As of: March 13, 2024, 9:40 a.m
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Cats can do more than just meow and hiss.
Sometimes they also chatter like poultry.
Why are you doing that?
Over the years, cat owners have enjoyed hearing the funniest noises from their kitties.
There is the annoying meowing when the house cat wants to be fed or let out the door.
Or a hiss when an opponent invades your own territory.
Sometimes you can hear a deep rumbling sound when the vet has to give an injection.
And even cries that sound like a baby's come from cats when they fight with other cats.
Some cats also display an additional behavior: they cackle.
The noise sounds similar to a bird chattering and is extremely confusing to cat owners when they first hear it.
Why cats make these noises is not 100 percent proven.
However, there are different theories.
1. Practice catching prey: Cats chatter when they want to catch prey
Cats often start cackling or chattering when they sit at the window, look outside and see prey that is out of their reach.
Cats can also make these noises from birds sitting high in the tree.
When cats bark with their mouths, their hunting instinct usually has something to do with it.
© Imago
This is probably because just the sight of potential prey awakens cats' innate hunting instincts.
However, if they don't have the opportunity to actually live out this - for example because they are purely domestic cats or because the human is not there to open the door - then they "practice" hunting behavior in the form of chattering and cawing.
The upper and lower jaws open and close in a similar way to teeth chattering, which can represent a bite into the prey.
In addition to the jaw movements, the cats then make slightly panting, chattering, and sometimes hoarse meowing sounds.
2. Reduce stress and frustration: Cat pooping to let out energy
When cats chatter and cackle, they are usually restless and appear restless or agitated.
Another theory is that house cats also exhibit this strange behavior when they are stressed or frustrated.
One reason for this may be that they cannot reach their prey or cannot hunt outside at all.
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The energy that the cat would use to hunt is accumulated and is used up by the cat by barking.
In this theory, chattering is not an exercise, but rather a form of stress relief.
If you notice that your cat is chattering, you can try to entertain it with toys, for example by letting it chase things on cat fishing rods.
The animal releases the accumulated energy and can then calm down again.
However, if the cat clearly doesn't feel like it, it may be advisable to simply leave it alone.
Every house cat is different and some even self-soothe with a nap in a quiet corner before returning to their cuddly self.
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3. Imitate prey: Chatter to lull birds into safety
The third possible reason why cats cackle and chatter also has to do with prey.
However, this theory is not about an instinctive reflex that provokes the behavior, but rather a conscious trick that cats use when hunting.
According to
Stern.de,
researchers in Brazil studied a species of wild cat that adapts to their sounds when hunting monkeys and makes chattering noises similar to those of primates.
The researchers concluded that cats were trying to create a false sense of security by imitating the sounds of their prey.
Like a wolf in sheep's clothing, cats can sneak up on their prey and initially remain undetected because they make the same noises, which makes hunting easier.
This theory could also apply to European cats, as their chirping often sounds surprisingly similar to the chatter of birds, ducks or chickens.