# Weird meow - and why???



## KKdaniels (Aug 23, 2010)

So Tiger, my three-year-old male, has been making some really weird meow sounds lately, and I can't put my finger on why. I've heard him cry before, but not as much as he has lately. And I say cry because that's sort of what it sounds like, but from a cat, of course. More often than any other time, he cries during the early morning hours. He sometimes sounds anxious, sometimes irritated, and sometimes sad. Then the rest of the day, he's laying by my side or somewhere; and when I play with him and Emma, he's always eager to participate. He sometimes cries at other times during the day, but not much, and not every day. 

Would it, by chance, have anything to do with him being neutered? I had him fixed about eight months ago, so does he still have the "desire" and that's how he's acting out? I know my Emma has never acted that way, but she hardly makes a sound anyway. 

If anyone can shed any light on this behavior, I'd really appreciate it. I want to make sure he's normal and that he doesn't need anything from me, that I'm not missing something. :?

Thanks!


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

Is it before he's eaten, or while you're still in bed or busy doing morning things? It could be he's just expressing hunger or a desire for attention/play more vocally than he used to. 

Athena rarely used to meow but as she's gotten older, she's become extremely vocal, particularly in the mornings before she's had breakfast.


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## KKdaniels (Aug 23, 2010)

Sometimes I'm still in bed and sometimes not. It's not that he's hungry, because I do leave them a little bit of dry nibbles at night in case they get the munchies!

Your Apollo's face looks so similar to my Emma! She's got the white breast and neck and some white on her legs, then the rest of her is tabby and calico mixed. Your Apollo looks fuller and older, though. Emma is fairly thin, and I know it's got a lot to do with her diaphragmatic hernia which keeps her little tummy full fairly quick. Amazing that she knows when to quit eating and doesn't stuff herself like Tiger does! Every meal is like his last!


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## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

Maybe he is just looking for attention and is calling to you or Emma.


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## KKdaniels (Aug 23, 2010)

Yeah, maybe so. I guess he's feeling more needy now for some reason.


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

I have another possibility...One of our does this. He'll be fine one minute, then he'll wander off and go find a toy and cry and cry and cry. It sounds like he's agitated about something. Then he'll sit down and lick himself frantically for a few minutes. *cough* yeah...Doran does this exact behavior when he's um...a little too 'excited'. Generally I just call his name and he forgets about it and comes to cuddle. That works pretty good. Or I give him a toy that more fun and he'll start playing like normal.

Doran also does a similar behavior when I take him to my parent's house. Him and Muffin like to go on visits sometimes, but since Doran doesn't know their homes that well he gets 'lost'. The tone of this cry is different, it's more like "MMMooooooommmmmMMMMMMMMYYYY!" Than anything else. He sounds sad and afraid.


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

Apollo also makes a very mournful meow if he wants to play and Athena is hiding form him.


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## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

Harli will cry like this when she has a toy in her mouth and Lily and I aren't in the room. Like if I'm working at my computer in the loft upstairs or if I have just gone to bed. It sounds really sort of mournful. She'll cry the whole time she is coming up the stairs and then drops it inside the loft or bedroom (wherever I am) or if I see her and ask her what she has, she'll drop it and come running up to me.


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## KKdaniels (Aug 23, 2010)

librarychick said:


> Generally I just call his name and he forgets about it and comes to cuddle. That works pretty good. Or I give him a toy that more fun and he'll start playing like normal.
> 
> Doran also does a similar behavior when I take him to my parent's house. Him and Muffin like to go on visits sometimes, but since Doran doesn't know their homes that well he gets 'lost'. The tone of this cry is different, it's more like "MMMooooooommmmmMMMMMMMMYYYY!" Than anything else. He sounds sad and afraid.


Yes, I'll call him and he usually stops and comes to me, but sometimes he persists and goes on for a few more seconds. 

I have traveling kitties too! Emma doesn't mind at all, but Tiger is very vocal most of the way, and that's not fun at all as when we travel to my mom's, it's an hour and a half trip! They love it when they get there, though, and treat it like they're home! It's really neat to see how well they adapt to her and her home. I never would have thought it would work that way.


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## KKdaniels (Aug 23, 2010)

saitenyo said:


> Apollo also makes a very mournful meow if he wants to play and Athena is hiding form him.


That's the word I'm looking for, "mournful." Like he's sad and he cries. Let's face it... I guess we just will never know exactly what's going on in their little minds when they act this way. I just want to give them what they need if they're needing something, you know!


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

KKdaniels said:


> That's the word I'm looking for, "mournful." Like he's sad and he cries. Let's face it... I guess we just will never know exactly what's going on in their little minds when they act this way. I just want to give them what they need if they're needing something, you know!


I know what you mean! Apollo is pretty easy to read. His mournful meows or trills usually mean he wants to play/wants attention, his loud nagging meows mean he wants food. Pretty simple.

Athena on the other hand is such a mystery. She randomly meows at me in different circumstances and I still can't always guess at what she's trying to tell me. We need a cat translator!


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## KKdaniels (Aug 23, 2010)

Nan said:


> She'll cry the whole time she is coming up the stairs and then drops it inside the loft or bedroom (wherever I am) or if I see her and ask her what she has, she'll drop it and come running up to me.


I have stairs too, and Tiger rumbles and cries while running up and down. As concerned as I am about it, it does sound funny while he's running his marathon and crying!

Your story is so sweet, and I love your pic; looks like they posed for you. 

I need to know how some of you get your portraits where your signature goes. I don't have a lot of time to play around and figure those things out as much as I'd like to. I work at home on my computer all day, and so when I'm through, I just don't feel like a challenge. :fust


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## KKdaniels (Aug 23, 2010)

saitenyo said:


> We need a cat translator!


HA! Absolutely, we do! Perfect!

Guess I'll just pay even closer attention to when he's crying and what he's doing, if anything, when he's crying. Another mystery is just what I needed!


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## binkyhoo (Feb 16, 2003)

Cats meow now and then. :catmilk


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