Why cats chirp

Studies show it is specifically associated with positive and familiar situations 1. A person they know may be offering treats or bringing out a favorite toy, but the reason for the trill is the specific person, not the activity itself. Some cats trill much more than others because they are generally more social cats. Hormones may also influence this type of vocalization, as female cats that are in heat trying to find a mate tend to trill frequently. There are no cat breeds known for trilling more frequently than others.

Cat trilling is a communication common to all cats, and different individual cats will trill more than others. There should be no concern with a cat that trills frequently. Some cats are just more social than others! Trilling is a common, natural, and healthy form of communication from your cat.

If your cat is female and intact not spayed she is likely to trill more frequently due to her hormones causing her to wish for a mate. On rare occasions, a female cat that was previously spayed and months later is heard to be trilling frequently may be experiencing symptoms of being in heat. Some claim the chatter is actually a mimicked bird or rodent call, but this is anecdotal at best as the hunting prowess of cats is dependent on silence and stealth.

Sounding like of a steak sizzling on the grill, it means your cat feels threatened and is ready to fight if need be.

A big, goofy dog who gets too chummy with your feline is sure to provoke a hiss and perhaps more. Spitting can also occur with a hiss.

When your cat takes on this serpent-like guise, back off, and do what you can to remove the perceived threat. Some friendly, outgoing felines might hardly ever hiss, while a more shy, reserved cat will resort to it whenever unsure of a situation. Unlike the reasonably happy, searching sound of a meow, the yowl is a longer, more drawn-out moan that denotes, worry, discomfort, territorial concern or mating issues.

Cats who get relocated to new territories or adopted out to a new home can often yowl out their regret at the lost digs. And some cats will yowl simply out of boredom. If your cat begins to incessantly yowl, check for signs of illness; a trip to your veterinarian might be in order. If he or she has not yet been altered, see to it as soon as possible, especially if you let your cat outdoors. Be sure your cat has ample toys and that she gets enough attention from you.

Sometimes all it takes to end a case of the yowls is just an extra play session each day. During the caterwaul, the un-spayed female will do all she can to get outside to meet up with males cats, who will most likely be milling about, yowling and fighting for the honour. If the un-spayed female is outdoors, her caterwauling will draw in a male, whereupon mating will surely occur.

She will assume a head-down, rear-up position called lordosis , while the male bites her neck and begins the mating process. The moral here: have your cats sterilized! Cats in the midst of a fight may also scream. These primeval shrieks often come after a long, ominous yowl, and usually punctuate a climactic paw swat or vicious bite. Some cats have been known to befriend all sorts of animals, including ones they might normally "hunt," such as rabbits , ferrets , rats and even pigeons.

For example, a cat named Bella fell in love with a rabbit named Poppy, and the two of them spend their days grooming and cuddling each other. In an even more unusual case of interspecies friendship, a cat named Ranj hugged and kissed and cuddled a rat named Peanut. While these interspecies friendships are quite special, Haddon points out that they're also pretty rare. Where animals are concerned, it's better to be safe than sorry.

To help prevent your cat from feeling frustrated, try enticing them with different toys - feather chasers, lasers and foil balls are all great choices for kitties with active imaginations. According to International Cat Care , cat vocalizations fall into three categories: murmuring, meowing and aggressive.

A chirp is considered to be a type of murmur the other, more common murmur is purring , described by ICC as a sound that's "mostly formed with the mouth closed. ICC notes that chirps are "generally Cat behaviorist Dr. The cat becomes riveted to the prey, and starts to chirp, tweet and chatter.

And it's not only real-life prey that riles up your furry friend. They'll chirp and trill at toys, too. Supervise a play session with a feathered toy on a string and keep an ear out for fun chattering. When the friendly cat chirping starts, notice how your cat's body language reflects their chipper mood: bright, blinking eyes, tail swishing, ears up and pointed to the side and gentle head-butting.

While chirping at an unwanted guest such as a bird, however, your furry friend will probably adopt an alert stance such as a crouched stalking pose. They may also have dilated pupils, sideways pointing ears and an arched back. Engaging in interactive play is a terrific way to see if your cat is a chirper. If your cat isn't a chirper, do not worry; this doesn't mean that they don't love you and can't find their own unique ways of communicating with you!

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. Find and follow her on Instagram and Twitter brovelliobrien.