Cat Chattering: Why Do Cats Chatter?

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Seb is a professional SEO writer with a degree in Journalism, he has five years of experience in writing and editing. Seb specializes in topics like dog and cat breeds, aquarium guides, and pet care. He is passionate about educating and entertaining animal owners worldwide. In his spare time, Seb enjoys writing fiction novels.

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Updated on: 06/08/2023

You have likely heard your little feline friend chattering away or making chirping sounds from time to time. It can be pretty strange to see your cat seemingly talking to itself as it stares out the window, but it is a completely natural habit. However, scientists and specialists have yet to find an exact answer to this chattering and chirping. Despite this, there are a good few theories out there that go some way to explaining what is going through your kittie’s mind when they are chattering. Let’s take a look through a few of them.

Photo by @studiomay from Freepik

What exactly is cat chattering?

Some of you may be a little confused as to what we mean by chattering. After all, if you have never noticed it before, it may sound like a rather strange concept. The most common place where owners notice this behavior is when their kitties are staring out of the window. As such, it is a behavior seen in both indoor and outdoor cats. Usually, chattering occurs when a cat can see a bird, rodent or squirrels, or another animal of prey outside. What you will notice is your kitty’s mouth opening and shutting rapidly while also making a squeaking, chattering, chirping, or mumbling noise.

Excitement

Many cat owners will notice that their furry friend have wide eyes and seem to be concentrated on one thing when they are chattering. The chattering also usually occurs when they look at some form of prey, whether a mouse or a bird. As such, many people believe that chattering is a result of excitement in cats, something that instinctively comes out when they spot their next meal or a source of fun. Think of that feeling you have when you see your order arriving at a restaurant; it’s pretty much the same thing but for cats. The one question raised by this theory is, why don’t cats make the same sounds when humans fill their bowls with food? That leads us on to the next theory…

Frustration

Some people also believe that cats chatter and chirp when they are feeling frustrated. Let’s go back to that image of your kitty looking at a mouse or a bird through a window. While some may interpret this as excitement, it could be frustrating as their prey is out of reach. This would certainly explain why they do not seem to chatter or chirp when humans fill their bowls with food because that delicious treat is within reach. Perhaps your feline friend is excited by the prey outside, but they are well aware that they cannot actually get to it. When actually hunting outside, felines obviously do not chatter or chirp because they do not want to scare off their prey. Again, this would reinforce the theory, as the prey is within reach, so there is no chattering from the cat. Perhaps frustration is a logical answer.

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Kill Bite

This next theory is a tad more violent than the last two. When you spot your cat chatter or chirp, you may notice that their mouth moves rapidly up and down. Some people have compared this to a biting motion. During the hunting process, once they actually catch their prey they often bite down on the neck.

Therefore, it has been argued that cats may simply be practicing this biting motion when they are chattering. This would explain why they seem to chatter and chirp while looking at their prey outside the window but not at the very much not alive food in their bowl. As such, the cats may be instinctively practicing that biting motion when they can physically see the prey. This theory certainly seems to go hand-in-hand with the frustration angle.

Mimicry

Tying in with the last theory, some experts also believe that cats chattering may be linked to their actual hunting process. Wild cats in the Amazon rainforest have been observed making monkey calls to try and attract prey. For example, a researcher and animal behaviorist on a trip around the Amazon forests ^[1], Fabio Rohe observed a small wild cat (margay) hunting a group of pied tamarin monkeys. Apparently, the margay attempted to mimic the sound of a baby pied tamarin monkeys in an attempt to attract any nearby adults. Rohe also reportedly talked to local people in the area who recalled similar stories of wild felines attempting to mimic prey. Of course, it is a big leap to go from a wild feline hunting monkey to domestic felines stalking a small mouse, but it is definitely an interesting concept to think about.

What don’t we know about cat chattering?

Unfortunately, there is still so much we do not understand about cats chattering. If only our feline friends could actually talk to us and explain! While there are lots of theories out there, as explained above, there is still no definitive answer or reason behind the sounds we see our kitties make.

It could be linked to the moment when your furry friend begins to hunt prey. It could be excitement, it could be frustration, or perhaps it stems from something else that no one has even thought of yet. The unfortunate truth is that further study needs to take place before giving a certain answer.

From Pixabay

FAQs

Why is my cat making chattering noises?

There is no definitive answer behind cats chattering and chirping sounds, although a few theories are out there. Some believe that your cats chatter when they can see prey outside and are excited by it. Others claim that they chatter at the frustration of not being able to get to that prey. Some even say that it’s an attempt to mimic noises from their prey in an attempt to lure them in, while others state that the cats are simply mimicking the bite they would perform on the prey.

Is cat chattering and chirping predatory?

Almost every theory behind cat chattering is linked to the idea of predator and prey, especially in wild felines, but also domestic too. Some argue that cats make the noises when they are excited to see prey outside, while others say they are frustrated at not being able to get to the prey. Some people have even said that the cats are practicing the kill bit they would perform on that prey species while mimicking animal noises to lure them in. Whatever the case, most people agree that cat chattering and chirp are linked to prey and hunting somehow.

What is a cat kill bite?

When cats hunt their prey, they will often kill the animal with a sharp bite down the neck. Cat prey often comes in the form of rodents, birds, or other small animals. This bite is referred to as the ‘kill bite’. Some believe that cat chatters may actually be kitty version of practicing or instinctively doing a kill bite when they see prey out of the window.

Why do cats chirp when they see birds?

Some experts believe that cats chirp when they seen birds because they are either excited by the prospect of prey or frustrated that they cannot reach it. Some also believe that the cats could be practicing their biting or mimicking the bird’s calls.

What does it mean when a cat is trilling?

The cat trilling sound is usually associated with positive emotions and is often more high-pitched than a meow or a chirp. A trill often means hello and is an expression of happiness, often followed by rubbing their head against you.