# Kitten Meowing Question



## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

I got this kitten from Pet Smart, and I was told she was 9 weeks old. Her meow is VERY quiet, and VERY high pitched. Did some research, and from what I see, she may be no older than 6 weeks. Do some 2+ month old kittens have meows like this? When I mean high pitched and quiet, I mean it. Over a small desk fan on low, I can't hear her meow.

She also has very few whiskers, which also leads me to believe what I just said about her age, she has a few that are pretty long, but most are like stubbles.


She's also VERY small, 2 pounds would be a generous assumption.


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## Layla0710 (Nov 30, 2010)

I would like to know more about this as well. I've had my kitten for 3 months now (she's 5 months old) and I have yet to hear a substantial "meow" from her. It's more of a high pitched squeak, or chirping almost like a bird. She was also a rescue from the HS. My boyfriend suggests that it's due to her lack of socialization with other more mature cats, but I always thought it was something that comes with their natural instinct and abilities. Is this common in youngsters? Are the vocal chords just not developed or strong enough? Does it have anything to do with being a rescue? Or has she just damaged her head too badly by trying to jump into and attack that "other cat" in the mirror? Lol.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

Layla0710 said:


> I would like to know more about this as well. I've had my kitten for 3 months now (she's 5 months old) and I have yet to hear a substantial "meow" from her. It's more of a high pitched squeak, or chirping almost like a bird. She was also a rescue from the HS. My boyfriend suggests that it's due to her lack of socialization with other more mature cats, but I always thought it was something that comes with their natural instinct and abilities. Is this common in youngsters? Are the vocal chords just not developed or strong enough? Does it have anything to do with being a rescue? Or has she just damaged her head too badly by trying to jump into and attack that "other cat" in the mirror? Lol.


Doesn't look like her molars are in either (the teeth behind her bottom fangs)....which suggests possibly 6-8 weeks old.


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## RowdyAndMalley (Aug 9, 2010)

athomas said:


> I got this kitten from Pet Smart, and I was told she was 9 weeks old. Her meow is VERY quiet, and VERY high pitched. Did some research, and from what I see, she may be no older than 6 weeks. Do some 2+ month old kittens have meows like this? When I mean high pitched and quiet, I mean it. Over a small desk fan on low, I can't hear her meow.
> 
> She also has very few whiskers, which also leads me to believe what I just said about her age, she has a few that are pretty long, but most are like stubbles.
> 
> ...


She sounds just like my Malley who is a tortie and around 7 months old now. As of last week her meow developed. For a long time we thought she was just a quiet kitty. Not any more!!!! She is always talking and she is loud now! She also has few whiskers, some are long some are very short. And she is very small for her age maybe 6 pounds. Rowdy is a month and a half older and weighs about 4 pounds more, he is all muscle so he feels really heavy, while Malley feels light as a feather when you pick her up. Our vet told us Rowdy will probably be about 20+ pounds full grown while Malley may never break ten. It may be a tortie thing.


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## Layla0710 (Nov 30, 2010)

athomas said:


> Doesn't look like her molars are in either (the teeth behind her bottom fangs)....which suggests possibly 6-8 weeks old.


You're right, it doesn't seem like they have come in. Does this mean that she is quite a bit younger than what I was told at the HS? If so, wouldn't my vet have said something?


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## RowdyAndMalley (Aug 9, 2010)

Both of my cats mollars didnt' come in till they were about 4 months old.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

Layla0710 said:


> You're right, it doesn't seem like they have come in. Does this mean that she is quite a bit younger than what I was told at the HS? If so, wouldn't my vet have said something?


Maybe, maybe not. Ask again about the age. I'm going Thursday for this one, I'll report back then.

This one's a tortie as well. But from what it sounds, probably 6-8 weeks? The pet store said 9 weeks, and it's illegal to sell them under 8 weeks old, but no one said pet stores were always legit...


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

athomas said:


> The pet store said 9 weeks, and it's illegal to sell them under 8 weeks old, but no one said pet stores were always legit...


PetSmart doesn't sell pets. They donate space in their stores to local rescue agencies and shelters. They also donate supplies, food, etc. The fees paid for the pets adopted from PetSmart go to the rescue agency or shelter, not to PetSmart.


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## RowdyAndMalley (Aug 9, 2010)

From my understanding most Torties are typically on the smaller side. We picked Malley up when she was 3 months old and she barely weighed 2 pounds. I wouldn't second guess Pet Smart, they work with very reliable rescue agencies.


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## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

I don't think the teeny meow alone would be a cause for concern. My black boy, Forte, was picked up off the streets when he was 3 months old, was neutered at 3.5 months old, and we adopted him at 8 months old. He is the quietest cat ever! He will sometimes open his mouth, looking like he's meowing, and then nothing comes out. Sometimes, if you're quiet, you might hear him meow, and it just sounds like a really high-pitched "meep". And he's huge!

Petsmart only adopts out kittens from legitimate rescues and shelters. Your doc would definitely have said something, especially if you got your new kitty neutered.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

The adoption agency at the Petsmart where I volunteered was very, very protective of their cats and wouldn't adopt out one that's too young. For one thing, it's just asking for failure. My girls were very small, didn't get to 2 lbs. until they were 9 weeks old, and I couldn't adopt them until they reached 2 lbs and were fixed.

Cali doesn't meow, Charlee only trills.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

_Marie_ and _paperbacknovel_ make good points about the neuter/spay. In your earlier post, athomas, you said that your new cat was spayed a few days before you adopted her. It's highly unlikely that a vet would spay a kitten that wasn't at least 8 weeks old and weighed at least 2 lbs. So, the likelihood is you were told her correct age.


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## shicagah (Jun 1, 2008)

Sir is just over five months old and I would describe her meow as a quiet trill. It's definitely nothing like my full grown cat's and she's just now beginning to lose her baby teeth. She's a calico and hasn't been spayed yet.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

Susan said:


> PetSmart doesn't sell pets. They donate space in their stores to local rescue agencies and shelters. They also donate supplies, food, etc. The fees paid for the pets adopted from PetSmart go to the rescue agency or shelter, not to PetSmart.


Meh, you know what I meant.

Just concerned because her meow is very underdeveloped, she doesn't have her molars yet, and hardly any whiskers...all the telltale signs of a 6-8 week old kitten.


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## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

Can you post pictures of your new cats?

If you're concerned, I suggest calling your vet. Ask him/her if your cat seemed to be 9 weeks, or if she could be younger.


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## athomas (Jul 7, 2010)

Go here for pics: http://www.catforum.com/forum/710366-post13.html


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