Cats make a variety of sounds for communication, including meowing, hissing, and growling. However, particularly interesting is the quiet "chirping" they make while stalking prey.
Cat behavior specialist Mikel Delgado suggests that this may be an expression of frustration when a cat sees a target but cannot catch it. The signal may also reflect excitement, although there is currently no scientific evidence for this theory.
There is also a hypothesis that the "chirping" helps cats enhance their sense of smell by allowing air into the vomeronasal organ. Another explanation is mimicry: some wild cats, such as the margay, can imitate the sounds of their prey to attract its attention. However, data on mimicry behavior in domestic cats is lacking.
Understanding the behavior of our furry companions requires a deeper study of their wild relatives to determine whether this behavior is inherited or developed during domestication.
