A cat behaviourist has shared what your ‘vocal’ pet is trying to tell you.
Some cats meow a lot while others are more quiet. If you have a ‘chatterbox’ feline, you might be wondering why your pet is so loud and what they are trying to communicate to you.
Amanda Campion has more than 30 years of experience of caring for cats and is a UK registered clinical feline behaviourist. She gives advice about cats online and recently posted a video on TikTok discussing ‘vocal’ pets.
The animal expert said: “Have you got a cat that meows all the time? Is your cat super vocal? Here’s what they may be trying to tell you.”
Campion first noted that breed matters as oriental and siamese cats are known to be “very, very vocal” so you can “expect a lot of chat.” Next, she pointed out that attention seeking could be a possible reason for a ‘vocal’ cat.
The feline behaviourist claimed that a cat will let you know if it’s bored, hungry or lonely by meowing. She then moved on to discuss routine expectations.
Campion explained: “I talk all the time about predictability and consistency in cats’ lives. If you’ve missed a meal time or a play time, they will let you know about it.”
She added that stress or illness could play a factor and the cat expert urged owners not to ignore this. She mentioned that if a cat is “suddenly vocalising more and they haven’t normally been a vocal cat”, it’s worth taking them to the vet to get checked out to “make sure there’s nothing underlying going on.”
The cat care professional went on to share that it could be age-related. Campion elaborated: “As cats age they go into cognitive decline just as humans do as well so they may be getting confused, they may be getting more lonely, they may have more separation anxiety, again there are things that you can do.”
She advised speaking to your vet first, claiming that as cats age, they may suffer from more health-related issues. The ASPCA shared on its website that the most common reasons for cats to meow are to greet people, to solicit attention, to ask for food, to ask to be let in or out, to find a mate – as females “yowl to advertise their receptivity to males, and males yowl to gain access to females” – and elderly cats suffering from mental confusion or cognitive dysfunction may meow if they become disoriented.
The ASPCA recommends that a cat who meows a lot should be checked thoroughly by a vet to rule out underlying issues. To help your cat quieten down, you can train your pet to know you will only pay attention to it when it’s quiet, not feed your cat when it meows and stick the same time every day, and consider installing a cat flap if your cat pet meows at you to ask to be let inside or outside.
Campion’s TikTok video educating pet owners about ‘vocal’ felines has garnered nearly 100 comments with many from cat owners sharing their experiences. One said: “I have a pair of oriental kittens and we love a good chat!!”
Another added: “My tabby meows when she’s hungry. My long hair cat will meow or chirp just to say hello.”
