What is it about?
We found that cats meow more when expecting food than when playing. They also look at their humans while meowing, suggesting they use both voice and eye contact to get attention. This shows that cats adjust how they communicate based on their needs.
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Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash
Why is it important?
We identify how domestic cats adjust their vocal behaviour depending on the motivational context—meowing more for food than play. This is important for understanding cat–human communication and welfare. Two significant findings are that: a) cats combine vocal and visual signals, such as meowing while gazing at humans, to potentially enhance communication, and b) the frequency of meows changes depending on the type of desired stimulus, revealing flexibility and goal-directed behaviour in everyday situations.
Perspectives
Writing this article was especially meaningful to me because it brought together my passion for understanding cat behaviour with my commitment to improving cat-human relationships. I hope this paper encourages people to listen more closely to what their cats are trying to say in their own unique way. If it inspires even a few readers to interact more attentively and empathetically with their cats, I’ll consider that a real success.
Naila Fukimoto
Universidade de Sao Paulo Campus da Capital
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Vocal signals produced by the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) in highly motivating contexts., Journal of Comparative Psychology, April 2025, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/com0000418.
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