A classic meow is a greeting or request. Cats meow to get human attention or ask for food.
Meow
Drawn-out meows express impatience or complaint. Your cat may be bored, lonely, or complaining about something specific.
Long Meow
A throaty, melodic trill shows excitement and contentment. Your cat may trill while being petted or when watching prey.
Trill
Chirps are friendly hellos or greetings between cats. It's a cat's way of saying "I'm here, but not a threat."
Chirp
Hissing indicates fear, anger, or territorial threats. Ears go back and cat looks bigger to scare off rivals.
Hiss
Loud yowling or howling expresses distress. It means "Come help me!" when in pain, heat, or feels abandoned.
Yowl
Chattering teeth isn't aggression, but excitement! It means a cat is focused intently on prey they want to hunt.
Chatter