Why does a cat cry?
By Shavkat
@Shavkat (139815)
Philippines
November 24, 2012 7:17am CST
Last night, the cat of our neighbour is crying. I must say, it was so loud. What makes them do this? There is a belief of elders that if a cat's cry, it is a sign of danger in the circle of the family. Some might think of, death in close family members. Do you believe on this?
4 people like this
28 responses
@rsa101 (38148)
• Philippines
24 Nov 12
I do not know but I think when a cat does that it is when they are in heat and there is a male cat around trying to make advances on the female cat. The mating of cats are so elaborate that they seem to make these weird sound and while doing it the male and female cat seem to be at war and in the end the she cat would give in. They have lots of meowing and scratching each other.
I know about the dogs crying or howling is the one that signals bad omen. They say that there is either a bad spirit prowling around the vicinity. But from what I know these howlings are just signs that the dog is also in heat as well.
1 person likes this
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
25 Nov 12
Well, it doesn't always mean a bad omen. We have had dogs that will howl in their sleep. Our rottie was one to howl in his sleep. I had a cat that would know when the rottie was going to howl. Just before he howled her hair would start standing on end starting at the top of her head. By the time the hair on her tail was standing on end, the rottie was in full howl!
It was funny one night, we were staying in a motel and watching a television program with sirens going on it. The rottie started to howl from the sirens. We tried to shoosh him quickly before he startled someone, but it didn't work. His howl scared the people in the next room out of their wits. It was even funnier when the next morning we had left the door open and he wandered out of our room and went next door to the room where he had scared the people. He was such a loveable character that the neighbors fell in love with him (as soon as I chased him down and introduced him to the neighbors). We had more laughs over his "singing" in his sleep!
@flapiz (23148)
• United Kingdom
25 Jan 13
When cats are in the mating mode they tend to be very noisy. It sounds like crying but it's more like moaning. 
I do not believe in that superstition. That's kinda too brutal.
I do not believe in that superstition. That's kinda too brutal. 
@CookingIsMyPassion (653)
• United States
24 Nov 12
Lots of cats cry loudly or even screech at night. That seems to be the best time for them to mate. It could be the cat is in heat or smells one that is and is calling out to the other animal.
A cat will cry out if they are in danger or being hurt. And they also do that when they are fighting with another cat or uninvited animal on or near them or their territory.
@else22 (4317)
• India
24 Nov 12
Here also the cry of a cat is considered inauspicious.In nearby villages,if a cat cries in any house,people think someone in that family is going to die soon.A black cat crying is considered even more inauspicious.
I don't know for sure whether it is auspicious or inauspicious,but I know that the behavior of animals may be a prediction of what is about to happen in near future.Animals live in contact with the nature and so they have a sixth sense.Animals show a different kind of behavior when a natural calamity is going to take place.
@else22 (4317)
• India
29 Nov 12
You must have read or heard that the behavior of animals and birds changes when an earthquake or solar eclipse is going to take place.Animals and birds remain in close contact of the nature.They have a sixth sense that tells them about future so that they may be able to fend for themselves when the calamity happens.
@missjahn (4574)
• Philippines
24 Nov 12
never heard of a supertitious belief like that in my entire life until now as i read this discussion of yours about why a certain cat is crying. cats are like any creature. they have feelings as well and so like the rest. they make sounds with a meow depending on what they wanted to express and it can be notified by a human if they are hungry, want to have a mate with their opposite gender and so on. its their form of language so to call it.
1 person likes this
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
25 Nov 12
A cat cry means that they are in heat or mating. Sometimes, it's also a sign of cats announcing their territory. I know it's unnerving to hear them howl in the middle of the night. But it's in their nature. My cat Purr, who is a male, usually does that but not often. It's just when he senses that there is another female cat in the neighborhood or another tom cat is trying to invade his territory. Other than that, he sleeps most of the time.
.
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
24 Nov 12
i thought it meant the cat is looking for companionship, food, or it wants inside the house.
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
24 Nov 12
I am not a superstitious person. And whenever I hear a cat making such noise, I just assume that it must be giving birth.
@asliah (11137)
• Philippines
20 Jan 13
hi,
i could say that i don't believe in that elders belief about the crying of cat will bring danger in the circle of the family because here in the compound where i lived my neighbor had a cat and it always cry out loud very often at night but still their family are happy and good.
@Mavic123456 (21893)
• Thailand
25 Nov 12
Are you it was a cry not a mating cry? Cats mate at night so maybe they were just mating. In the Philippines, we are more particular with the dog howling. they say animals can see extraordinary beings that we humans can see. They have this special feel or exra sensory thing.
@Elenakat13 (425)
• United States
25 Nov 12
The only reason I know why a cat cries is when she is in heat cause it is quite painful for the female
The male comes from behind and bites the female in the neck to keep her in the position.
Once he enters himself inside the female tiny sporns from his male organ drive out so that the female don't has a chance to free her self the rest happends very fast
@ladygator (3465)
• United States
24 Nov 12
Hi Shavkat,
I have not heard of this theory at all. I guess it could be true. I always pay some attention to the animals because they do everything based on natural instinct. They gather this solely on signs and things that they pick up from their senses. I hope that it doesnt mean that anything bad will happen. Have you ever noticed any incidents that would back this up?
@jugsjugs (12967)
•
24 Nov 12
I feel that there are many reasons why a cat would be crying, first reason could have been doing is calling for a mate, as in a mating call, as they do that if they smell another cat, another reason is, it could have been fighting with another cat and the worst of all reasons, is that it is hurt, hungry or ill.
@RobtheRock (2433)
• United States
24 Nov 12
I've never heard of that before. I feed eight wild cats and three kittens live in the apartment with me. Sometimes I hear cat screams at night and that is when the neighborhood black cat comes and bothers the ones outside. Inside, the cats are quiet until sun up.
@eagletrek2 (5499)
• Kingston, New York
24 Nov 12
Hi it possible, but this is what
I think cats are very smart
they rally know us humans
And they know what we do not
like.so I think they make
the crying sound to anyos us
Humans.
@chellakutty (69)
• India
24 Nov 12
no its a false belief....if it crys then the cat would be in hungry ...so oly the cats cry or else they wont cry...it is my thouht n opinion..wat do u say?
