What is a cat’s meow?
A cat’s meow is a vocalization that cats make using their vocal cords and mouth. Meows are produced when cats open their mouths and vocalize on an exhale, creating a short, high-pitched cry or utterance (1).
Meows can vary in their tone, pitch, and duration based on the cat’s intended meaning. Typical meow sounds have a high-pitched tone in the range of 100-250 Hz and last for about one-eighth to one-quarter of a second (2). However, cats may elongate meows into more of a cry or shorten them into more of a chirp depending on context.
Acoustically, meows contain a wide range of frequencies and complex harmonic relationships, enabling cats to convey various meanings and emotions through their inflection and intonation (1). The cry-like nature of a meow comes from the waveform produced as air passes over the vocal cords and through the mouth.
(1) https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/understanding-feline-language
(2) https://weareallaboutcats.com/5-common-cat-noises-and-what-they-mean/
Meow vs other cat vocalizations
A meow is just one of many vocalizations cats make to communicate different meanings. Other key cat sounds include:
Purring – A soft, vibrating, repetitive vocalization that typically conveys contentment, but can also signal distress or pain. Purrs are commonly heard when a cat is being petted or resting comfortably.
Chirping – A high-pitched chirp or chitter is associated with excitement and interest, especially when a cat sees prey or a toy it wants to play with. Chirps are a friendly, upbeat sound.
Hissing – An aggressive hiss accompanied by a cat stiffening its body and erecting its fur indicates fear, defensiveness, or feeling threatened. It serves as a warning to back off.
Growling – Low-pitched growls are warnings of serious displeasure and signal an impending attack or scratch if the perceived threat doesn’t retreat.
Yowling/crying – Loud, long yowls or cries can mean a cat is in pain, feeling neglected, looking to mate, or signaling distress.
Chattering – Chatter resembling a clipped purr shows excitement towards prey but frustration at not being able to get it. It often precedes pouncing.
Cat vocalizations thus span a wide range of emotions and intents. While meows seek attention, other sounds convey contentment, aggression, mating calls, and reactions to stimuli based on a cat’s needs and environment.
Functions of the meow
Cats meow for a variety of reasons, but the main function of meowing is communication. Meowing allows cats to get attention and relay messages to other cats or humans. According to this article, meowing is a learned behavior that cats use specifically to communicate with humans.
Kittens meow frequently to their mothers when they need something like food, warmth, or comfort. These cries for help allow the kittens to get the care they need from their mother. According to Purina, as cats grow older they begin to realize that meowing gets the attention of their human caretakers. Adult cats will meow when they want food, attention, playtime, or access to a closed door or window.
So in both kittens and adult cats, meowing is a way to communicate needs and get attention from others. It’s a tool cats use to get their needs met from those around them.
Meow acoustics and meanings
Cats have an extensive vocal range and use various meows to communicate different needs and emotions. The pitch, rhythm, and frequency of a meow conveys meaning to other cats and attentive cat owners.
A short, repetitive meow with a higher pitch often signals that a cat is hungry. These frequent meows with an upward inflection are a cat’s way of begging for food.
A drawn-out, mournful meow with a lower pitch can indicate a cat is lonely and wants attention. This extended vocalization is a cry communicating sadness, separation anxiety, or an insecure need for bonding.
A cat who is scared or anxious will often let out a low-pitched meow with a harsh, urgent tone. This throaty vocalization expresses fear, uncertainty, and distress when a cat faces a potential threat.
So while all meows stem from the same innate vocalization, cats adapt the length, pitch, and frequency to “talk” to their human companions and convey a range of different emotions and needs.
Is it a cry for help?
There is some debate over whether a cat’s meow is actually a cry for help or distress call. While some experts believe meows are simply a form of feline communication and not necessarily signs of distress, others argue that certain types of meowing, especially persistent, loud meows, can indicate a cat is in need of assistance.
Those who argue meows are not cries for help point out that cats meow for many reasons, including to greet owners, ask for food, and get attention [1]. Meowing helps cats communicate their needs and desires to humans. Therefore, not every meow signals distress.
However, some cat behaviorists contend that when a cat produces drawn-out calls or repeated, insistent meows loudly or urgently, he/she is indeed crying for help [2]. These cries could indicate the cat is sick, stressed, anxious, or experiencing a life-threatening situation, such as being trapped. Persistent meowing, especially at night, may mean a cat needs medical attention or help with a problem causing anxiety.
In the end, context matters. While not all meows are true cries for assistance, urgent and unrelenting vocalizations likely do signify a cat urgently needs care and aid from pet parents.
Meows and domestication
Wild cats don’t meow to each other. According to https://www.livescience.com/why-cats-meow.html, feral cats that live outdoors don’t continue meowing into adulthood. Meows are specifically used for communication with humans.
Over time, domestic cats have adapted their meows to be more varied and expressive when interacting with humans. As explained in https://conservationcubclub.com/the-evolution-of-the-house-cats-manipulative-meow/, this enables cats to better convey their needs and emotions to their human companions.
The process of domestication has shaped the evolution of the cat meow. Domestic cats have learned to use meows purposefully to communicate with the humans they live with.
Impact of meows on owners
A cat’s meow often elicits a strong response from their human owners, who ascribe meaning and emotion to the vocalizations. According to a 2020 study published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, cat owners are more likely than non-owners to interpret meows as meaningful and to feel compelled to respond (Prato-Previde et al., 2020). This is likely due to cat owners being more familiar with their pets’ vocalizations.
Owners frequently report that they feel their cat is asking for something when it meows persistently. As a result, people often respond by feeding their cat or providing comfort and affection. This reinforces the meowing behavior. While meows can communicate needs, owners may also project more complex emotions onto simple vocal signals. Nonetheless, the propensity of humans to interpret meows facilitates bonding between cats and their people.
Regional differences
Cats in different parts of the world have developed regional dialects in their meowing, with distinct frequencies and meanings behind the vocalization. Studies have shown clear differences between the meows of cats in Japan versus America.
Research from Feline vocal communication – PMC found that Japanese cats had a higher pitched meow compared to American cats, potentially due to acoustic differences between the two languages. The meows of Japanese cats had a rising intonation, similar to Japanese humans asking a question. American cat meows were lower pitched and had a downward, falling intonation.
Beyond pitch, the overall frequency and patterns of meows varied between the two regions. Japanese cats vocalized more frequently using shorter, singular meow sounds. American cats had longer, drawn-out meow vocalizations. This aligns with the faster speech patterns in Japanese compared to American English.
The regional dialects show how cats have adapted their meow vocalization based on their environment and interactions with local humans. While the meow stems from an innate behavior in cats, the precise acoustics demonstrate a learned dialect specific to each region.
Meows and behavior
Excessive meowing can sometimes be linked to behavioral issues in cats. Cats may meow persistently due to separation anxiety, stress, lack of stimulation, or a medical issue causing discomfort. Persistent meowing is called “demand vocalization” and can occur when a cat wants something, like food or attention (source).
There are several ways cat owners can try reducing excessive vocalization:
- Make sure the cat’s basic needs are met (food, water, litter box, medical care)
- Spend quality interactive playtime with the cat daily
- Give the cat environmental enrichment with toys, cat trees, etc.
- Try calming supplements or pheromones
- Use positive reinforcement to reward quiet behavior
- Never punish or yell at a cat for meowing, as this can make it worse
If behavior modification does not reduce excessive meowing, a vet visit may be needed to check for underlying medical issues. With patience and consistent training, cat owners can help curb frequent vocalization.
Conclusion
To conclude, a cat’s meow is not simply a cry for help. While kittens meow to their mothers when in distress, adult cats use meows for complex social communication with humans. Meows can convey excitement, greeting, demand for food, and more. Each cat has a unique “vocabulary” of meows and other vocalizations. The meow likely evolved as cats were domesticated, becoming a way to manipulate humans. So while meows involve crying-like sounds, they have a range of social functions beyond crying and are not strictly distress calls. In summary, the meow is a highly flexible and emotive vocalization, allowing cats to communicate their needs and feelings to us. Though it may sometimes express sadness or anxiety, the meow cannot be reduced to just a feline cry.
