Does your cat do this?

[MickeyMonstersMom]

Danka is a gorgeous 4 year old torti that we adopted from the local SPCA 3 years ago. She's somewhat aloof like tortoiseshells can be, but also very laid back and almost regal - except for this one thing: she sits in the windows and makes these noises at birds outside. Some family members think she sounds like a dolphin, while others say the noise is more like a squirrel. At any rate, it's really hilarious. I don't know her history before she ended up at the SPCA, but we keep her inside and I wonder if she's just communing with nature or threatening the local wildlife! Anyone else have a cat that does this? Any guesses as to what she's really doing?

 

[storzo]

My mother's cat used to do that. The first time it happened we thought she was having some kind of attack, then it just became funny. I like to think she was a tough girl and was talking smack...stay outta my yard, I'll get you, etc, etc.

 

[angel_bright05]

Our cat does that as well. He does it at the birds outside and also if there's a fly/bug on the wall or ceiling that he can't get at!

 

[MinnieMe2]

Does her chin go up and down while she's doing this? I think this is called chuffing, and it's very normal. She may get a bit drooly, too. It's a cat thing .....

 

[sugarpie]

My cat does the same thing. I thought she was just enjoying watching the birds, but then I saw her face. She had a big snarl on her face, and she was not happy. She wants at those birds.

 

[Cantw8]

mine does the same thing it's funny to watch her mouth while she does it. I also used to have a cat that would sit on the back of the couch and make that sound whenever we were shooting darts

 

[Rachie0507]

My cat does that too. It reminds me of chirping, like she is trying to trick the birds into thinking that she is one of them

 

[eclectics]

One of mine makes a clicking, clacking kind of sound, mixed with a sort of chirp. Very funny! I had another cat years ago that did it also. Not every cat does it though.

 

[mickeyboat]

My cat chirps at the birds and bugs, too. One night we heard him chirping, and realized he was chirping at a bat flying around the house. Ewwwww!

Denae

 

[pearlieq]

That's completely normal. It's part of their hunting instinct.

Mine were doing it this morning when a flock of birds stopped by in our yard.

 

[SplshMtn99]

Splash is 18 & used to do that for years. Now that I think about it, she stopped just about the time she lost her hearing. I miss her doing that.

BTW, she's also a torti.

 

[swanmom]

Yep...........our calico does this. In fact, not only does she do this when she sees the birds outside or when the local feral cats visit the back door. Even better, when I wave a laser pointer dot around the floor, she clicks and clacks like Flipper.

 

[Sherri]

Danka is a gorgeous 4 year old torti that we adopted from the local SPCA 3 years ago. She's somewhat aloof like tortoiseshells can be, but also very laid back and almost regal - except for this one thing: she sits in the windows and makes these noises at birds outside. Some family members think she sounds like a dolphin, while others say the noise is more like a squirrel. At any rate, it's really hilarious. I don't know her history before she ended up at the SPCA, but we keep her inside and I wonder if she's just communing with nature or threatening the local wildlife! Anyone else have a cat that does this? Any guesses as to what she's really doing?

Two of my three cats do exactly what you described. My husband jokes that they are looking at their dinner. I say they are talking to their friends. I just love when they do that.

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

Mine sits at the window and will try to catch the birds through the window.. jumping at the window etc. We say she's playing "Virtual Bird Hunt".

 

[CheshireVal]

Out tortie (in my sig) does this too. She makes this weird squeaking noise that I've never heard any other cat do. She will sometimes even do it to us if we play "peek a boo" with her around corners or doors.

We have a siamese who is pretty chatty in a siamese kind of way, but he doesn't chirp like Chloe does!!

 

[jx3smom]

One of mine does the other doesn't. I read somewhere that they are exercising their jaw, getting ready to pounce on their prey.

 

[Kelly1Mickey]

Our cats do that too, and their jaw sort of quivers when she does it!

 

[JKanownik]

Our tortie does the same thing! The first time we heard it, DH and I couldn't stop laughing.

 

[Laura]

My younger cat, Mika, does this loud vibrato/twittering meow when talking to birds. I've had one other cat do this. It's pretty funny, like they're calling the birds to them. But Mika strictly lives indoors, so there will be no carnage.

Both cats also "chirp" when they talk to us--my older cat Tucha mostly does this (she hardly ever meows, she just chirps), but Mika picked it up too. That sounds like a pigeon's coo, or a person rolling an r like they're asking a question. "Rrrrrr?"

 

[NotUrsula]

Maine Coons are especially well-known for this; the books tend to call it "that delightful chirping sound."

Personally I find it kind of creepy -- it makes me think of a death rattle. My cats have been definitely out for blood any time they did it. Any time I hear that sound I know that the chore of dealing with a birdie corpse is somewhere in my near future if I'm not very careful to keep him in the house.