Teenage rescue cats - they don't say anything - ever...

[stealthsquiggle]

We have had our 2 ~9mth old rescue cats for a week. They came from an old lady who had about 15 cats, according to the rescue centre, so they are not feral, but just not used to interacting with people and incredibly shy. We have been keeping them in "their" room until they stop hiding from us feel secure, and they are slowly working out what staff humans are for - boy is the bolder of the two, and has decided that he loves tickles, and has a lovely loud purr. Girl is very very shy still but will just about agree that tickles are tolerable and has started to play with toys when no-one is looking.

..but neither of them has said a word. Not a single Miaow. It's not (I don't think) that they don't have voices, as they don't do silent miaows - they just don't have anything to say

Has anyone else come across this? I am used to noisy buggers quite vocal cats and I find it very strange. Do you think they will find something to say as they get more confident?

Bar Darling Oneago (who was abandoned by his mum at under a day old and never learned to talk in the normal Siamese way) all my boys could have talked the hind leg off a donkey.

When The Lodger came to us I was quite worried by his quiet. He didn't speak unless he really had something to say, unlike the Siamese who comment on anything they thought/think about in a constant almost 'stream of consciousness' way.

Depends on the cat I think - and you get used to the non-vocal communication they use as you get to know them.

One of our 2 didn't speak for years. Even then I my the occasional teeny mew.

She's 12 now and for the past year or so, she hasn't shut up! Every time you look at her, meow. If you don't look at her when she wants you to, meow.

Daft cat.

My two (16 months old) don't miaow much, one of them only does it if you are taking too long getting her food from packet to bowl, the other even less, maybe hear her miaow once a week. They've been with us about 3 months now so I guess that's just the way they're going to be.

It will be interesting to see if they do start talking, then - maybe not.

My childhood cat was 1/2 Abyssinian so I do get the "stream of consciousness" thing, although they were nothing like Siamese. Maybe we just have strong silent types now.

They also have extra toes!

AFAIK meowing is only used to communicate requirements to humans they don't meow to each other. Looks like maybe they didn't bother competing for attention from the old lady so didn't have to.

I don't think they had any idea that attention from humans was a good thing, sparklingbrook . I don't think they were actively mistreated - just ignored other than being fed.

We've had our two cats for nearly 5 years, boy cat cried all the way home and is still very vocal, girl cat I've maybe heard her miaow 10 or so times.

She chirrups when she brings us a toy but she never really seems to miaow. Every time she does DH and I always say "Was that girl cat?!" As we can't believe it when she miaows.

YY-they had no reason to meow.

Annie Von Ack hardly made a sound, she though she was, her mouth opened and then there was a little 'ack'.

Her Mistyness never actually meows but she can be quite vocal, particularly if I have run out of her favorite food and given her tesco's home brand.

my half siamese was born to a feral mom and in 2.5 years he has only mewed twice and on both occasions he was winding round my feet and i trod on him by accident when i turned round other than that he never utters a single noise, if he wants attention or anything he does the stare and swipe method of getting what he wants

It works though, doesn't it? Seniorboy is an old hand at The Peremptory Paw.

We took a rescue in he moved in and we wouldn't give him back because the RSPCA banned them from keeping animals and wasn't feeding him and he didn't miaow for ages then one day croaked & built up to a miaow.

My cat had a BFF and they miaowed to each other.

Out of my 4 the 3 boys (2 adult rescue cats and 1 kitten from a good home) talk all talk but the girl my son found as a stray never miaows or purrs. She so self - contained , very prim and proper. She's very funny at meal times, sitting upright ever so neat beside her dish with her white knee socks

Silent cats are too bloody good at hide and seek. We were frantic, convinced we had lost girlcat last night. Even her brother was being all "where's she gone" stressy. I still don't know where she was but she turned up just as I was giving up and going to bed.

... Boycat broke his silence and produced a very funny squeak which I think was meant to be a miaow yesterday .

We have a sibling pair and the boy is about 5 times more vocal than the girl! Although she loves her cuddles and purrrs non stop.

Previous cat was a bloody noisy constant stream, I am enjoying the relative peace tbh.

The hiding/getting silently under my feet is the main reason mine wear bells on their collars.