# Understand His Meows?



## carryoutjon (Aug 25, 2011)

Hello!

I'm a brand new cat owner, and just adopted a 12 week old brown tabby. I've hardly been around cats/kittens before this.. and I was curious as to certain "meowing".

I googled a few things, but didn't really get the answer I was hoping on getting. So instead I'd like to try actually talking to people about it: is there way to understand your cats meows?

For example, my kitten sleeps with me. Never had a problem keeping me up at night, so I got lucky there. When I wake up he's normally sleeping too, and when he also wakes up he meows at me. Is that a happy meow?

Also, whenever he jumps up in my lap he looks up at me and meows. I assume it's because he wants pet, so I pet him and he stops. Sometimes I get nervous and think he actually wants food, water, etc. when he clearly has some already.

Sorry if this sounds like a ridiculous question, but this is all new to me!

~ Jon


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## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

The way it went with us, and I was brand-new too, is Prince started teaching me what his meows meant. He meows at me and I ask him "what is it, sweetheart? what do you want?" and he runs to a place. If it's the closet where his toys are - he wants me to dangle a toy for him. If it's the terrace - he's hungry (the terrace is where I keep the food for the strays, which he doesn't eat, but it was the only food I had when he first arrived in my house, so the terrace became a symbol of "feed me". If he goes to the door, he wants out of course. If he stares at me quietly, he wants petting. If he meouws again going nowhere, he just wants attention. If he meows and goes to the kitchen cupboards - he wants one of the treats there. And today I learned a new one: if he meows insistently and goes back and forth in the apt., it means I again forgot to leave the bathroom door open (I close all doors when I turn on the A/C) and he needs to go to his litter box that is in there. He never meouws about anything else. For "hi" he trills. If he meouws outside the apt. it means he wants me to open some door or he wants to stay behind but wants me to wait for him. If he goes to his bowls but doesn't eat/drink and instead meouws, it means he wants me to change the water or the amount of kibble is not enough to eat comfortably. I'm still learning. A long, whiny meouw often means he's bored "mom, entertain me, let's do something different".


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## Cats&Plants (Aug 20, 2011)

Hi Jon! Welcome to the wild world of cats!! 

I think the morning meow is a "good morning" meow, he is probably just saying hi. The lap meow is likely a "hey there!...I want you to pay attention to me!"

I have four cats and three of them are pretty vocal. Kisa very rarely meows, but if I have food in hand, she pipes up and let's me know where she is. Logan will meow at me and then walk to whatever needs attention...water, food, litter box. 

Jordan doesn't really meow...it's more of a mer-ow-ff sound. So cute. She only meows for food or if she is on you kneading and another cat jumps up, she'll "yell" at them with a very displeased sounding meow lol. MacKenzie will jump up on to my lap and meow for attention. The only other time she meows is at 7 am (on the dot...I swear she can tell time) because that's when we leave for the day and she gets her treats. 

As time goes on, you will learn the different sounds he makes. They really are good little communicators lol

Good luck, enjoy your kitten!!


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## Luvkitties (Jan 22, 2009)

You will learn to interpret his sounds! 

I think that his meow is an happy one though. 

With time, you will know what each sound means. Patch is very vocal and I usually know exactly what he wants when he meows. Same thing for Treize. 

I have a new cat, Maya, and I don't know yet what each of her sounds means. It's frustrating but I know I will one day!


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## Ritzpg (Dec 7, 2010)

Welcome to the world of cats. Like you I'd had no experience with cats before I adopted Ritz. She lived on the streets for the first four months of her life and was trapped and successfully socialized. 
After 18 months of having her/being had, I'm still learning what her meows mean. I agree with what the OP have said, and I would only add that sometimes Ritz meows just because she can--they don't necesssarily mean anything.
I did have to learn that not all meows mean she wants food (a sure way to teach a cat to overeat). Instead I look for non-verbal clues: if she is sitting in front of her 'tunnel', then she wants to play. Ditto if she hangs around her food bowl (feed me. NOW).
Once you've mastered meows, now you get to figure out what her body language is telling you, including wagging of the tail


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