Cats that can't meow?

[Newyork]

My friend has three cats that were "abandoned" by the mother when they were two weeks old. They took care of them and raised them from that young age and now they're like three or four months old. They can't meow. Instead they make this really weird cooing noise, sort of like a pigeon. It's the weirdest thing i've ever heard. Do mother cats have to teach kittens how to meow?

 

[Fingolfin]

Well, my new kittens started meowing right after birth pretty much, and they are born blind and deaf for the first while, so... don't know why those ones wouldn't.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Some breeds of cat are known for having voices distinct or peculiar in one way or another. And with your average mixed-breed stray, the kittens could have inherited pretty much anything.

My family had a tabby male for a few years that COULD meow, but usually preferred to make what we called "monkey noises" (especially when he was feeling rowdy and about to misbehave). They sounded more like "mmmMMMM?"

One of the current cats tends to just grunt or go "mrrr" instead of the stereotypical open-mouthed meow. She also chirps at birds and squirrels outside the window sometimes.

People don't all sound the same, so I guess cats don't either.

 

[arachnocat]

Do they happen to be calico kitties? Every calico cat I've ever met only made little squeeks. I've never seen a loud calico.
I have a black and white cat that talks constantly. He's super loud. My orange kitty has a little scratchy voice you can barely hear. His mum was a calico so I don't know if that has anything to do with it. His brother (also orange) has the same voice

 

[jellybean]

my kitten makes cooing noises aswell, she stares at everyting that damngles nad makes that noise as if shes trying to call it over to her, her chin wobbles when shes doing it. she was making crazy noises that sounded like a chicken the other day aswell. also she doesnt meow, she mews. we call her mew mew instead of daisy most of the time, yep she has alot of rather odd non feline noises. i swear she said 'ninny' the other day at me.lol

 

[blazetown]

Some breeds of cat are known for having voices distinct or peculiar in one way or another. And with your average mixed-breed stray, the kittens could have inherited pretty much anything.

My family had a tabby male for a few years that COULD meow, but usually preferred to make what we called "monkey noises" (especially when he was feeling rowdy and about to misbehave). They sounded more like "mmmMMMM?"

One of the current cats tends to just grunt or go "mrrr" instead of the stereotypical open-mouthed meow. She also chirps at birds and squirrels outside the window sometimes.

People don't all sound the same, so I guess cats don't either.

Lol your 100% right. My cat is part Maine Coon and that is one of the breeds that makes alot of ridiculous bird like noises. Yeah a revving engine mixed with a yummy noise just before the cat takes off to destroy something.

 

[blazetown]

Does anyone else's cat make the "mmmm" noise when acknowledging a person or other animal? Mine will do that and nod at you as if saying" what up?" or something.....maybe he gets too much second hand smoke.

 

[Strix]

My cats do both... if it is just petting or normal activity they will meow at me. If they see something they want to play with they will begin chattering like a squirrel.

 

[Boanerges]

This thread is interesting! My mom has two cats, one purrs and the other one is super mean and just growls and hisses all the time. My mom had both since babies and they are both inside cats the one is just a bad egg (as my little one says-lol)

 

[arachnocat]

My cat makes all kinds of noises. He makes a noise when he's concerned about something that sounds like "ohhh...." and when I show him other kitties out the window he it sounds like he's saying "awww". lol.
My favorite though is when I'm talking to him sometimes and he stares at me for a second and says "Hah! Mow!" Cracks me up every time.

 

[Neuroticax]

Do they happen to be calico kitties? Every calico cat I've ever met only made little squeeks. I've never seen a loud calico.

I used to own a female Calico, she meowed just fine. :?

 

[mouse]

a neighbor i had a few years back had a cat that didn't meow. she said she had to keep it inside since it was mute. she never had it confirmed, but the cat never made any noise.

 

[OldHag]

We have a cat that will open her mouth like she is meowing.. but nothing comes out. If she does happen to get a meow out it sounds like "BEEP" (not a swear word.. an actual beep)

 

[Newyork]

The kittens parentage is obviously unknown. One looks like a calico, one looks like a long haired tabby, and one looks like a siamese. Weirdest litter (well actually no . . . the last group they had were supossivly from the same litter and there was a bald cat, a persian looking thing, a normal tabby, and a siamese looking thing) The siamese and the tabby "talk" the most and the calico doesn't talk at all. Really weird.