My cats don’t meow

Leahduffy

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
May 6, 2022
Messages
9
Purraise
12
Hi all! I’m just wondering if it’s normal for my 6/7 month old kittens to not meow? Omen will at times attempt it and make a little squeak, but Luna is completely silent apart from her excited noises she makes when playing. Thanks so much in advance!
 

wookie130

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 5, 2006
Messages
2,313
Purraise
106
Location
an ice cube in Iowa...
My cats only really “talk” when they’re begging for their meals. I bet if you found special treats to feed them that only come out once or twice a day, they may start using their voices more.
 

di and bob

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
16,582
Purraise
22,961
Location
Nebraska, USA
cats do NOT meow to each other normally, it is something they do to get human's attention. They make certain 'calls' to each other, such as a cat in heat, a mama telling her babies she is bringing food, and tom catcalls, but the meows are used for humans. Kittens are instinctively quiet to not draw attention from predators, so I would bet they will start talking to you in a few months when they mature a little.
 

chelsmarie

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 12, 2021
Messages
73
Purraise
80
My cat was adopted at 8 months. She was fostered for a bit prior but I think she must have been on her own before. With no other cats to meow to, I don’t think she learned to meow! She would do a little gasping motion but nothing came out. Almost a year later, she has a little meow if she really wants attention, but mostly chirps. I think it’s a matter of the vocal muscle getting exercise.
 

betsygee

Just what part of meow don't you understand.
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Messages
28,334
Purraise
17,472
Location
Central Coast CA, USA
One of mine just opened his mouth but no sound came out but at the age of 4 years he started meowing. Now I cant shut him up. They will surprise you one day.
That's what happened with our Ozzy. He never made a peep until he was older, now he's SO vocal. My cat Zoe always had the cutest little squeak as a kitten. She's 12 now and still mostly only squeaks. So cute. :heartshape:
 

nurseangel

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jul 6, 2007
Messages
10,132
Purraise
4,820
Location
1 Happy Place
Some felines are more talkative than others. My Siamese who crossed the RB had something to say about everything. Sally doesn't meow often, but it's such a pretty sound when she does. Bree announces herself when she enters a room. Sometimes with lots of cute little chirps. (She will also "yell" at me if I don't acknowledge her.) We had two stray cats bring kittens to our home, and Bree was the only one who went around meowing all the time as a kitten. Take a step, meow. Take a step, meow. There was nothing wrong with her, she was just a big talker from an early age. And don't worry, everyone was spayed/neutered/vetted and the ones we could not keep went to no kill shelters for adoption.

I wouldn't worry. Your kittens may start talking to you or they may just be quiet kitties.

Sorry, my answer is so jumbled up. And it's nice to meet you! :hellocomputer:
 

Maria Bayote

Mama of 4 Cats, 4 Dogs , 2 Budgies & 2 Humans
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 15, 2018
Messages
4,171
Purraise
12,686
Two of mine very seldom meow too. They only do other different sounds, but meow, not so much.

Graham "talks" a lot and like some of the others here, I can't seem to shut her up. LOL.
 

Margot Lane

Kitten at heart, not a Top Cat
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 24, 2021
Messages
4,369
Purraise
8,963
I used to have a library cat that “rasped” rather than meowed. Teeniest cat ever: she might have been stunted at birth. I always felt I should oil her squeak, like the tin man in the Wizard of Oz.
 

madsnycat

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Nov 28, 2013
Messages
13
Purraise
11
The meow is a trait that cats developed to communicate with humans. The meow is possibly the greatest trait developed to be domesticated.

I have a semi feral who walked in five years ago and is untouchable, she lives in our renovated basement as she did not get along with our house cat; constant fighting.
the semi feral, whom we had fed for four years outside prior to her walking inside, only meowed to me once.
Ferals and semi ferals are not talkers, they keep a low profile to survive.
 

Draco

NOT Malfoy!
Veteran
Joined
Apr 26, 2011
Messages
8,721
Purraise
2,780
Location
LawnGuyLand, NY
One of mine has a near silent meow. You can barely hear her, but you know she's meowing with her mouth opening. You have to listen real closely to actually hear her.
 

lorie d.

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
Messages
7,253
Purraise
339
Location
Upper Midwest (SE MN)
I once heard that a silent meow is when the cat actually does meow, but the sound is so high pitched that it's outside the range of human hearing. Years ago we had a cat who usually meowed this way. Sometimes she also made little squeaks and occasionally she meowed normally. This particular cat was found wandering the streets alone and was rescued by a no-kill shelter at the age of only two months. I adopted her six months later and we always felt she had been a feral kitten.
 

Father of furbabies

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2017
Messages
449
Purraise
1,818
Location
Alabama
Shade is over 3 yrs old now and will occasionally talk to me or my wife. He did not start speaking to us till he was around 2 yrs old and I told the wife that he will speak when he has something to say. Noka, on the other hand, is just a few months younger than Shade but she was apparently a born yaker as she was constantly meowing after she turned 2 months old. Before then she would squeak but she found her voice after turning 2 or 3 months and she has not shut up since. Noka will talk our ear off as long as one of us respond to her comments.
 

lollie

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 28, 2018
Messages
311
Purraise
458
I once heard that a silent meow is when the cat actually does meow, but the sound is so high pitched that it's outside the range of human hearing.
Correct. I complained to my vet when my kitten was silent. He said she just hadn’t found her voice yet, and boy was he right. She would do the silent meow. They eventually learn to bring down their octave down to human hearing in order to get a response. She began meowing when she was around one. She is eight now, and in the last year has started talking constantly.

I think the more you speak to them, the more interaction you will have. You would be surprised at the amount of English they will be able to comprehend. As they age, they get more interested in getting what they want, and will vocalize to get it.
 
Top