If you have cats, you know they can be very chatty. Cats are capable of expressing over 100 different vocalizations. The most common are meows, hissing and of course purring. Each sound also has a unique purpose.
When cats communicate with each other, they don’t meow as they do with humans. Meows are meant for humans. Some behaviorists say cats have developed the human meow as they were domesticated and cats have different tones for various requests. The 'feed me' meow and the 'I’m not happy' meow are easily distinguished by the human ear.
The growl, while very different, is considered a modified meow of sorts and is a warning of danger to other animals or a warning that your cat feels threatened and isn’t afraid to do something about it.
Cats hiss when they are in distress, feel threatened, or surprised. When they are injured or stressed you will hear an unmistakable wail of agony.
Purring is the most common cat sound a cat makes as well as the first vocalization your cat will have just moments after they are born. A cat’s purr comes from the inhale and exhale of air through their vocal chords. While cats will purr when they are very sick, it is most often a sign of contentment.
If you are wondering about dogs. Well, according to behaviorists, our canine companions only have about 10 vocalizations.