Why Do Cats Growl? The Meaning Behind This Feline Vocalization

While purring is the most well-known, growling is one of the least understood vocalizations in a cat’s vocal repertoire. But yes, cats do growl. This vocalization is most often associated with stress, fear, aggression, or pain.

When a cat growls, it’s a warning to other animals or humans to back off. However, it’s important to note that if your cat is growling frequently, it could be a sign of a medical issue that needs to be addressed by a vet.

Through a deep dive into animal behavior, veterinary science, and feline psychology, we can better understand why cats growl. In this review of these interdisciplinary fields, we’ll explore the many causes of cat growling, from dominance to pain. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of where growling fits into the complex world of cat communication and what it can tell us about the health of our cats.

What Does It Mean When a Cat Growls?

Cats growl in response to territorial threats or when they feel threatened. PetMD notes that growling is a way for cats to communicate their need for space and is often a sign of fear, aggression, or protectiveness.

Growling can also indicate that a cat is in pain, and it is often associated with conditions like arthritis, dental disease, and urinary tract infections. Because of this, it’s important to understand the context in which a cat is growling, especially since changes in a cat’s growling patterns can be a sign of an underlying health condition that requires veterinary care.

One study published in veterinary journals found that a cat’s vocalizations, including growling, can change in response to pain or illness. To help cat owners and veterinarians better understand when a cat’s growling is due to pain, the Feline Grimace Scale and the resources offered by the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management can be used.

In these cases, the cat’s body language can also be a helpful indicator. When a cat growls due to pain, it will often be accompanied by body language that includes a hunched posture, dilated pupils, and a defensive stance. This way, the cat’s growl can be put into context, and the owner can better understand what the cat is communicating.

This is why it’s important for cat owners to understand these body language cues so that they can better meet their pets’ needs.

Social Implications of a Cat’s Growl

In addition to being a sound, growling is a form of communication that has a direct impact on a cat’s social life. According to a study in PMC, free-ranging cats display a range of social behaviors from strong social bonds to weak social bonds, and they growl during territorial disputes or in response to threats, which has a direct impact on social hierarchies.

When a cat growls, it may be trying to communicate a need for space or a claim to territory, which is important for cats to do to establish and maintain social order.

Growling also has implications for the relationship between cats and humans. According to Psychology Today, growling can lead to increased stress and avoidance, which can impact the mental health of both the cat and the cat’s owner.

However, when cat owners understand growling, they can help create a more peaceful relationship with their pets. For example, if a cat growls at a human, it may be a sign that the cat is feeling uncomfortable or threatened, and the growl may be a way of communicating that the cat needs some space.

Pet experts recommend that cat owners listen to these vocalizations and respond in a non-threatening way. Cat owners can help reduce a cat’s growling by creating a low-stress environment and learning to recognize when the cat needs some space.

In this way, cat owners can help create a peaceful environment and help shape a cat’s social life. Recognizing growling as a complex form of communication is important for creating a strong, respectful bond between cats and their human family members.

What the Growl? How Cats and Dogs Communicate

While growling is often thought of as a sign of aggression, it is a complex form of communication with some important differences between cats and dogs. In dogs, growling can be a sign of play, territoriality, or stress, while in cats, it is usually a sign of annoyance or fear.

The evolutionary history of each species, and how it has impacted their communication, is detailed on Wikipedia. Dogs, who are pack animals, may use growls during play to maintain social bonds, while cats, who are more solitary, use growls to more clearly define their boundaries.

In homes with both cats and dogs, this can lead to a situation where a dog may misinterpret a cat’s growl as an invitation to play, which can lead to a fight.

This is where products like Door Buddy come in, and it’s important for pet owners to understand the signals their pets are giving off so they can intervene and manage their pets’ interactions in a healthy way.

By understanding that a cat’s growl is a clear stop sign and a dog’s growl can mean a number of things, pet owners can make sure that their pets live together in peace. Looking at the acoustic structure and production of growls gives us even more insight into the complex world of our pets’ communication.

The Physiology of a Cat’s Growl

Growling is more than just a sound; it is the result of a combination of a cat’s physiological and anatomical features. According to a study published in the PMC, the source-filter theory suggests that the sound is produced by the respiratory airstream in the lungs as it moves through the larynx, which houses the vocal folds, and is then altered by the supra-laryngeal vocal tract.

This system is quite complex and enables cats to produce a wide variety of sounds, including growls.

The brain also has a lot to do with vocalizations. A study published in ScienceDirect found that the caudal periaqueductal gray (PAG) is a region that is especially involved in the initiation of vocalizations.

Different parts of the PAG can be stimulated to produce different vocalizations, such as mews, cries, and growls. Microstimulation studies have shown that specific parts of the PAG are responsible for the emotional aspects of these vocalizations, whether they are positive or negative.

The loudness and pitch of a growl can change and are indicative of a cat’s emotional state, which can range from mild annoyance to extreme aggression. Research into this phenomenon has shown that the differences in the sounds of growls are evidence of the complex communicative role that growls play in cats, according to a study published in the PMC.

For cat owners, this means that learning to recognize these sounds can help them better understand their pets’ moods and needs, which can help them better care for and interact with their cats.

How to Help Your Cat Through Growling: A Cat Parent’s Guide

Dealing with a growling cat can be tough, but it’s important to remember that understanding and patience are key. Paw CBD suggests giving your cat space and not trying to pet them, as this can often be stressful in the moment.

Instead, watch and try to figure out what’s causing the stress. You can then work to remove these stressors from your cat’s environment. By doing this, you can help your cat feel more at ease and reduce the chance of growling due to stress.

Veterinary care is important if your cat’s growling doesn’t seem to go away or if it’s accompanied by other symptoms. Rover explains that things like dental disease or arthritis could be causing your cat to feel uncomfortable, and a vet can help.

It’s important to know the difference between a growl that’s a cause for concern and one that’s not. Cats.com explains that if your cat’s growling increases suddenly or if it’s accompanied by other symptoms, it’s time to take them to the vet.

By listening to your cat’s vocalizations and making sure you’re taking care of their needs—both in terms of their environment and their health—you can create a supportive environment and help them be a happy and communicative pet.

Decoding the Cat Growl: Concluding Thoughts

As we have explored the topic of cat vocalizations, we have seen that the cat growl is a versatile form of communication. Our discussions have shown that growls are a complex form of communication that can be used to express everything from discomfort and fear to social interactions.

The study from PMC has shown that the context in which the growls are made is important and that growls are not just a sign of aggression but can also be a sign of health issues.

This understanding of the cat growl is important to the health and well-being of our cats. It is important that cat owners are able to understand and respond to their cats’ needs, and that they understand that each growl is a form of communication that needs to be addressed. This is especially important when we consider that cats are social animals and that this social nature can be important in multi-cat and multi-pet households.

In conclusion, we recognize the complexity of cat behavior and the importance of cat owners in providing a healthy and supportive environment. Further study and understanding of cat behavior can help to strengthen the bond between cats and their owners, leading to better understanding and a more fulfilling relationship with these mysterious animals.