# Cat Whimpers and Mews a Lot



## cmw0829 (Nov 23, 2008)

Hello. I just joined the forum as we adopted a 10 month old cat two weeks ago. She's doing very well and we're already in love with her. She had a bout of URI for which she's been on medication. She was spayed two weeks ago and was seen by a vet one week ago who says she's healthy.

One thing that concerns me - and which may be normal - is that she'll walk around whimpering and mewing (not meowing) for no apparent reason. For example, she'll wander from where she's playing to jump on a chair to be with me and whimper along the way, or whimper as she's walking to the kitchen to eat. In fact, I can hear her doing so now - although it may be that she's lost her mouse again. But then again, she's just appeared in this room, maybe she was calling out to me.

I'm certain there's no physical issue. She is very affectionate and normally playful, so I don't think there's a fear issue. Anyone else observe this behavior, and does it seem normal?

Thanks in advance.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

It depends on what the "whimper" you are hearing really is.

If it is actually a whimper, that would indicate pain or perhaps unease/unhappiness. However, if she is just a talkative cat and is 'muttering' then she is only being vocal. I have had several muttering cats, Shasta is my 'talker' right now. 

S: meh.
Me: What's the matter?
S: Meh!
Me: Are you sure?
S: menghaah...
Me: Well, tell me all about it.
S: Meyah!
Me: Yeah?
S: Meow!
Me: Really?
S: Meyah-me-ha-ummmmmm (purr).
Me: Well come on, lets find you something to do.
S: Meyah!
Me: Yes.
S: Mah-ha-na-ma! (as she trots behind me to the kitchen)
Me: You hungry?
S: Memmmmummmn (more purring).


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Heidi- hehehee that looks exactly like a conversation I would have with Nito!

As long as you are sure your kitty is not sick or in pain, then she is just being chatty. If you don't like your cats to be vocal, then ignore her chatty moods. If you like to talk to your cat (As Heidi and I both do  ) then answer her! 

[See Heidi's dialogue if you need some ideas of what to say to her :lol: ]


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## cmw0829 (Nov 23, 2008)

Thank you for your replies. I've listened more to my cat. I'm not convinced she's chatty, since her noises don't seem to be directed at or to occur when she's with people. She'll make her noises as she goes from place to place - from a room to her litter box, then from there to the kitchen, when she's lost a toy and is looking for it, etc.

When I first heard her noises she was near her litter box, so I was worried that she might be in pain after being spayed. But the doctor who did her checkup palpated her and says she's fine. I didn't mention the noises since we were still getting to know her.

Maybe she just makes noises. As I said to my husband last night, we're worrying about her in the same way we worried about our new baby 17 years ago in the weeks after he came home from the hospital.
:lol:


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## Twisti (Oct 21, 2004)

Yeah she may be a "self" talker lol...as long as you can tell shes not in pain id not worry...


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Some cats are like some people- they like to hear themselves talk and talk and talk. Just like everyone else says- as long as you're sure she's not sick or in pain, all is well! :wiggle


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

My Holly is constantly yapping, doesn't matter if I'm around or not. She vocalizes when she plays, when she's excited to get fed etc. etc. She's a Maine **** and it's a breed trait. Many breeds and domestic cats just have it in their genes.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

My LuckyDuck talks to himself as he digs holes in the litterchest before he goes potty. It is like he is talking about where he is going to dig:

I'm gonna dig right here! 
This looks like a fine spot.
dig-dig-dig
Hmmm.
dig
Maybe I'd rather...

dig....

...over...

...here!

dig-dig-dig
Yeah, this is great! 
A great spot.
dig-dig-dig
THIS one, right here! *squat*


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## cmw0829 (Nov 23, 2008)

Aha - Maine ****. We were saying that she had the tail of a Maine ****. Looked up the characteristics and wow - she's got to be part Maine ****. Thanks for the answers.


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

Heidi n Q said:


> My LuckyDuck talks to himself as he digs holes in the litterchest before he goes potty. It is like he is talking about where he is going to dig:
> 
> I'm gonna dig right here!
> This looks like a fine spot.
> ...


Our Lucky used to the same thing...though he doesn't do it anymore.  I miss hearing him complain about the litterbox.

And Heidi, since you've been on the board, I've been calling my Lucky "Lucky Ducky from Kentucky". It's your fault that Lucky looks at me as if I've lost my mind.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I will gladly take the blame.  

I call my LuckyDuck "Louie" and will sing to him: "Louie, Louie! Oh, baby! The way I go. Yah, yah, yah, yah!" 
There was also an Italian restaurant in a town I used to live near called "Louie Cairo's" and he (Louie the owner) had an appetizer called "Louie Bread", which was garlic with a little bread. I've been calling my LuckyDuck/Louie...Louie Bread or just Bread because of that restaurant.
Isn't it CRAZY the nicknames we come up with?


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## Woodsman (Jan 9, 2007)

She has only been with you a couple weeks, she could be looking for her litter mates. It sounds sad but its a natural part of a cat growing up and being more independant. 

The cat I just adopted came from a home that had *alot* of cats and recently had kittens. When she wasn't in her room, she spent the first month or so walking up and down the hallway barking (yes, she barks) I am convinced she was looking for the other cats she was used to. As she settled in more and was given freedom around the house she does this less. She mostly just does this at night after lights out before she settles in to sleep.


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

Heidi n Q said:


> Isn't it CRAZY the nicknames we come up with?


Yes, it is! :lol: I vaguely remember a thread about nicknames, so I won't hijack this one, but I just wanted to post a few of the newer nicknames that my babies have:

Midnight
Princess Fuzzbutt
Princess Yaksalot
Princess B*tchybutt

Star
Pookie
Pookie Pie
Pookie Bear (I've been calling him this more than I have been calling him by his name. And he comes to me, too. :yikes :luv )

Lucky
Shmoopie
Shmoopie Doopie (Don't tell my daughter, but that's what I call Lucky when he's around me.)

I'm sure there's more, but I can't think of them at the moment.


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## Amy27 (Nov 8, 2008)

My cats name is Angiamelina. Her nick name is Ru. When I take her to the vet they always struggle with her name and when I say oh you can call her Ru they look at me like I am crazy. I don't know how I came up with that nickname, it has been so long now. lol


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

See? We ARE crazy about the nicknames our pets get stuck with!

I confuse our vet by calling Silver "Mousie". She got her name because Hubby got home from a hot day at work and stripped to his unders and went to sit on the couch to watch TV and cool down before he took a shower. He sat and then leaped up, saying he felt/saw a gray mouse under his butt, go into the cushions at the back of the couch.

So, we took out the cushions...no mouse. We tipped the couch up and I saw a hole scratched into a corner of the bottom and I peered in and saw two glowing eyes looking back at me! It was our silver colored kitten, Silver! She had been in the couch and put her paw through the bottom and between the cushions at the back and when Hubby sat on her paw, he felt her pull her paw back and saw her gray arm (the 'mouse') retreat into the cushions. 
And that is how Mousie got her nickname.

I like the sound of Ru. 
We had a white cat with large gray spots called The Wanderer, though he always seemed "Russian" to me, probably because his gray color was like the Russian Blue's color. I called him Vanya.


CMW, have you figured out what your kitty is saying to you?
h


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## cmw0829 (Nov 23, 2008)

Not yet. I am wondering if she's looking for the "other cats." Apparently, she was from a home with more than a few cats and was given up because one of the other cats had kittens and there were just too many of them. Their loss, my gain.

She's mostly vocal when going to/from her litter box, though not while using the box, and when walking through the living and dining rooms. She'll vocalize when wanting to go in/out of a room or to be fed. I think she's just a talker. I did mention the "other cats" thing to my husband - got the evil eye since he thought I was hinting.

She's been with us for 3 weeks now, is very happy, affectionate and playful. She follows my SAH-DH around all day to see what he's up to and follows me around in the AM/PM. IMHO, she thinks that she's a person. I do know that she now owns the house and all of the people in it. :lol: 

Thanks for asking.


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## Xanti (Nov 4, 2008)

I'm embarrassed to say Monty's nickname is You Little S****


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Xanti said:


> I'm embarrassed to say Monty's nickname is You Little S****


That's okay. I call all of mine: DammitStopThat.





cmw0829 said:


> I did mention the "other cats" thing to my husband - got the evil eye since he thought I was hinting.


 :lol: Tell him to relax, if you wanted another cat you'd just bring it home, not hint about it. :twisted:


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## cmw0829 (Nov 23, 2008)

I think I've figured it out. The mews are "talking" - both to herself and to us. The whimpers are better characterized as "plaintive meows" after some careful listening.

After a little detective work and some sneaky observation, her plaintive meows are because she wants to go OUT!. Her way to/from the litter box passes by the door, the upper half of which is glass. Her way through the living room/dining room causes her to pass by six windows, all of which she can see through from the furniture. (These are the areas I mentioned in my earlier post.) My observation is that she'll look to the door or the windows and speak pleadingly as she passes by.

Poor kitty, there is traffic and there are coyotes out there. You're staying in! Thanks for the help.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

How funny. Kinda sad, too...but more funny, than anything. I'm glad you were able to figure out what she was 'saying'. Maybe you could explain to her that she has to stay inside because of all the dangers outside?


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## MissAnne2u (Feb 10, 2008)

I also have a cat that whimpers and mews all the time !!! Charlie came to us after being taken to the pound when his owned passed away. He was in the pound for over 2 weeks because he is an older kitty (5 yrs old) and everyone wants kittens. 

He'll walk around the house mewing like something is wrong, I'll ask him what's wrong and he'll stop, it's almost like he's looking for attention. The other night he was doing it so loud and so long I actually thought something was wrong, went to find him and he was in the middle of the floor licking on a catnip mouse mewing his little heart out. 

Scooter, my much bigger kitty also whimpers a little, but I think its mostly because he's always hungry. This guy weighs over 25 lbs and eats like a horse. I have to feed him seperately from the others or he'd eat his food and their food. But his also my biggest love button ... he'll lay at my feet on the bed and put his paws over my legs or feet and lay there all night long, kinda like he is guarding over me. 

I wouldn't be too concerned about the "talkativeness" of your kitty unless you specificially notice that he/she is doing it only when using the litter box. Some kitties are just more vocal than others.


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