Supports lean muscle and beautiful coat for adult dogs
Supports healthy joints, lean muscle, and beautiful coat for large breed dogs
Supports lean muscle, for dogs who prefer smaller kibble
With delicious chunks in a decadent gravy
Grain free, easy-to-digest food that is gentle on the stomach. Nourishes skin & promotes lustrous fur.
With delicious chunks in a decadent gravy
Learn what a pet's microbiome is, how it contributes to your pet's gut & overall health, and why nutrition is important in maintaining healthy microbiomes.
Learn why nutrients like antioxidants & amino acids can help improve your pet's immune system, as well as top antioxidants to look for in pet food.
Concerned about your pet's environmental impact? Learn how sustainable pet food can help you care for the planet without compromising pet nutrition.
Your cat's meows are adorable, but they can also be mysterious. It seems like your kitty usually meows when she wants something from you, but you want to know for sure: Why do cats meow? How do they do it? And why does my cat keep meowing at me?
While vocalization is vital to many animal communities, you won't find much chatter in a cat colony. Instead, cats mostly rely on body language when communicating with other cats, using their eyes, ears, tails and posture to convey meaning. This nonverbal communication works with other animals, too — you may have noticed that cats don't typically meow at dogs (though you might hear them growl or hiss).
However, humans are often too distracted, so her meowing can tell you a few different things:
If you're wondering, "Why does my cat keep meowing early in the morning and late at night?" the answer is twofold. Many cats are most active at dawn and dusk, their prime hunting times. But instinct isn't always to blame. Early morning meows can also be learned behavior, according to the Cummings Veterinary Medicine. "People often engage with and feed their cats first thing in the morning, so yowling pets are often looking for attention or food." Cats are very good at training their humans.
Like all animals, cats create sounds when air from their lungs vibrates the vocal cords in their larynx, also known as a voice box. While all mammals have the anatomical parts to produce a form of speech, a recent study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience reveals that larger brain size and highly developed neural pathways give humans their unique capacity for sophisticated language. Cats, like most other creatures, just don't have the brain power to work it all out.
Cats have made up for this neural deficit by altering the way that they meow. This allows them to communicate their needs to their humans.
Dr. Susanne Schötz, a phonetics professor at Lund University in Sweden, is working on an ongoing study called Meowsic that explores cat vocalization and communication with humans. She explains that a cat's meow is an "opening-closing" mouth mechanism that creates a "combination of vowels resulting in the characteristic [iau] sequence."
If you notice excessive meowing, it's important to note if there are other behavioral changes, too, emphasizes Pets.ca. If the prolonged meowing occurs while she's using the litter box, for example, an underlying illness may be the culprit.
Animal Planet advises that senior cats may also meow differently for reasons including hearing or vision changes, loneliness, health issues like high blood pressure or, in rare cases, feline dementia.
Speak with your veterinarian about any noticeable changes in your cat's vocalization at any age, especially if you notice new behavioral issues, too.
When your feline friend talks with you, she's acknowledging that you're her person. You're the one she knows will take care of her, the one who loves her. Isn't that just the cat's meow!
Christine O'Brien is a writer, mom, and long-time cat parent whose two Russian Blues rule the house. Her work also appears in Care.com, What to Expect, and Fit Pregnancy, where she writes about pets, pregnancy, and family life. Find and follow her on Instagram and Twitter @brovelliobrien.
With delicious chunks in a decadent gravy
Natural fiber comfortably reduces hairballs
With delicious chunks in a decadent gravy
Grain free, easy-to-digest food that is gentle on the stomach. Nourishes skin & promotes lustrous fur.
When you adopt a cat, you don't just gain a best friend; you also save her life. Here's why getting a cat from a local animal shelter makes so much sense.
Discover which cat toys games your feline friend might like, and how they are great sources of exercise. Explore our library of articles to learn more.
Discover how to train your cat, starting with very basic first steps that both reward good behavior and discourage the bad.
Cats are naturally very clean and chances are your kitten will already have learned how to use the litter box from her mother before she comes to live with you.
Our low calorie formula helps you control your cat's weight. It's packed with high-quality protein for building lean muscles, and made with purposeful ingredients for a flavorful, nutritious meal. Clinically proven antioxidants, Vitamin C+E, help promote a healthy immune system.
Our low calorie formula helps you control your cat's weight. It's packed with high-quality protein for building lean muscles, and made with purposeful ingredients for a flavorful, nutritious meal. Clinically proven antioxidants, Vitamin C+E, help promote a healthy immune system.