Miaowing

[NewFelineMum]

I have two new rescue cats (mother and daughter) and in the last week or so I’ve started letting the older cat out (the other one is a kitten). She was really unhappy at being kept indoors and miaowed a lot and tried to escape.

She is happier now she’s allowed out and probably spends 90% of the day outside but still miaows a lot when she comes in. I’ve never owned cats and am having trouble interpreting what she’s after. I think it’s more than just announcing she’s back as the miaows go on for some time. She only really eats dry food and there’s usually some down and always water so I don’t think it’s that.

Maybe she wants attention but she doesn’t like a lot of fuss and had literally never sat on the sofa or on our laps. She won’t even sleep in a cat bed or on a blanket and prefers the hard floor or a windowsill so I wouldn’t say she’s a cat who loves being around people. So I really don’t know what she is after when she comes back in! Any ideas would be appreciated. She’s been with us for 6 weeks.

We have an exceptionally vocal cat and I suspect most of the time he's talking bollocks! If he actually wants something, then the miaow becomes much more naggy. If it's just general noise then I just acknowledge him and we both move on with our day

Are you sure she’s not meowing at her kitten?

No, as sadly they have had to be temporarily separated as she became aggressive towards her.

That’s a shame.

If you’re still in touch with the rescue I’d ask them if they have any idea.

Maybe she wants her kitten ? My cat sometimes miows just to tell me he's going for a nap etc he talks to me all the time

She's talking to you in our stupid, unsophisticated human language that she's had to learn to get by with people. Have a chat, you'll hear about the other cats, the birds, the fox that passed through the garden last night.

She'll like things like 'Really? You did? There is? Oh, that'll never do. Is it? Well, you could, but I'd far rather sit down with you. Did you want crunchies or prawns this evening - crunchies and prawns?'

Give it a couple of weeks and you'll be saying 'Well, stop shouting at me and show me' and 'OK, I'll do the litter tray in a minute - no, NOW? If you insist...'

Maybe she's just chatty? Two of mine miaow and chirrup all the time.

If she's become aggressive to her kitten then I would recommend finding little one a new a home though.

Often they just want some chit chat.

Is the mum neutered?

She is neutered and has been kept apart from the kitten (the rescue placed with a temporary fosterer) but we are going to try and reintroduce them this week.

I'm with @NeverDropYourMooncup - she probably wants a chat. Ours is very keen to tell us about what he's been up to while he's been out. Sometimes the tone is excited, often more Victor Meldrew. We have a bit of back and forth chat then with a harrumph he goes off to snooze. If you try responding to each miaow you may find that satisfies her.

My boy announces his arrival home loudly. We say "helleeeeeeew" back to him. We have chats back and forth. He has different meows for different things too. He's just a chatterbox.

She did just come in with a slightly whiny miaow after she’d been looking up at the tree in the garden so perhaps she was telling me that she could see the birds but couldn’t get to them!

Some cats are just talkative. Think of it as being like verbal gushes from a 4yr old. They just can't help themselves.

I have two Maine Coons, male and female. The boy always has to announce his presence. He loves attention and unless acknowledged will keep at it til we tell him he's the handsomest boy ever and totally adorable and give him a belly rub.
His sister is virtually silent and only gives the odd questioning meow from the kitchentelling us that her food bowl is inexplicably empty and she's barely able to get her next breath if not refilled.
Really hope your cats can be reunited.

My cat will come in to tell me something, then go out again. It's obvious he's telling me something very important. He likes to keep me up to date with the goings in the neighbourhood.

His "it's bloody raining" meow is very explicit, as is his "shit I've lost a mouse under the fridge, can you help".

I've had a couple of talkers. Charlie you could hold a conversation with, "Oh really and then what happened?".

My current talker shouts, "Whaaa" at me to get me to put food in her bowl. Even if the bowl already has food in it.

My boy never shuts up. Likes the sound of his own voice I think.

Sounds like maybe I’ve got a chatty one then! I’ll start replying and see how we get on.