Cat vocalization questions

I'm wondering if anyone can give me insight into the noises Georgia makes. She's extraordinarily vocal (this doesn't bother me--it's pretty cute), and she varies the noises to a great degree, almost as if she's conversing. What I'm wondering about is the fact that she doesn't even sound cat-like, at least not compared with cats I've had in the past, or any I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. I honestly don't think I've ever heard anything akin to a typical "meow" come out of her-- instead, I get complicated combinations of chirps, trills, squeals (maybe this is the meow?) and something that sounds more like a high-pitched bark than any cat noise. Any thoughts? Thanks!

and she varies the noises to a great degree, almost as if she's conversing.

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She is.

As for the sounds she makes, cat's meows vary greatly. Definitely. I've heard some very odd meows. She may just have her own sound. If you're concerned a vet could assure you that it's not a sore throat or any similar sickness.

Most likely, you just got a unique-sounding kitty on your hands. Enjoy.

She sounds adorable! I love her already.

Originally Posted by Gigi

I'm wondering if anyone can give me insight into the noises Georgia makes. She's extraordinarily vocal (this doesn't bother me--it's pretty cute), and she varies the noises to a great degree, almost as if she's conversing. What I'm wondering about is the fact that she doesn't even sound cat-like, at least not compared with cats I've had in the past, or any I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. I honestly don't think I've ever heard anything akin to a typical "meow" come out of her-- instead, I get complicated combinations of chirps, trills, squeals (maybe this is the meow?) and something that sounds more like a high-pitched bark than any cat noise. Any thoughts? Thanks!

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Here's some articles about "cat talk."

http://www.messybeast.com/cat_talk.htm
http://www.messybeast.com/cat_talk2.htm

Mine does that, if you do a seach for trilling you will come up with a few hits. I have foud it specific to a few of the larger breeds, but thats just me.

Skittles chirps with me. At the hotel she chirped at me and was talking to me than she would make a howl and then she would have a squirrel chip LOL. was cute.

Cindy has a wide variety of vocalizations too, from actual meows (I'm hungry, feed me!) to me-ew (put the food down already!), to chirps and trills, and I've actually heard her squeal like a girl when the two cats are playing. She will make little moaning noises when she's watching Swanie play or sometimes watching something outside. I've never heard a cat make so many different sounds.

My cat makes the bark noise all the time. I think that your cat and mine speak the same language, and they could be the best of friends.

We often do this:
z: Meorrrrowrrrr me:What? z: trrrrrrrr? me: What? z: rrrrrrroer me:What? z: trrrrrrrrmeorowwwwww me: what? z:whrrrrrrrrwhr me: I can't understand you when you don't speak English!

That's so funny-- Georgia and I pretty much have the same discussions... except I usually end up telling her that she needs to work on her enunciation!

Thank you all for your comments... kitties are such funny creatures.

Little Pete is a bit of an attention hog and makes the cutest sounds when he wants me to pay attention to him.. not like a 'typical' cat meow at all.. the best way to describe it is a high pitched dog howl It's adorable. Shorty on the other hand has a 'typical' meow sound, but BOY is he LOUD! He makes SURE he won't be ignored!

Aww, too cute! my guys are the same way, their meows don't sound like "meows". More like a combo of chirps squeaks and trills, like most other posters have mentioned. but normally, I can sort of define each noise...higher pitched urgent squeaks mean "feed me", chittering is normally just conversations and chirping is just excitement from seeing me or my boyfriend comming home. but every cat is different!

Phenom chirps a lot. In the morning she comes on to the bed with a trill and a chirp and when she greets me from a day at work its a trill. Its like she is saying hello meowmie!

Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

My cat makes the bark noise all the time. I think that your cat and mine speak the same language, and they could be the best of friends.

We often do this:
z: Meorrrrowrrrr me:What? z: trrrrrrrr? me: What? z: rrrrrrroer me:What? z: trrrrrrrrmeorowwwwww me: what? z:whrrrrrrrrwhr me: I can't understand you when you don't speak English!

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Heres Olivers: (as he runs to the middle of the room for no apparent reason) bbbddddttttttttttt! Translation: Heeeeeere's the kitty!

spike will meow in the morning when he wants my attention. when i am looking at him, he will open his mouth but nothing will come out. i think it is adorable. i tell him all the time that he has to learn to use his "voice" in order to compete with the other 2 cats in the house.

I don't know how I came across this - but I have watched it about 3 times...the cats are vocalizing on their own and its kinda eerie but amazing... check it out

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...562950&pl=true

Amos makes lots of noises. He likes to talk to you and he gets angry if you don't talk back. If I don't respond, he attacks my feet.....But he chirps and growls too!

I find it amazing the number of noises my kitties can make, but even more then that that none of them sound the same. I don't know about you guys with more then 10 cats etc....but I have 6 at the moment (2 kittens) and i can easily tell which one is Lucky, Rambo and which are the fosters ernie and momma...totally different voices on all of them!

I had the same question about my 1 year old dsh Giolla.* So I did a little looking around to try to find breed specific trillers--I came up with a page which describes the behavior of Giolla to a tee, in terms of vocalization:

He has a special language for his owner, rather the 'chirrups' and trills a mother cat reserves for her kittens, than the usual meow.

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This, apparently, is typical of the Abyssinian, you can read more about the breed at the site that I quoted:

http://www.catworld.co.uk/articlecat...0profile&pre=0

As far as I can tell, the behavior is all of the Abyssinian that Giolla has in her though, she has none of the typical markings.

Good luck with your kitten and enjoy her dulcet tones!

Noyster

* Giolla is Irish for servant or follower, we named her this because she follows us around like a little dog. Her full name is [drumroll please]:

The MacGiolla, Mighty Squeak, Thane of Closets, Destroyer of Couches

She makes the most adorable sounds when she is conversing with me, I will ask her something, like for instance this morning I asked her if I could borrow a dollar as a joke She looked right at me while sitting atop her little perch behind me and started making this yip yip yipping noise, like she was saying "No, No and one more NOOOOOOOOO"

I really do enjoy when she comes to me and sits down and starts talking like we're old girlfriends and then when I ask her something the expressions on her face match her vocalizations perfectly. They really are amazing little beings with fur

Well, noyster-- there you go. Georgia's a (beautiful) mutt, but we've been told before that she might be half Aby!