Just like people, cats have different personalities. Every cat is different from other cats, and this can be seen in their behavior and habits. You can also see it in their voices. The difference in the cats' personalities accordingly reflected the difference between similar voices.
In the same way, cats communicate and share information about their world. If you try to listen closely, you will find a range of vocals.
Although the list is longer, a few specific vocalizations worth mentioning are meows, hisses, purrs, and growls. Some of these voices are used to express anger, fear or anxiety; others will tell you about ease and contentment.
The inability to meow is one of the problems that worries people who have cats as pets. In such cases, cats often communicate with people by squeaking.
Is a cat really sleeping when it meows?
Pets can deceive their owner by pretending that they are fast asleep, while they themselves are simply resting, with their eyes almost completely closed. In such a situation, if the cat has decided that it is time for him to get his portion of attention, the request will be expressed as follows: he begins to meow without opening his eyes.
At this moment, the person is completely confident that his friend is fast asleep, and the cat may begin to meow even hysterically - the way it is used to doing this during moments of activity.
How not to behave
Of course, the patience of any person is by no means unlimited. Your cat has been treated kindly, fed, watered, neutered - and still continues to scream? Do not rush to grab a broom or, even worse, raise your voice at your pet. Violent measures will not help here. The cat may become frightened or offended, and in this case he may begin to take revenge. It is almost impossible to predict exactly how. Animals are subtle psychologists. They know your most vulnerable spots very well. Rest assured, this will not end peacefully. New wallpaper torn to shreds, puddles in the bed and unattractive piles in shoes are just a small part of what an angry cat is capable of.
Dreams are what causes meowing
It is known that cats can have dreams just like humans. They can be good or bad, and it is quite difficult for the owner to understand which ones. Depending on the emotional state of the animal, in a dream it perceives visions calmly or becomes active. It happens that a cat purrs, sometimes meows in its sleep, and often also moves. The animal can move its paws or tail. Often, in addition to meowing, a cat also hisses and snarls. Such a reaction will mean that she cannot see anything good in her dream at the moment. In this situation, she needs help to awaken.
If the cat sleeps calmly, even meowing, and kneading the air or bedding with its paws, this is an indication that he is dreaming of his childhood, when he suckled his mother. The cat only gets pleasure from such dreams and should not be disturbed.
What to do if a kitten screams without its mother
If the baby is sick, his appearance is quite dramatic.
His movements are difficult, his skin is cold to the touch, and when lifted, the kitten hangs like a rag. When the baby takes the mother's nipple into his mouth, he begins to push it out, not wanting to suck. If the kitten is healthy, it squeaks quite rarely, only when it is cold, wants to eat, or something hurts. An exhausted kitten shows hyperactivity; in search of help, it crawls away from its mother and falls asleep far from the general heap of its fellow tribesmen. When sleeping, kittens spread their paws to the sides and tilt their heads to the side. A sick kitten can scream shrilly for a long time, making plaintive sounds.
The mother often rejects such kittens because she considers them unviable. The cat pushes them out of the litter, trying to save her strength for feeding healthy babies. If the kitten is cured and its body temperature is normalized, the mother cat will accept it back. Cat owners should not give up and give up trying to save a sick kitten. There are often cases when, as a result of good care and artificial feeding, a kitten catches up with its peers, and even gets ahead of them in its development.
The average newborn kitten weighs between 110 and 125 grams. The baby's weight should constantly increase, and its doubling should occur by 7-9 days. A 5-week-old kitten weighs on average 450 grams, a 10-week-old kitten weighs 900 grams. From the moment of birth, the kitten is weighed every day for the first 2 weeks of life, then every 3 days until the age of 4 weeks. If the weight is constantly increasing, it means that the kitten is developing normally. If weight gain does not occur, the kitten should be examined.
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Pathologies in which meows
In rare cases, when a cat may meow at night, this indicates trouble with his health. A restless, painful cry at night may be an indicator that the animal has one of the following problems :
In all these cases, the cry is a complaint and a request for help that must be fulfilled. It is best to show the animal to a veterinarian and provide proper treatment.
If a cat meows in its sleep, it is imperative to find out the reason for this phenomenon.
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The main reasons why cats get restless at night, why do they scream?
If we are talking about uncastrated cats and unsterilized cats, then at such moments their natural desire to reproduce prevails. Therefore, with such cries, representatives of the cat family invite potential soul mates, informing them of their readiness to reproduce.
It may happen that the animal screams because of illness or some kind of ailment that causes him suffering. For older cats, this could be a nervous disorder or Alzheimer's syndrome. Abdominal pain can plague animals of any age. And this can be understood by feeling the pet’s belly - its hardness will clearly indicate that this is the cause of concern. In a cat that has always been calm and suddenly begins to exhibit similar behavior, the cause may be common worms.
Urolithiasis bothers older animals, manifesting itself most strongly after it relieves itself. A clear confirmation of this is the cat's anxiety and screams after he leaves the tray. Neutered cats who have had part of their ovary retained may also experience anxiety and screaming.
Kittens suffering from lack of attention and trying to demand a treat or game from their owner also scream. Moreover, having received what they want, they very quickly remember the method by which they can achieve what they want and use it again and again. In addition, a kitten that has been weaned from its mother and just brought into a new home can behave very restlessly. He may refuse to eat, walk everywhere and scream, calling for his mother. If a kitten screams at night, then over time he will get used to it, adapt and stop such screams.
Also, a cat's screams can mean anxiety. It’s not for nothing that cats’ so-called sixth sense is so acute that since ancient times people have used them to predict various natural disasters, such as earthquakes. The pet's anxiety in this case may have the purpose of warning the owner about something. But such behavior, of course, is not observed every day, but only occasionally.
The possessive nature of cats forces them to mark their territory to prevent other animals from claiming it. But in order to reinforce the marks with more eloquent actions, cats declare their rights with such loud cries.
Causes
Since different sounds have different meanings, you will find some cats that cannot meow. These cats only squeak.
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This may be due to various reasons that need to be paid attention to and sometimes ignored. Here are some of the main reasons why your cat does not meow but only squeaks.
- Disorder caused by birth
The vocal cords are the main source of sounds. Damage to the vocal cords may be one of the reasons why cats squeak. Damage to a cat's vocal cords may be a birth defect. This is similar to some human birth defects, including blindness and deafness.
An examination by an experienced veterinarian can only confirm this birth defect. In some cases this is true, but there are other reasons as well. So it is better to consider this as a possible, but not the only reason why cats squeak.
- Incorrect growth
Another reason why the vocal cords cannot produce sound may be that they are not growing properly. When a kitten develops into an adult cat, it has many needs for proper development. Proper nutrition and care for these kittens is important for them, just like for any other growth of the body.
A simple example of improper kitten care is holding the kitten in the arms of children. Soon after the birth of a kitten, children want to express their love for kittens.
Without knowing it, they simply squeeze and press the kitten's neck tightly. This can affect the growth of the vocal cords. All of this happens unintentionally and can affect your cat's ability to meow.
- Disease or infection
Another likely reason why cats squeak instead of meow is an infection or disease of the vocal cords. An infection of the vocal cords also makes it difficult for a cat to make any sounds other than meowing.
Hyperthyroidism, UPI (upper respiratory tract infection), laryngeal paralysis, tumor or polyps are a few known diseases of cats.
All of these diseases can seriously impair their ability to meow, growl, purr or hiss. Cats may squeak in certain conditions. Other throat diseases in animals also cause squeaking instead of meowing.
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- Injury
We talked about diseases, infections and birth disorders as possible causes of squeaking in cats. Another possible reason why a cat may not meow is injury to any of the cat's organs other than the vocal cords.
In some severe cases, they may also be unable to speak. Cats are just like other living things, so any serious injury can affect their ability to meow.
Whatever the reason why cats squeak instead of meow, always consult your veterinary advisor. This will help you better understand the essence of the problem.
- Weakness or hunger
The reason we are talking here may not be serious. Sometimes cats squeak and make noises because they are hungry and too weak to tell you. If you find a stray cat that only squeaks, it may be too tired and too weak.
She needs to eat something before she starts making other noises. Dehydration is another reason cats may not meow.
But this particular reason may only apply to cats that cannot meow only temporarily. If you see cats squeaking, it's best to spend time with them.
Monitor your cat for several hours after you feed her properly. If they still cannot make any sounds other than squeaks, contact your veterinarian.
- Wild cats
Meow is the sound that cats use to communicate only with humans and with no one else. Based on this fact, we can say that meowing is a scientific process. Only cats that live among people learn this and are able to make this sound.
Wild cats do not know how to meow, but only squeak, because they never learned to meow. So if you bring a new cat into your home and she can't meow, don't worry. This cat may be wild and doesn't know the sound of meowing.
Meowing at night - what to do about it?
If the cat starts yelling at night, then it is useless to shout and swear at him. Cats have more sensitive hearing than humans, so they perceive loud sounds quite painfully. And they can begin to behave completely unpredictably - for example, throwing flowers from window sills, tearing up furniture, etc. Stress can affect the animal's nervous and digestive system - it can become skittish and afraid of people.
Folk remedies
Some cat owners advise feeding their pet in such cases. Because after a heavy meal the cat will become lethargic and sleepy. But, firstly, feeding at night can have a negative impact on digestion - there is a high risk that the animal will become very fat and will continue to wake the owner at night to get food. And secondly, this method does not work on all cats - there are individuals known that, having had enough, begin to scream with triple force, falling silent only closer to dawn.
As you know, cats do not like water and try to avoid contact with it, and some owners take advantage of this. So, against a screaming pet they use a regular flower sprayer. This “weapon” can reach your pet at a distance of up to 5 meters. But the animal, not lacking in intelligence, quickly understands where it is simply impossible to reach it with a stream of water, and continues its concerts from there. If, every time the cat starts yelling at night, you take it to the shower, then the animal can catch a cold.
Many cat owners are discovering their own ways to deal with cat shows. For example, smear sour cream on your pet's face - the animal will immediately stop yelling and start washing itself until it eats every drop. Then he might just get tired of washing his face and go to bed. The method, of course, is quite unique, and there is no guarantee that it will work with every cat. There will definitely be those on whom it will not work. But this once again confirms that you can find an approach to every animal.
Can cats cry?
Unlike humans, cats do not cry due to joy or sadness. Emotions are not alien to them, but tailed animals express them in a different way.
If tears appear on your pet’s face after yet another reprimand for torn wallpaper, then this is just a coincidence. Instead of apologizing, take a closer look at the animal - perhaps it is unwell.
Adviсe
The main thing is to try to make sure that the cat spends as much energy as possible in a day. Even if she waited all day for her owner to get home from work, bored at home. Usually in such cases the pet sleeps all day, and when the person returns, the animal begins to frolic. This means that while no one is at home, the cat should be provided with activity in the form of various toys, scratching posts, stairs and houses that it can climb.
It’s also a good idea to use videos from the Internet made specifically for animals - a fly or mouse moves across the screen in them, and the cat enthusiastically catches them.
It is advisable to set up a place for your pet on the windowsill so that he can observe everything that is happening on the street. Well, pay attention to it in the morning and evening - talk to the cat, whenever possible, allow it to participate in household chores, do not forget about caring for the pet. In general, demonstrate an emotional connection with him in every possible way so as not to wonder why the cat meows at night.
Is a cat really sleeping when it meows?
Pets can deceive their owner by pretending that they are fast asleep, while they themselves are simply resting, with their eyes almost completely closed. In such a situation, if the cat has decided that it is time for him to get his portion of attention, the request will be expressed as follows: he begins to meow without opening his eyes.
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At this moment, the person is completely confident that his friend is fast asleep, and the cat may begin to meow even hysterically - the way it is used to doing this during moments of activity.
Help, the kitten screams all day long when he is left at home alone.
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Before visiting the forum, read the topic: “How to properly consult a veterinarian,” as well as the list of answers to frequently asked questions, this will help you save your time and get an answer to your question faster. Pay special attention to the document: Symptoms of animal diseases. Perhaps in your situation you cannot expect an answer on the forum, but you need to urgently call a doctor or take the animal to a veterinary clinic!
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Attention! Pay special attention to the document “Symptoms of Animal Diseases”. Perhaps in your situation you cannot expect an answer on the forum, but you need to urgently call a doctor or take the animal to a veterinary clinic!
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Dreams are what causes meowing
It is known that cats can have dreams just like humans. They can be good or bad, and it is quite difficult for the owner to understand which ones. Depending on the emotional state of the animal, in a dream it perceives visions calmly or becomes active. It happens that a cat purrs, sometimes meows in its sleep, and often also moves. The animal can move its paws or tail. Often, in addition to meowing, a cat also hisses and snarls. Such a reaction will mean that she cannot see anything good in her dream at the moment. In this situation, she needs help to awaken.
If the cat sleeps calmly, even meowing, and kneading the air or bedding with its paws, this is an indication that he is dreaming of his childhood, when he suckled his mother. The cat only gets pleasure from such dreams and should not be disturbed.
Your kitten is sick
A kitten's sad cry may be a sign that the kitten is sick. The illness may not always be visually obvious to the caretaker, but a kitten's crying may indicate that something is causing him distress. If the kitten appears empty or tired and is crying, seek medical attention immediately.
It's also important to remember that cats and kittens don't always express their worries out loud. Most of the time, illness is actually expressed in lethargy or silence rather than in tears. The most important thing for kitten caregivers is to be attentive any time the kitten's behavior changes dramatically, whether it's crying with all its might or going into silence.
