Why Do Cats Meow Back When You Talk To Them?

As a cat parent, you’ve probably meowed at your cat at least once, trying to communicate with them in their native language. A few times, it may have worked, and they’ve responded. But why do cats meow back at you?

Any cat owner would know that each pet has its own personality and that you get to learn something new from them all the time.

And, after 10 000 years of domestication, it’s surprising that they haven’t learned to speak to their owners. Or have they?

In short, yes.

Do Cats Like When You Talk to Them?

Did you know that adult cats only meow to communicate with humans? While kittens will meow to “talk” to their moms, adults prefer to do so non-verbally. Instead, they communicate with each other through facial expressions, scents, and body language.

The fact that they make a conscious decision to keep making these sounds to their parent would suggest that they do like it when you talk to them. Whether they understand you or not, talking to them helps build a bond between you.

Chirp: Cats usually use this for their kittens, so they know to follow them. Similarly, this means they want you to follow them– probably to the cat nip stash.

What Do Their Meows Mean?

Purr: You may have noticed that your cat purrs when you stroke them. This could be for a list of reasons, but the most common reason is just that they’re happy.

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