What is Cat Chatter?

Cats are quite vocal, and each noise they make serves a specific purpose in communication. While most cat sounds, like meows and hisses, have clear meanings, the softer chattering noise that cats sometimes make—especially when spotting prey—remains a mystery. According to cat behaviorist Mikel Delgado, these sounds are not directed at humans or other animals. As he explains, “It’s very hard to say what exactly is going on, but it doesn’t appear to be communicating to us or to other animals.”

The challenge in studying this particular behavior arises from the independent nature of cats, making them difficult subjects for laboratory research. While there are currently no studies that examine cat chattering directly, a few hypotheses have been proposed by both researchers and cat parents.

One theory suggests that this chattering could stem from frustration. As Delgado notes, cats might see their prey but be unable to reach it due to some barrier. This vocalization could be an expression of annoyance or even excitement, similar to how humans might grumble when they are irritated. Delgado points out that “It doesn’t necessarily have to be a negative experience,” highlighting that these sounds could simply reflect a specific feline emotion. However, he also emphasizes the difficulty in verifying this hypothesis scientifically, suggesting that understanding the context and emotional response behind the behavior would require complex experiments, including the measurement of physiological stress markers.

Another intriguing idea is that this chattering might serve a sensory function. Jonathan Losos, an evolutionary biologist, suggests that cats could be using this behavior to enhance their sense of smell. He explains that by opening and closing their mouths, cats might direct airflow toward the vomeronasal organ, also known as Jacobson’s organ, located on the roof of their mouths. This organ acts like a second nose, allowing cats to detect certain chemicals in their environment. While this theory is compelling, Losos also acknowledges the challenges in designing studies to test it thoroughly.

A more scientifically grounded explanation involves the concept of mimicking. Losos references observations of a margay, a small wild cat, which was reported to make calls similar to those of small monkeys when attempting to hunt them. This behavior suggests that some predators might imitate the sounds of their prey to attract them. In the case of domestic cats, their chattering can resemble the chirping of small birds—common prey for them—indicating that they could be trying to lure their target.

Despite these insights, the phenomenon of mimicking remains poorly documented within the broader cat family. Losos highlights the importance of studying wildcats, including the North African wildcat, the ancestor of domestic cats, to better understand whether certain behaviors are inherited or developed through domestication.

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