me trained well!

Boots never had a very 'catly' Me-ow like a typical cat -
probably because he had a DAWG for his voice coach.

Boots, da KAT, arrived as a *tiny* kitten - barely able to walk. He snuck past Shadow,
jumped through the torn screen door and announced his arrival on the arm of the 'kliner chair
with a series of Chirrps and Merrps in my sleeping ear.

After Shadow reluctantly accepted Boots as an odd-lookin lil Brudder, she did her best
to 'train' him as any BIG Sister would ...
* Alas, his Me-ow was at best a dog-inspired M-YOW spoken in a short bark-like shout.
* He'd sit & BEG for treats
* He'd Grrrr when he played
* But he did somehow learn to PuRRRRR! (Loud enough to imitate an 18-wheeler!)

Boots often 'communicated' by mental telepathy ... I'd *feel* a STARE and look
around to find da KAT throwing A Look from across the room.

Or if his krunchie kup on the bathroom vanity was 'low' (it was never empty - jest
'below Kat's minimum acceptable level' of at least a two day supply),
he'd do his best Lassie Imitation >>>
* STARE at the Hoomin till noticed
* Shout out with a loud "MirRRP!"
* Jump & Spin, then dash off to the bathroom
* Leap up on the vanity and SIT beside the krunchie kup, "Chirrrping"

**MISS Ya**, Boots!.

[Bengalz]

Eve has no problem being vocal and usually quite opinionated She will chatter all day long if there's someone around to converse with. She has many different tones and will answer any question readily. She knows exactly how to announce her displeasure and of course, her sheer happiness Her only problem is occasionally she feels the need to yell! That's when we need to tone her down - usually by telling her that she's yelling - after a couple of reminders she simmers down to a whimper

[moosmom]

Mollie Rose doesn't meow unless something is wrong. Shortie doesn't shut up, MooShoo is quite verbal. Maya Linn, who is part meezer, is vocal. Ari has this funny "prrrrrrrrrrrrr" I've never heard in any other cat before.

[jennielynn1970]

All my guys are different.
Finae has been my silent girl since I got her. The only time she meows/cries is when she wakes up upstairs, and finds that no one is sleeping next to her! Then it's a strange meow as if to say "Where is everyone? Where did they all go??"

Zach is very vocal. He's got a big boy meow, and also does these meows that sound like "MREH" when he says them. You can hold a conversation with Zach for an hour at a shot if he's feeling talky.

Sophie is a quiet girl, but can definitely shout to get your attention! It really sounds like shouting!! She also does these little chirpy sounds, which is why I call her Tweety Pie, lol.

Boris doesn't talk much, she's pretty quiet too. She does talk to the other cats, and usually it sounds like she is cursing at them. It's not a pleasant tone or sound!

Calloway has a sweet voice, very high pitched for such a big boy. He doesn't talk much to the others, but he'll talk with me if he wants something.

Jorgie is quiet. Not much of a peep out of him. Sometimes to let you know he wants something, or if I'm dishing out dinner for them. Then he cries like he's been starved.

Furbee doesn't say much at all. She just purrs.

Honey has the weirdest of all voices. He will talk to you, and he'll meow normally, but every night, and sometimes during the day, he'll go running up the stairs and make the most horrendous and guttural HOWLS and GRUMBLES!! It doesn't even sound like cat when he does it!!! It's creepy!!

[Taz_Zoee]

I don't recall Taz being too vocal as a kitten. And now he is still somewhat quiet. He will howl loudly when I have shut him out of the bedroom and he wants food. Other than that he has a soft meow.

Now Paizly, OMG!! She had a meow so quiet you could hardly hear it (right Cathy?) and now the girl meows all the time and it's louder than before. Especially when she gets put in her room to eat and knows we are still having fun out here. Or in the morning when I go in to visit her for a while. And like I said in her vet visit thread, at the vet you'd have thought they were pulling her legs off one by one.

I am definitely hoping her meowing will calm down as she gets older.

[Catty1]

Oscar was in the wild for the first 2 1/2 - 3 years of his life. I think I have heard one actual MEOW out of him. His chatter is full of mrrp, mehk, ak, etc! And he purrs wonderfully!

Cole was actually pretty quiet for the first year or so I had him. In the last few months - LOL! I think Oscar has helped him to widen his vocabulary!

He's a bit fluffy black boy and has a high-pitched meow. But he can YELL his MEOW - and now it means I follow him, asking 'where are we going?' He will look up and back once to make sure I am there, and sometimes add a 'myoup?' with a high pitch at the end, like a question! He'l lead on to his food dish, other times it is play area lol. (He learned the food dish thing from Oscar, who often has to be patted while he hunkers down and eats!)

He will be 4 in September, and has definitely become more chatty in the last 7 months or so - and more affectionate and purry.

I notice they have a very different voice for calling to each other.

[Randi]

Boots, da KAT, arrived as a *tiny* kitten - barely able to walk. He snuck past Shadow, jumped through the torn screen door and announced his arrival on the arm of the 'kliner chair
with a series of Chirrps and Merrps in my sleeping ear.

No wonder you fell in love with him. I miss Boots too, and reading his happier stories.

Boots often 'communicated' by mental telepathy ... I'd *feel* a STARE and look around to find da KAT throwing A Look from across the room.

Oh yes, I know that one! Isn’t it amazing how a cat can just LOOK at you from a distance and you MUST obey!

Bengalz, Eve sounds like a sweet girl, but also as if she has you trained well.

Donna, it sounds like you don’t get much of your beauty sleep! Neither do I. Fister will come trotting in, half an hour after I fall asleep to tell me what he just saw out of the window.

Jenn Librarian, yours really sound very different. Fister will shout at me non stop if he thinks I’m up too late. He needs his reading time in bed with me.

I am definitely hoping her meowing will calm down as she gets older.

Don't hold your breath! It will most likely get worse.

But he can YELL his MEOW

LOL! Fister certainly can too, especially when he wants me to come to bed!

After being in cat hotels over the years, we noticed that Fister would miaw more for each time, so I'm sure he picked it up from the other cats - or he he wanted to make sure we completely understood that he was not amused!!

[cassiesmom]

Cassie is usually most vocal when I come home. The longer I have been away, the more she meows. She also gives me a meow before I set her food in its place for her. If I hug and squeeze her tight, she will let me know she doesn't like that. She also has a sweet little "murrrp" sound. My sister had a cat that was part Siamese, and he was very talkative.

[mruffruff]

BC has been with me for 6 years and I rarely hear a sound from her. She is still feral, not wanting to be touched by me or another cat. She seems perfectly happy to remain silent.

Shai has started talking to me more in the last year. At first it was a questioning meow occasionally. Now it's a demanding MEOW, PRRRT, and Chrrr, especially when she wants a treat. She talks to me in bed and anytime she wants something. We often have long conversations.

Mooch has finally found his voice, too. He walks around the house at night making various sounds, including chirps and chatters. Five years ago he was absolutely silent.

Joey on the other hand, came to me last October talking up a storm. He was loud and had a variety of yowls and moans that would get your attention every time. Now that he has settled in, he has a very tiny, baby meow.

Tux wanders the house crying like he's looking for his lost best friend. He's done this for 3 years. It's the only time I hear anything from him. He sounds so sad.

The rest of the cats don't seem to be talkers. I only hear an occasional questioning meow.

I love to hear all of the different sounds they make. I just wish I could figure out what they're saying!

[jazzcat]

Ripley was a vocal cat until I started bringing other cats in when he was 10 years old but now at 16 he is back to being very vocal. He mostly grunts and whines to let me know what he wants - fresh water, out to the garage, food, brushing, petting - you name it the boy has a noise for it.

In Ripley's case age has made him a very noisey boy.