My New Kitten Doesn't Meow

[Deactivated] on 15/01/2018 - 07:14
Last edited 27/01/2018 - 15:19

Should I be worried? My new kitten is roughly 4 weeks old from the looks of her, she is a rescue kitty. She squirmed and struggled when I first picked her up, but didnt meow. Now she is playing, eating and generally having a good time, but in 3 days I have not heard a single sound from her, which is beginning to worry me. How will I know if she is hurt or stuck somewhere?

Update: Nami is now doing little mews, as taught by my older cat Sanji, mainly at breakfast, they are so cute. Her eyes are fine, and she is in great health. She also regularly does deliberate somersaults, it is adorable. The vet says she is roughly 6-7 weeks old.

Pets

Comments

  • smashed on 15/01/2018 - 07:19

    Confused. Are you a foster carer? Else why would they give a kitten to you at 4 weeks?

    • [Deactivated] on 15/01/2018 - 07:20
      +5

      I took on a little street kitty with no mum. My area is lousy with homeless cats.

  • smashed on 15/01/2018 - 07:22
    +5

    Good for you :)
    A 4 week old kitten will require special care. If you check with local vets they may have other kittens with a mum that it could go to for a while to get milk and learn to be a cat.

    • [Deactivated] on 15/01/2018 - 07:23
      +4

      I have a 2 year old cat, and she is following him wherever he goes. She doesnt like the kitten milk, but chows down on her food then his. She's a scrappy energetic little thing. (She is messing with the big cat right now, hiding behind a small pile of clothes, then pouncing over them and freaking him out, he is a refined gentlecat lol.

  • bobbified on 15/01/2018 - 07:23
    +15

    The batteries might be flat. Replace with some eneloops and try again.

    bobbified on 15/01/2018 - 07:23 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
    • jellykingdom on 15/01/2018 - 11:53
      +1

      No no, he's not dead…he's just restin'!

  • Third_Gear on 15/01/2018 - 07:28
    +12

    A non meowing cat is perfectly normal. Cats only really use meows to interact with humans as when they talk amongst themselves they have their own form of communication.

    My one adult cat actually can't meow and every once in a while just makes an odd squak sound when he wants something. Your kitten will likely learn that mowing gets your attention once the kitty is finished training you.

    • [Deactivated] on 15/01/2018 - 07:30
      +3

      She seems happy enough, its just bizzare, by the way she jumps about and the soundlessness, I entertain the idea she is half rabbit lol.

    • shaybisc on 15/01/2018 - 17:42

      It's probably something mothers teach their kittens- 'this is how you get humans do do stuff for you'- but this one wasn't taught.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/01/2018 - 07:44

    Take said kitty to your nearest aldi. They have an awesome return policy.

  • pantsparty on 15/01/2018 - 09:02
    +2

    Has the cat been to the vet for a checkup? All is well per them?

    • [Deactivated] on 15/01/2018 - 12:20

      She will go to the vet at 6 weeks unless there is a dire need.

  • onetwothreefour on 15/01/2018 - 09:10
    +2

    Wish my cat would stop meowing, especially when I'm trying to sleep!

    • [Deactivated] on 15/01/2018 - 12:20

      My other cat yaks all day, thats why I am disconcerted with its silence, not even a little mew.

  • bottletop on 15/01/2018 - 10:20
    +3

    My younger cat didn't meow until he was 3 or 4 years old. His older "brother" taught him how to meow but even now he doesn't do it much.

  • retiredfeline on 15/01/2018 - 10:29
    +11

    Maybe the cat got its tongue.

    retiredfeline on 15/01/2018 - 10:29 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
    • Kangal on 15/01/2018 - 11:50
      +4

      OP did you try turning it on and off ?

      • retiredfeline on 15/01/2018 - 11:58

        It's too busy turning the OP on. Photos!

  • Quantumcat on 15/01/2018 - 10:45
    +1

    My cat doesn't purr (she just drools when she's super happy) because a dog attacked her when she was a kitten, maybe damaging vocal cords or something. Maybe ask your vet about it when you take your kitten for microchipping, vaccinations etc.

    • [Deactivated] on 15/01/2018 - 10:55
      +1

      I definitely will, just wanted to know if it was something to freak out about or if it could wait til I get her to the vet. She cant have any shots yet, so I am waiting til she is 6 weeks to get everything done in one economical swoop.

      • [Deactivated] on 15/01/2018 - 17:02
        +2

        That photo below is gorgeous.

        A few links

        economical swoop musical Swoop :)

        Two-Hit Wonders. Play those and the original of the second one - it's replete with proper substitute meow sounds!

  • picklewizard on 15/01/2018 - 11:25
    +4

    Kittens can take a while before they get chatty.

    Meowing at humans isn't actually default cat behaviour - it's learned! That means the kitten doesn't know that you'll respond to meows, but it will quickly learn when you start fawning over her when she does! Apparently, every cat just kinda figures this out for themselves. Talking to her will help!

    Four weeks old is very very young too, which might also mean she'll be quiet. Can we get a photo? :)

    • [Deactivated] on 15/01/2018 - 12:10
      +17

      Introducing Nami (the tuxedo kitty) and Sanji (the tabby) https://imgur.com/a/8qyeO

      • retiredfeline on 15/01/2018 - 12:24
        +2

        Awww ♥♥♥

      • blawler05 on 16/01/2018 - 08:00
        +4

        That kitty looks older than 4 weeks. More likely 6 or 8. She no longer has the blue eyes.

        With regards to Meow. That isnt natural behaviour. As she is a street kitty. She wont meow. But will learn as she gets older..

        This is some of mine at 4 weeks. Notice the blue. But has already started to change.

        http://i.imgur.com/OkbSKHC.jpg
        http://i.imgur.com/mxjBYAM.jpg

        • [Deactivated] on 16/01/2018 - 10:56

          super kawaii!

      • Speckled Jim on 16/01/2018 - 11:16

        Staying on the eyes — and I'm not a vet — but is it just that photo or are her irises unevenly sized?

        Her right/our left is notably larger. One for the vet?

  • Gronk on 15/01/2018 - 11:54
    +3

    We got one at around 8 weeks old in December and at the time all she could muster was a tiny squeak, so it might just take another few weeks.

    Enjoy having a tiny kitten while you can, she'll be full grown before you know it :)

    • [Deactivated] on 15/01/2018 - 12:19

      We are loving it, she is so full of beans and lacking in fear. Sanji is not impressed at all as you can see in the photo above, but she sticks by his side anyways.

      • Gronk on 15/01/2018 - 12:39
        +1

        I know the feeling, it's been an overwhelmingly positive experience.

  • John Kimble on 15/01/2018 - 12:05

    Nobody likes a noisy pussycat anyway.

  • jimhy71 on 15/01/2018 - 19:23
    +1

    Our cat is nearly three years old and has never meowed.
    If you do a search on EBay you will get 4,972 hits for cats meow, so just buy one for it.

  • BigBirdy on 16/01/2018 - 08:40
    +2

    Our male adult cat never meowed, then we got a female kitten that was a constant meower. A few months of kitty meowing, and the adult started. Now we get lonely meow, hungry meow, want to come in meow, want to show me something meow, etc

  • chuderino on 16/01/2018 - 09:30
    +2

    Firstly, you are a good human being, well done. I wouldn't worry if it is moving around ok, eating and playing.
    Any doubts just call your local vet and they can guide you in the right direction.

  • the Unforgiven on 16/01/2018 - 11:52
    +1

    don't worry about her not meowing, she will start meowing in her own time. when mine started meowing they were nearly a year old, now they don't stop, so enjoy the silence while it lasts

  • shaybisc on 16/01/2018 - 12:09
    +1

    "Most domestic cats are allowed to roam and hunt prey, according to Sydney University biology professor Chris Dickman, who has spent 25 years studying feline hunting habits. In a paper on the predatory habits of cats that populate Sydney's eastern suburbs, he cited three previous surveys carried out in different locations that revealed 50 to 80 per cent hunted live prey. The pets only brought home between one third and one half of the creatures they captured or killed, so many owners would be none the wiser.

    The 62 hunting cats Dickman and his colleagues studied in Sydney's east all lived within half a kilometre of a park. Between them, they gifted their owners with 667 items of prey over periods ranging from seven to 13 months. Birds were the favourite, including the superb fairywren, eastern yellow robin and rainbow lorikeet. Lizards, including native skinks, were the next most popular diet item, followed by black rats. One cat brought back three ring-tail possums and another six frogs."

    http://www.smh.com.au/good-weekend/menace-in-the-suburbs-201…

    • [Deactivated] on 16/01/2018 - 18:30
      +2

      Now there is one less outdoor kitty and she will be desexed at 6 months like my other cat was.

  • MrBear on 16/01/2018 - 12:52
    +1

    My cat was a feral that we found and she was about 5 weeks old.

    It took her 3 years before she would meow for/at anything. I think she learnt after she meowed a few times and got positive responses from her humans, that meowing got her a good reaction, so she did it more.

    She is also, in my view, a fairly intelligent cat with a good memory.

  • mattyman on 16/01/2018 - 12:56
    +1

    We had two cats growing up. The older cat meowed a lot, the younger cat hardly meowed at all. Once the older cat passed away the younger cat found his voice and started meowing more.

  • Ken1977 on 16/01/2018 - 13:33
    +5

    Finally a post on ozbargain that I enjoyed reading.

    • Deridas on 16/01/2018 - 16:42
      +3

      Yeah, thanks OP, this thread melts my heart. So cute! :)

  • [Deactivated] on 16/01/2018 - 18:25
    +2

    Thankyou everyone for your input. I will get the vet to check her eyes, and to age her for me.

  • Speckled Jim on 19/04/2018 - 09:55
    +1

    Update pic(s)? I still look at the posted ^^ one most days.

    • [Deactivated] on 19/04/2018 - 11:37

      I will take one when I get home tonight. She still doesn’t mew much.

      • Hybroid on 19/04/2018 - 11:46
        +1

        Our cat didn't meow at all, from a bred fresh kitten all the way to adult 3-4 years later. Never ever meowed. It wasn't a problem nor affected her at all, was perfectly healthy and happy. She definitely was able to purr and make vocal noises when she wanted to (sometimes when playing or sees another car in the window) so it wasn't a vocal chord issue, she just simply preferred to be silent. I wouldn't worry about it but rather enjoy the peace. Many people get woken up early by cats meowing for food and attention.

        • Speckled Jim on 19/04/2018 - 13:09
          +1

          Ours knows a few creative ways to wake us.
          1. Claw the carpet loudly. This includes the carpeted ramp I made for the bathroom vanity.
          2. Get up close and meow loudly, usually from a standing position on my chest so her nose is very close to my face.
          3. Our built-in robes have sliding glass doors. She figured out how to rattle one of the doors — you guessed it — bloody loudly.

          But we love her to bits.

    • [Deactivated] on 23/04/2018 - 16:05
      +1

      This shot shows how much she has grown, lounging on the carpet offcut is her new favourite thing, I am meant to be making a new scratching tower with it. https://imgur.com/gallery/tRehB2Q

  • [Deactivated] on 03/09/2018 - 23:16

    :)

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