August 28, 2024, 9:10 am | Read time: 4 minutes
You want to make a quick phone call or talk to your visitor – but the cat keeps interrupting with loud meowing. Does it want attention or just to join in the conversation? PETBOOK editor and cat behavior expert Saskia Schneider explains what’s behind it.
Whenever I’m on a video call with my colleague, I don’t just talk to her but also to her cat, Remo. Because as soon as she starts talking, the cat also starts meowing loudly – especially when emotions are involved. This sometimes makes it seem as if he wants to loudly agree with her when we are talking enthusiastically about a topic or are annoyed about something. “But why does my cat always meow when I’m talking?” my colleague asked me. Does Remo really want to join in the conversation at that moment or does he just want attention? There are actually several reasons for this.
Cat wants attention
One of the main reasons cats meow when you talk is attention. Cats watch us very closely. They know that when we sit and have a relaxed conversation, we theoretically have time and usually react quickly when they meow loudly. The cat is often successful with this behavior. Their human may get up to feed them so that they quiet down. But even if we scold them, this is a form of attention and can confirm the cat’s behavior.
Cat wants to have a say
Some cats are naturally talkative. These include oriental breeds such as Siamese, Oriental Shorthair, and Balinese. They like to express themselves loudly and are said to have real conversations with their humans. This happens even when they are not actually the conversation partner. In addition, cats can mirror our behavior. If they notice that their human suddenly starts talking loudly, some cats start to imitate this.
Cats meow when we talk because they are unsettled
Sometimes, conversations or longer phone calls are unplanned. Or a visitor comes at the weekend and stays late in the evening, which means that evening rituals that are important for the cat are omitted or postponed. This can unsettle some cats, and they express their displeasure by meowing loudly. This is because it is not clear to the cat why the food or play session is suddenly missing, even though its human is obviously on site.
Cats have stress
Our cats notice if we humans are very emotional during a conversation or even involved in an argument. They notice when we are upset or sad. Cries or loud laughter can also cause stress in animals. Some cats react to this by meowing loudly while you are talking. Some animals also try to calm their humans or approach them and “shout” at them until they interrupt their conversation. This is also often a learned behavior.
How do I stop my cat from meowing when I’m talking?
If cats meow while we are talking, this usually happens because we have unconsciously encouraged and reinforced the behavior. Although most people don’t really feel disturbed by this, there are situations in which you don’t need a cat meowing loudly in the background – such as during important business meetings during a video conference.
However, if you want to prevent the cat from constantly adding its “meow” when talking, the first thing to do is to find out where the behavior is coming from. Does the cat only join in when the conversation is very emotional? Does it seem stressed? Or does it generally like to meow a lot?
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Fulfilling needs
There is often a desire behind the cat’s behavior, either for attention, food, or play. These needs should be met several times a day at fixed times so that the cat doesn’t have to demand them when it thinks it’s a good opportunity. For example, when your human is sitting on the sofa or office chair and is “just” talking into a device.
To avoid always reinforcing the behavior, you can get ahead of your cat. For example, grab a few treats and throw them around as soon as you start a phone call or conversation. This alone can help to break behavior patterns and change the cat’s mind.
On the other hand, if you have a cat that likes to meow a lot anyway, you have to live with the fact that it will do so to a certain extent when you are trying to have a conversation. But there is a trick here, too: breeds that like to talk a lot usually also have a pronounced play instinct. So, grab a play rod and start a little play session while you’re talking. With a bit of practice, this even works during a video conference.