Almost all cats do it, making this chattering noise. Not only is the behavior very recognizable, but it can also sometimes be hilarious. There is even a Facebook page, appropriately named “Ekekekkekkek” where you can hear the different ways in which cats chatter! But why do they do this?
When cats chatter
Ask an owner why a cat chatters and the answer will probably be “because he sees a bird” or “because he can’t get to the bird”. This frustration is a commonly cited reason. There are many other, sometimes over-the-top, explanations. Some examples: that is how mother cats give commands to their offspring, it is the same movement of the jaw a cat makes when biting the neck of a bird, mother cat draws attention to possible prey. None of these explanations fit into the natural behavior of the cat.
No scientific research
Because there has been no official research into this chattering behavior, strange theories can continue to circulate. The same goes for the often-heard “frustration”, this has never been substantiated. That’s the reason I researched it myself during my training as a cat behaviorist. Because I have a research background, I was able to make it a fairly extensive project and used 137 questionnaires. In this blog, I will mention the most striking results.
Who’s chattering?
The vast majority of cats appear to chatter, namely 81%. There is little difference between age categories. Gender has no influence, nor does the breed.
Chattering at birds?
Almost all cats (97%) chatter when they see birds. Insects are a close second (32%). Birds and insects are potential prey for cats and, unlike mice, often sit in one place for a while. Thus, they can easily be seen by a cat and trigger a chattering response. An occasional cat also chatters while playing.
Chattering, indoors and outdoors
If the inaccessibility of prey were a reason for chattering, indoor cats should be more “frustrated” than outdoor cats and thus should show this behaviour more often. But in my research, the same percentage of indoor and outdoor cats do it, 81%! More than half of the cats that chatter indoors do so when they are outside.
Cats chatter, small cats …
For my research, I contacted Dr. E. Natoli, who has studied cat colonies in Rome and elsewhere extensively. With the caveat that she has never observed for this purpose, she indicates that she saw feral cats chattering regularly. She remembers mainly chattering at the sight of birds and especially just before they pounce on the prey.
… and big cats
Wild cats and lynxes also chatter. I have personally seen a lion do it, the moment it spotted a gazelle. So the reaction is not limited to “a cat seeing a bird”.
Chattering and frustration
Nice, you might think, but what about the frustration? If you see frustration as “not being able to achieve your goal”, this motivation is not a great explanation. What about chattering at insects (which are usually close by), during play, or when they are ready to pounce on prey?
Displacement behaviour?
Frustration doesn’t show up in my data either. More than 40% of indoor cats just sit down or groom themselves after chattering. The latter could be displacement behaviour out of frustration, the first not. Of the outdoor cats, more than half (54%) attempt to catch the prey, and 18% do nothing. Outdoors, chattering cannot indicate frustration, because the cat has yet to launch its attack and cannot be frustrated in advance. Chattering when he misses the prey would then be more logical!
Frustration at other moments
John Bradshaw notes that chattering behavior is only exhibited towards potential prey. There are plenty of times in a cat’s life when an animal may be frustrated, e.g. when it wants to go outdoors, when it wants attention or food, but then a cat never actually chatters (as far as we know now).
Mimicking prey?
Mimicking prey is also an often-heard explanation. Especially after a study appeared in 2010 which shows that the margay, a small feline from Brazil, imitates the sound of young pied tamarin monkeys to lure them. That is the only publication on the subject and similar “luring behavior” has never been found again to my knowledge.
The diet of a (feral) cat consists of three-quarters of mammals (mouse, rat, rabbit), which do not make chattering noises themselves. Except for magpies, no bird makes that ‘ekkekkek’ sound, so luring a bird seems a bit far-fetched for the domestic cat, to be honest.
Why cats chatter
Chattering has to do with hunting but is not limited to birds.
Frustration because the prey is out of reach can now be written off safely. The most likely explanations are that the cat is excited at the sight of prey (think of the swishing tail at such a moment) or perhaps an autonomous response, a physiological reaction of the body to a certain stimulus.
Photo: Mammiya @ Pixabay