i've had my kitties longer now - what i find is that, as i increasingly talk to them, they increasingly 'talk' to me - just keep talking to them and they will try to 'talk' back!
Adopted a cat from a shelter, this cat doesn't meow either she is very clingy but when she tries to meow no sound is heard. She follows me all over the place and walks in front of me all the time. Sometimes I step on her by accident which causes her to scream loudly. After that she makes no noise. If I take a nap, and I'm sleeping on my stomach she will sleep on my back. When I'm ready to give her some treats she will try to meow but nothing comes out.She moans sometimes for no apparent reason but she won't meow. I don't know if this is normal or not. I've had other cats who would never shutup esp. when I lock them out of the bedroom at night.This cat when locked out of the bedroom makes no noise at all.
Sergio and Corsica(1996-2013), are and were very vocal. Natascha chirps occasionally at stuff she sees outdoors, and only meows when i leave the house. Catalina has never made so much as a peep...
yeah my orange and white tabby Joey is like that.. Rarely if ever speaks.. He grunts, and makes little squeaks from time to time, but thats about it.. He can meow, and will on very rare occasions (usually when i offer him treats he will give me a little yelp)
On the other hand my black burmese Mikey just wont ever shut up.. Talks constantly, even just wanders around the house meowing at... Nothing.. You can literally talk to him, and he will talk right back.. Sometimes its really cute, usually.. But it also gets really annoying sometimes too. Like when he gets really riled up, either playing with his toys, or looking out his windows and spotting something.. When he does that i just close my bedroom door for a while and he calms down.. But yeah, Mikey is a total chatter box.
I rescued 2 kittens about 2 weeks old and hand reared them at about 6 weeks I put them with an older Siamese kitten who showed them all the normal cat things as kittens they were very affectionette but as time went on they became distant and won't allow you to touch them the vet thinks their hearing is not good and they also don't meow they are now nearly 12 months old and as beautiful as they are they just don't like people. I have a beagle cross who just loves them and vice versa and the only time they purr is with the dog I am really saddened by this behaviour as I would just love to give them a cuddle
Awww, I love all the stories about the different ways our cats communicate with us! My Ragdoll, Ham, meows when I'm feeding him but doesn't purr! Sometimes I think I feel a tiny vibration but I'm not completely sure. Our other Ragdoll, Beau, is the opposite. He purrs like crazy but doesn't make a sound! It's so funny to see his mouth open as if to meow, but then nothing comes out. Tig the tabby is also a quiet cat, he squeaks a bit. Miss Honey, our only girl and tortie is the loud mouth of the family, she meows constantly. She also does this odd trilling/cooing sound.
We wondered about Matt when we adopted him-he was a former stray, age 2, fresh out of -20 winter and didn't make a peep except to purr.....Very loudly. Now at age 4, he does meow, but it sounds as I write it-"wrreeeow" in a graty, annoying sort of way, and he only does it when asking for food. Occasionally now he'll "murrr" at me for attention, but that about covers his friendly vocabulary-the only other sound is the horrible stray-cat yowl, when he's lonely and wants me to get up
My precious one yr old rescue female, spayed cat died suddenly yesterday. I saw no signs of illness, only slight lethargy last couple of days, but she was eating and drinking and using her litter box. I am heartbroken. Took her to vet and vet thinks it may have been heartworm. I have had eight cats over years and never had one of them vaccinated for heartworm. Thought it was mainly for dogs. She followed me around house like a puppy. Looking back, I realize she never meowed. Her purr was barely audible. I didn't think too much about it, but now I do. She seemed very happy and healthy, but obviously, she was not and if she had heart worms, that could have been the reason for her inability to meow. I spoiled her bigtime for one year, but I wish I had known about heartworms and what they do to an animal. I feel so guilty and so sad.
firstly there is nothing to feel guilty about. secondly this thread proves many healthy cats don't meow. maybe you could post in the crossing the bridge section?
That sounds exactly like my Shunra, whom I took in from the alley when she was about a year old. She doesn't know that she can't meow, so she goes through the motions with a very urgent and concerned expression, but no sound comes out. Bless her heart, it's so funny that sometimes we tease her to get her to do it again.
She can hiss (at her pesky brother), purr, snore, and drool enough to make up for it.
In general, she hasn't been dealt the best of genetic cards and would be very vulnerable if she were on the street. She has no teeth, either, and catches colds in the wink of an eye. Since she will never have to worry and will always be cared for, I just make sure she's always comfy and dinner is served on time so she won't have to silently meow for it
My cat Murphy (Brown)-12lbs is going to be 19 in May. We have had her and her runt sister Turbo-7 lbs (perpetual kitten) since they were born. (we lost their BIG brother, Mike Tyson-19lbs,- Nov. 2012). All their lives, Mike was very vocal, Turbo meowed occasionally, Murphy never uttered a peep, we thought she was mute.......until about 8 months ago! Suddenly she started craving milk and meowing at us. AT first her voice was quite hoarse, not sounding much like a meow. Now she is quite vocal. And recently Turbo started Crying occasionally for no obvious reason. When she does, we yell out her name and she usually stops shortly after. The other thing Murphy started doing is jumping in the tub after one of us has showered and she lies in the water. Or she goes out after our neighbor's sprinklers have been on and then comes in soaking wet. She does have pretty bad arthritis. She sleeps in one spot most of the time. And seems to dream often. Once in a while she will get up walk a couple feet then it looks like she is wondering where she was going, and goes back to her spot. Both have good appetites, Turbo seems to be losing her balance at times (once in awhile if she shakes her head while standing she stumbles) and occasionally her back legs seem pretty wobbly . Murphy has ALWAYS been a clingy cat, always wanting to be AS CLOSE AS SHE COULD TO US. She would actually walk up to us and literally throw herself onto us as if trying to attach herself! Turbo for years was very much a loner, always outside hunting or sunbathing. She has gotten very clingy over the last year. I am surprised she is not walking all over my keyboard while I am trying to type this.
It's nothing to worry about. Lots of cats have no voice at all, some just a husky little whisper. As long as your kitten seems happy and healthy in every other way don't worry about it.
Hi. My three week old female kitten does not meow either. Kind of enjoying it though as her sibling will not stop unless eating or sleeping. Went to the vet today but I too, did not ask. I have typed in- My cat does not meow and came across your inquiry. If I find out anything. I will let you know.
My 19 1/2 year old didn't meow for at least the first 10 years. She did chirp when looking out the yard through a glass door. She just started meowing one day and I was so surprised. It definitely seems like an attempt at communication because before she decided to meow she used to touch my face with a paw to tell me she was hungry. When I got up she'd walk to her bowl then look at me. Now she will meow until the food is in her bowl. I kinda miss the face pawing :-)