Hi

Bungle is a little over 7 months old now. We have moved Winnie and Bungle's litter tray outside. Winnie is fine and we thought Bungle was too but she keeps going in a little corner instead of getting our attention to let her outside.

I think I know the answer to this already though I'll ask in hope - Is there anything we can do to make her more vocal? She literally doesn't make a sound...ever!

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

I don't have any advice I am afraid. But has Bungle never meowed in her life? Maybe she isn't able to 'speak', just like some humans can't.

I typed mute kitten into Google, but it thought I meant cute kitten. I then typed silent cat and got adverts for an air riffle.

She does meow very very occasionally. She squeaked once when I accidently stood on her tail (I felt so guilty) and she meowed yesterday because she'd finished all of her food and wanted more, but generally speaking, she doesn't make a sound.

Have you taken her to the vet to get her checked?

I had a pure white cat and she had a litter of kittens. One kitten who was also pure white never made much noise compared to the others. If she was looking at you and you spoke she'd meow or if you played with her etc she'd meow, apart from that she was pretty much silent. We took her to the vet and it turned out she was deaf. She could feel vibrations and responded to them. If she saw us speaking to her she responded but on her own she was silent.

Some cats just aren't very vocal.

With regards to the litter change - might be worth trying a training tip I used on mine - have the tray, but move it closer and closer to the outside door each day. Then move it outside so the cat learns that it's supposed to go outside rather than inside.

Do the cats have a way of getting outside on their own? as i know you say they need to get your attention to go outside.
Could it be that Bungle just doesn't understand that they need to get your attention to go outside? Or that you were busy or something when they needed to go out?
If they need someone to actually let them outside each time they need to go it doesn't seem like outside is the best place for the litter tray, as what happens when you are out or something?

Sorry if i've misunderstood what you've put!

Some cats just aren't very vocal though.

My cat is now three years old and was never a great meiower .He is silent mostly , as a young kitten nothing came out when he made the effort .He now can mieow but its more a camp kind of squeek
He also cant purr ! I know when he acts like he is purring as I feel the vibration and he dribbles alot !!!

I always thought all cats were vocal.

Ours certainly is, big baby! If he can't see my husband and he can hear his voice, he meows like crazy till he sees him.

Then you hear the loudest purrs ever!

Thank you all for your replies.


Hi.

When we call her to come indoors she comes straight away so I don't think she's deaf, though thank you for taking the time to reply.

Cats aren't very vocal as a rule. The act of miaowing is something that they learn to communicate with humans, as they won't do it to communicate with other cats. One of my cats, Sphynx, is really vocal and will actually back chat you if you speak to her (she has one specific miaow for yes and another for no, as well as a "night night" miaow when we say goodnight to her), whereas Blaze who is her sister only ever really makes noise when she's hunting the laser pointer, and thats hunting 'chatter'.

One thing you could try is getting some treats for her, showing her them, asking her does she want one and then not giving her one until she miaows. Once she learns a miaow gets her a treat you won't be able to shut her up LOL.
Last edited by Iqoniq : 15-11-2011 at 18:54

My Bella doesn't really miow as such, when she was small I thought she might have been a mute because she was so quiet! Rather than miowing she makes a really funny high pitched noise to get our attention. Shes a funny little thing!