Does your cat chirp?

Did you ever hear your cat make a sound like the peep of a bird? It's a common noise for cats to make and since it sounds like a bird chirping can be known as a cat chirp or cat trill. Let's look into chirping in cats!

How do cats chirp? 

Cats.com notes that cats make the chirping sound by pushing air across their vocal cords while keeping their mouth shut. PetMD explains that a series of cat chirps will be called cat chirrups, but I seem to see cat chirrups and cat chirps used interchangably. Either way it's a common cat sound, so you may hear it often...or not at all, depending on your particular cat. 

Why do cats trill?

If you've ever wondered "why does my cat chirp", you're not alone!

Cats.com explains that Mamma cats (both feral and house cats) will chirp at their kittens to get them to pay attention to her. The kittens learn at an early age to mimic that sound and some (but not all) will continue to chirp into adulthood. 

HillsPet.com says cat chirps can be a friendly "hello" to their human, a literal cry for attention, or an expression of approval from your cat. In our article "Why are cats so cute" we mentioned that cats chirp to ask us for things and that contributes to their cuteness. 

Another time you might notice your cat make a chirping noise is when they see a bird or other potential prey animal. In my experience this kind of chirp is often followed by a chattering noise, so you might have heard people call the cat chirp the cat chatter. A chattering cat is acting on their hunting instincts. One theory is that they are trying to mimic the sounds birds make, similar to a human hunter using a duck call, but Cats.com says this is unlikely and points out that when a cat has a successful hunt, they often rely on stealth and silence, and a chattering cat is more likely to scare away a bird than to attract one. Instead they say that cats chatter due to feelings of either anticipation or frustration. And that makes sense to me - a cat sitting at a window may very well be feeling both excited by that tasty birdy, and frustrated that it is so close, but still out of reach! 

When you are wondering what do cat chirps mean, you need to take the cat's body language into account too. Cats.com notes that if your cat is playful and wide eyed, they are chirping for attention. However, if your cat seems on high alert and getting ready to pounce, you are probably seeing that other kind of chirp that comes from spotting prey (even if its just a stuffed toy bird). In fact, hillspet.com suggests some play time with your cat if you just can't get enough of cat chirping!

If your cat is chirping or chattering, don't worry, cats.com reassures us that it is rarely a sign of a health issue, it's just one way that cats vocalize, and as we've seen it's a sound cats make that usually indicates either anticipation or frustration, or a little of both!

So, what about you? Does your cat chirp? 

Thanks to Tucker Good on Unsplash for our cover photo!