What Does a Silent Meow Mean – Cats Meow But No Sound
There are many different reasons why cat owners are simply going to love their pet cats. With that being said, it is no big secret that one of the more common reasons is going to be because of their meowing. But what about when your cat’s meowing is actually silent? If this is the case, it more than likely will only make you feel that your cat is even more cute and endearing. But why is it exactly that your cat has a silent meow?
Is Their Meow Really Silent?
Whenever your cat meows, there is a good chance that you will be unable to hear it, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that their meow is a silent one. In fact, most other felines and even some other breeds such as dogs will actually be able to hear your cat meowing. Cats actually have a very highly developed hearing that is able to hear anywhere between 50 and 60 kilohertz.
Now compare this to humans who can only hear between about 18 and 20 kilohertz at the very most. This is one of the reasons why your cat’s meow may seem as though it is a silent one to you, but in all reality, it is actually not silent at all. These are the meows that are going to be very audible to other animals and cats as well.
What Does a Silent Meow Mean?
Whenever your cat is making silent meows, it can mean that they are trying to tell you a number of different things. For example:
They want your attention
The majority of the time, whenever your cat is making silent meows, it is their way of letting you know that they are ready for you to give them some attention. Maybe you’ve been really busy and haven’t been able to give them as much attention as they need, or you have simply been ignoring them for a while. No matter what the reason is, your cat is ready for you to give them some affection along with petting them. In fact, silent meows can actually be your cat’s way of demanding you to start giving them some attention.
They are hungry or thirsty
Whenever your cat is either thirsty or hungry, they can use their silent meows to let you know. Since your cat does not speak any type of human language to tell you exactly what they need, these subtle verbal clues can be their way of trying to communicate with you. Often times your cat is going to be just like you too. They may want a little snack from their favorite brand of tuna, very similar to how there are times that you want to get into your favorite bag of potato chips.
They want to go out
If your cat is inside and wants to go outside, silent meows can be them requesting that they are allowed to do just that, go outside. This is going to be even more true if you have a cat that prefers to spend a good portion of their day being outside, possibly in the garden or the backyard.
They are excited to see you
When you compare cats to dogs, cats are not going to be anywhere near as expressive when it comes to using their vocals. On top of that, it’s going to be a part of their personality as well. So whenever you get a silent meow from your cat after getting back from a long day at work or a nice vacation, it’s simply going to be your cat’s way of welcoming you back and letting you know how excited that they are to have you back. If this is the case, your cat’s silent meow is simply going to be a nice, friendly greeting.
Your cat is sleepy
After a busy day of working, your cat is more than likely going to be very tired and be looking forwards to a nice, quiet sleep. If the environment around them is a little noisy for them, a silent meow can be their way of letting you know that they would appreciate you lowering your voice, allowing them to relax and have a nice, peaceful nap.
And if you feel that your cat has just woken up from one of their naps, you need to keep in mind that cats are simply lay animals and are going to prefer to have much more sleep than you do. With that being said, be sure that you are not judging your cat and comparing them to the human sleeping standards, as they are naturally wired to have more frequent naps throughout the day. So, when you do hear your cat silent meowing when they are trying to take a nap, try your best to lower the noise levels around them.
Whenever there is something wrong with them
One of the main reasons that your cat is going to silent meow is because they have something wrong with them and are trying to let you know that. While it can range anywhere from a skin infection to a bad stomach ache that is bothering them, your cat is looking at you to give them the help that they require. If this is the case and there is something wrong with your cat, their silent meow is ultimately going to be their plea for some help.
Deciphering Your Cat’s Silent Meow
When you see that your cat is silent meowing, how are you supposed to know exactly what is wrong with them and what you can do to fix it? Whenever your cat silent meows, think of a baby crying. While you do not really know why they are crying, what you do want to do is try a number of different things until you find one that works. Cats are the same exact way. Simply try different ways to fix what you think the problem may be until you find what works. If you are unable to find what works, then taking them to the veterinarian may be the best course of action.
