What Does It Mean When a Cat Growls. Many people agree that cat is a sweet and cute animal to own, especially for cat lovers. Yet, a cat is sometimes a mysterious and confusing creature.
As a cat parent, you might probably realize that a cat sometimes shows confusing behaviors such as hissing, meowing a lot, scratching, spraying, and even growling.
A cat parent must understand the cat’s behaviors to treat them in the right way when your cat shows unusual habits. Even though you have been trying hard to understand your cat, their behavior still confuses us, especially when they growl.
What does it mean when a cat growls? Growling must be confusing for the cat owners, especially when that is the first time.
Growling is one of the cat’s vocalizations to express many things that usually confuse the owner. As a good parent of cat, you must be able to understand and translate what your cat’s growling means. Find out what your cat’s growling means by keeping reading this article.
Reasons Why Cats Growl
As mentioned before that growling from cats can indicate many different feelings, and for the owner who experiences that for the first time, might be confusing. It can be a sign that something distracting your cats. Or it might be indicating that your cats do not like to be petted on their back or their head.
Whatever the situations are, there are some common reasons why your cat growls. The most important thing is that a happy cat will never growl. So, it can be said that when your cat growls, something is irritating your cat.
- Frustration and anger
The first sign of a cat’s growling is frustration or stress. When your cat keeps growling, it can indicate the frustration or stress your cat might feel. The growling might be a sign that your cat needs your help on finding their favourite catnip ball, or asking help when they could find a way out after trapping themselves in the box.
The growling also can indicate that your cat is angry about something. For instance, when you insist your cat come inside the crane or to take a shower. When they do not like it and get into anger, they will growl to express their frustration and anger.
- Pain
Another indication of why your cat growls is that they are in pain. Cats will growl, hiss and even swat their paw to block the way when you want to check them out. When you are finding out that your cat is hiding longer than usual, there might be something that happened to your cat. Cats usually do want to be irritated or bothered when they are sick or in pain.
- Warning
When you can understand a cat’s behaviors better, you will realize that cat does not usually run away from your or scratch all of sudden. They will warn you first with hiss or growl. So, another sign of growling is sending a warning to you or other cats to back off and do not come closer to them.
This warning also happens when they are mad, scared or hurt so that people will not come closer. If any other situations such as something dangerous come closer, cats will usually growl as well. For example, when your cat meets animals that is dangerous for them such as strangers, other cats, snakes, and others.
- Mating
Another reason why your cat growls is a mating call. When your cat is unfixed, no matter female or male, and they keep growling, it might be a sign that they are ready to find a mate. While the hormones rage, your cat will experience a hard situation that should be fixed as soon as possible or they will cause lots of problems.
- Fear
Fear can be another reason why your cat suddenly growls. Growling is not always an indication of aggression because it can be fear too. When your cat is scared of something, they usually growl to get help.
Another situation might happen when your cat does not like when someone pets them in a way they do not like. When they are insisted to get out of their place, it will also make them annoyed and scared, so they will growl.
Two Most Common Questions Asked About Growling Cat
There are some common questions asked by cat parents regarding the growling cat. After knowing the reason why the cat growls, know you know exactly the reasons. Now you got the point that growling is normal for the cat as their communicate when they feel something strange or uncomfortable.
But is it still normal when your cat keeps on growling for something that usually does not upset them? Or what should we do as a pet parent, to handle a growling cat? Here is the explanation.
When is growling not normal anymore?
As mentioned before that growling is normal for a cat to express their feelings about something that makes them uncomfortable or upset.
But when is growling considered abnormal for a cat? Cat is the expert to hide their distress and displeasure, it means that the cat parent must work harder on looking them closely to understand the signs.
When your cat becomes upset about something that they usually do not, the best way is to call your vet. Growling is not always a physical pain; it also can be a sign of anxiety. So, make sure that there is nothing that makes your cat anxious in their territory.
How to handle a growling cat?
Growling is a common sign from cats to tell you that they want to be left alone and no one to come. So, just let them be. If you keep coming closer to them, they will be more frustrated and stressed.
You already know some reasons why your cat growls, so you have to look closer to find out the reason. If your cat is anxious about new person or pets coming home, try to comfort them gently and never insist them.
When a cat growls, it might be confusing for a cat parent, especially when it is the first time. Cat parents might be questioning what does it mean when a cat growls, but do not worry because it is normal for a cat to growl as long as it can be calmed after you find out the reason that makes them growl.
Final Thought
Now when you ask what does it mean when a cat growls, you know that growling is one of the vocalizations of cats to express what they feel. It is normal as long as they become calmer once you comfort them. But when they keep growling when you think there is no trigger for them to growl, you better visit the veterinarian as soon as possible.
