# Trilling cat



## JazznMurphy (Dec 1, 2005)

First, let me set the stage for this thread: Murphy, our brown mackerel tabby, is very, very vocal around the other cats. Especially when the Christmas tree was up, he would go sit in the corner behind the tree and trill at Misha, who was usually hiding under the tree. Why? Is this just his way of communicating with Misha? There's never any response from Misha. She usually just picks up and moves on to the next hiding spot. And he eventually follows, trilling at her some more. Any ideas? 

Thanks!


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I've had several "trillers". 
I used to sing to our Toby ~1996-2008~ _"...'cause this is Triller! Triller night! And no one's going to save you from the claws about to strike! 'cause this is Triller! Wooo-hooo!..."_

IMO, it is an 'invitation' vocalization. Sort of a 'hey, I like you, wanna play?' communication. Not quite as overt as a dog bowing down to invite another to play, but similar in its' intent.


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## coonconnoisseur (Sep 16, 2010)

One of my cats trills all the time, whenever she starts to walk around, or takes a jump up or down, or wakes up, or settles down to sleep etc. She sometimes trills at me or at the other cat, but much of the time she is not trilling directly at either of us.

In my opinion she seems to be trying to communicate, as if to say, "I'm in a happy mood" or "I'm curious about what's going on over here" or "that's interesting." I think she knows that myself and the other cat can hear her trill even when she isn't doing it directly at us, and wants us to know what kind of mood she is in when she does it.

I don't have any scientific basis for any of that, though. I'd be interested in hearing scientific opinions about the reasons for trilling.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Nutmeg trills when she wants to play. She usually trills and then starts to run, as if she is saying "Chase me!!".


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Charlee is my triller. She has so many different variations, she sounds like R2D2 sometimes. I love it!


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## April0684 (Sep 5, 2010)

I feel kind of dumb to be asking this question but what is trilling? I have seen others use this term and I understand that it is a vocal thing cats do but what does it sound like? I may have heard my cats do this and just not known that's what it was.



> I used to sing to our Toby ~1996-2008~ _"...'cause this is Triller! Triller night! And no one's going to save you from the claws about to strike! 'cause this is Triller! Wooo-hooo!..."_


Just have to say I love this! hehe!


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Here's a sample:


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Short vid of a kitty "trilling". It happens at the very beginning, the 2 seconds mark.




 
This one's a long vid, but the same kitty "trills" several times.


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## April0684 (Sep 5, 2010)

Thanks so much Marie and Heidi! I have heard cats make that sound before but just didn't know that was the proper term for it. I don't think I have ever heard Sparrow or Salem trill though.


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

Apollo does this all the time too. I think it's a play noise maybe? He seems to do it most when he's playing with Athena, especially when he wants to play but she's ignoring him or hiding from him. Maybe it's a noise they make to tell other cats they want to play?


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

We call this 'going to Burma' because Mow sounds like he's saying "Burrrrma".

He usually does it when he wants something..dinner...play...worship... whatever. Occasionally he'll do it when he's asleep and I touch him, he'll lift his head and "Burrrrrma" at me. That's my favorite. It brings on a kissing and snuzzling frenzy.


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## Time Bandit (Aug 17, 2010)

I didn't think any of my cats trilled much...in fact I didn't know exactly what it was for a while there until I heard it myself. Then we brought Alice into the house, and she trills over everything...eating, jumping, attention-seeking, playing, you name it, she trills for it. She's got Rochelle trilling now too, and the two of them will trill back and forth at each other during play, and it's now the official accepted way to get Mommy out of bed in the morning for breakfast. :roll:

I just love the sound...it's very distinct once you hear it. I think of it as a "Hey, notice me!", "I'm excited!", or "I want something!" sound. They never just do it for the sake of doing it, there's always a reason for trilling with my girls.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

Abby trills a lot whenever she wants to play, although she doesn't "trill on command" like the cat in Marie's video!


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Here's two having an absolute trilling gabfest!





 
Female cats in heat also do a lot of trilling.


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## Time Bandit (Aug 17, 2010)

They're talking! :love2 That was an adorable video, ami!


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## JazznMurphy (Dec 1, 2005)

... and the translation of what they're saying. :smile:


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## Leni (Sep 21, 2010)

Aww, Sherlock and Sasha trill, though Sasha does it more. She likes to do it when she's playing and wants to be chased, or when she discovers something new to play with. It's cute.


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## dweamgoil (Feb 3, 2010)

Egypt is my triller. She usually trills to greet me; in the morning and when I get home from work at night. She also does it when she wants to be petted or just wants some love from meowmy 

I LOVE to hear the sound!


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## SpellQ (Dec 12, 2010)

Pedro trills for pretty much anything he wants to communicate & Apple squeaks! Neither one seems to know how to meow.


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## toonces33 (Apr 20, 2009)

catloverami said:


> Here's two having an absolute trilling gabfest!


I was playing this video, and two of our cats perked up their ears wondering where the other cats were.

Serves them right - we are trying to keep them from sleeping this afternoon so they will sleep tonight. Last night they were horsing around until all hours which kept us from sleeping :twisted:.


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## heavyharmonies (Jul 20, 2009)

My Tweetie trills and croons at me, but the only time he does it is when he's sitting on my chest with his eyes scrunched shut, as he's purring and licking my face. It's an amazing sound.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Nito is very vocal, and he practically narrates his life with trills. He trills as he jogs down the hall, trills when I say his name, or when he appreciates a pet. The funniest is the trill-grunt he does when he jumps down from objects. He's got a wild trill-meow combo that he uses when he's feeling crazy and trying to get someone to play,or after he goes #2 and has the zooms XD


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

catloverami said:


> Here's two having an absolute trilling gabfest!


I missed the video the first time around...just watched it now. LOL!! It was adorable.


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## yellowdaisies (Jan 25, 2011)

> The funniest is the trill-grunt he does when he jumps down from objects.


Haha the trill-grunt is my favorite! Both of my kittens do this when they're jumping around playing with each other. 

Spencer is a triller. I had never even heard a cat trill before he came along, but he does it pretty frequently; I love it, it's adorable! He trills to Lily, trills when he's happy, trills when he's prancing around the house...I love it. Lily trills sometimes, too, usually to Spencer. It's just so cute.


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## swimkris (Jul 17, 2010)

RachandNito said:


> Nito is very vocal, and he practically narrates his life with trills. He trills as he jogs down the hall, trills when I say his name, or when he appreciates a pet. The funniest is the trill-grunt he does when he jumps down from objects. He's got a wild trill-meow combo that he uses when he's feeling crazy and trying to get someone to play,or after he goes #2 and has the zooms XD


Simone is the same (though I'm not sure what you are referring to as "zooms"??) He basically trills all day long to himself or anybody who's attention he wants. If you don't respond to his trills he resorts to really REALLY whiny meowing!! He doesn't usually trill at Pumpkin unless he wants to snuggle, but he will trill while he's playing by himself with his ferret toys. He also trills just to roll over in his sleep, which I figure is more like a contented sigh.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

So!!! There's a "scientific" name to it!! I never knew! We have 5 cats (the latest an 11 year old Seal Point Himalayan adopted on New Years day. She was thrown away by people that moved and left her to starve, but that story is for another thread). Anyways, these 5 cats NEVER meow. It's the quietest bunch I've ever had, but one trills. I've always thought of it as a modified meow and sign of affection towards me. Nice to know it has a proper name.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Another time cats trill, is a momacat enticing her kitties to come and nurse. She will trill to get their attention, then flop on her side and trill at them as they come to her and scramble for their nipple. Then she usually lies still and really purrs loudly.


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## Glitched (Dec 15, 2010)

My (ex)cat would trill for food, or attention, or if I woke him up, or if he heard my call from another part of the house, or if hes affectionate....pretty much everything. 
But hes got this really loud and kinda raspy trill he's used since me and my mom at different times accidentally stepped on his toes while trying to deliver his food. After that every time he'd pass us in the hallway, or be following us and then decide to lead the way, he would trill louder and louder in tandem with his steps as he got closer to me - as if to alert me that he's inbound and not to step on him!


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