Feral cat question

[KT2000]

It has been my experience that feral cats do not meow, at least to people. Does anyone know if that ever changes, say if the cat has been taken in and taken care of by someone?

[WhiteTara]

1. Our feral rescue cat can meow but he can't purr

He really wants to and tries to make a little noise, but just can't quite muster the sounds.

[The Wielding Truth]

8. Some have little voices and will only make little sounds

unless it's dire then there will be some noise. It may take some time to have a feral cat trust you enough to feel comfortable enough to talk a lot. If you are extremely kind and you don't mind the occasional bite or scratch, in most cases, it will get to know you and come around to be a beautiful loving cat.

[KT2000]

12. Thank you -

Years ago I sheltered two feral kittens in the garage over a winter. The sister was gray and the brother was brown. Someone left the door open and the brown one disappeared. The gray one still comes for food occasionally. After years, the brown one showed up today - quite well fed but when he meowed at me with a little voice, I assumed it could not be him. So - thank you for the information.

[Lithos]

10. Interesting

Our formerly feral cats purr quite easily - it's a natural cat function. They do not vocalize unless they are in a stressful situation.

Typically the pleasant "meow" is only learned by a cat when they are in human proximity and less than 10 weeks of age. As they get older, they have fixed their repertoire - usually limited to growls, hisses and other guttural sounds.

L-

[WhiteTara]

18. I think he was a dump cat.

He lived in the forest behind our house for several months and only came to the house when winter came. He almost froze to death, but let me pick him up (he retracted his claws) and bring into the basement. He talks to me and lets me know when he wants out, when his food bowl is empty and when his cat box is nasty.

He and our other cat are very close and take care of each other. Picasso (an early baby kitty dump cat) is a complete purr motor kitty and Picabo would like to be like him, but his little voice is so tiny as to be almost unheard. He doesn't like to be picked up (I think he was tortured) but we are getting there, because I think that is what cat work is...to be be picked up and petted for extended periods of time.

[Lithos]

20. That would explain it

We have a couple of Dump cats as well - one who even broke into our house to join our colony. Total sweet hearts. I pity those who missed out on such great love.

L-

[WhiteTara]

21. I do too. Our area is a prime dump site

for stray animals. I feel so sorry for the animals that are left to die in terrible ways.

[bettyellen]

2. They're highly individual creatures. Don't feed it for 12 hours and I bet it will.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. My feral cats, that decided to stick around for food and neutering, all meow.

[fleur-de-lisa]

22. I have 7 living on my property . . .

several of them let me pet them and pick them up. The more socialized cats all meow at humans. The ones that are still kind of shy around humans are silent.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. It can. Cats in the "wild" rarely make noises-- they save that for us...

and if taken in, they can get vocal.

I have one I found living in my garage years ago, and she has become VERY vocal.

[grantcart]

5. I understand that meowing is something cats only do for human attention, it isn't natural among cats

I would guess that the degree of "meowing" you would hear is tied to the degree of domestication that the feral cat undergoes. Some feral cats that are taken in become very domesticated and others just kind of treat their "home" like a Motel 6.

[Lunabell]

6. I feed dozens of ferals.

They meow at me any time I feed and water them. Especially the tortie.

[The Wielding Truth]

7. Yes, they can jibber away at you if they haven't seen you in a while or if they are

hungry. Or if they just like the way you say certain things.

[japple]

9. Mother cats will talk to their kittens--chirps and prrrtts, esp. when they bring food

to the nest. They also use those and other vocal sounds when they are teaching their young. My former ferals are very vocal, esp. when they want to be fed or let out on the porch.

[femmedem]

11. I have a former feral who still doesn't meow but who does purr.

She was definitely feral, not a stray, but I had been feeding her since she was a wild kitten. Day after day, I sat patiently by the food bowl until she would get hungry enough to eat even though I was there. When she was about six months old I was able to pick her up and bring her inside, then make an appointment to get her spayed.

The funny thing is, she purred from the very first time I pet her.

The feral mama cat who is with her kittens in my bathroom purred when her kittens nursed (they're weaned now) and her kittens meow sometimes, but overall they are quiet.

I'm surprised to hear so many people saying that their former ferals are noisy. I wonder if they were all truly feral, or if some had been someone's pet at some point, then reverted to being wild.

[Phoenix61]

13. I trapped my feral when he was 6 months old

Initially as part of a TNR program. Realease ended up being in my house. It's been about 3 years and he just started to meow at me about 6 months ago. As I write this he is curled up in my lap head butting me to pet him.

[KT2000]

14. Is it a little meow

or a normal cat meow?

[Phoenix61]

15. It's a teeny, tiny meow

I'm curious if it will get bigger over time. He meows more often now. The other day he noticed his best cat buddy, who was on the front porch, wanted in and he meowed to let me know.

[KT2000]

16. I believe a cat I sheltered

as a kitten about 4 years ago returned but when he meowed - a tiny one, I figured it couldn't be him. He looked well taken care of so in light of the info here - I am pretty sure it is him!!

[KT2000]

17. Thank you all

for the good information.

[pansypoo53219]

19. one of my cats never meowed. he sort of rasped. except his 1st trip out to get fixed

at 6 months. A LOUD MEOW. i have indoor cats only. he ever MEOWed again.

[ginnyinWI]

23. I have one of those, too.

He meowed on the trip home from the shelter two years ago, then that was it!

In the morning when I put down his breakfast, he will sometimes emit a little yip. He purrs but it is very quiet and you have to have him on your lap, or quite close, to hear it.

But he's the sweetest ginger boy! He loves everyone and gets along with other cats too.

[pansypoo53219]

24. of course my last male had a very loud male meow, but he was not chatty.

his sister is quieter. weird, his brother(my brother had 1 of the same litter) meowed like my girl. weirder, when they were kitten, my basil was normal sized, his was a double sized monster kitten almost. basil was supposed to grow SMALLER! ended up the same size. sybil is smaller at least. yes. they were the fawltys. really like them. the bitch cat & the lummox.