Few things touch the heart of a cat lover more than those first few mews of a newborn kitten. In reality, however, the language of the cat has much more to do with humans than with cats. Over the course of thousands of years of domestication, the modern cat has turned the humble meow into a unique way of communicating with its people, rather than with other cats. This employment of exclusive human-feline communication is indeed a thing of mystery.
“Cats communicate to each other through body language, body positioning, scent marking, and facial expression, as well as through purrs, chirps, hisses, and howls. Rarely do they meow around and to each other when people aren’t present,” says certified cat behavior consultant and Cat Coach Marilyn Krieger. “Meows are reserved for people—they communicate a cat’s state of mind and emotions. They also convey needs, such as wanting to be fed, petted, or let in or out.”
So, pet owners are the true masters of the meow. With all of this meowing business meant just for us, you’d think we’d be happier to hear from our cats on the regular. But if your cat’s vocalizations are getting on your last nerve, here are some potential causes, as well as some techniques that might just quell all of this cat-speak
