Why do Cats Meow?

Question

Cats often meow, and I was wondering why.

Answer 1

It is often thought that cats meow for communicating with humans. They often start out meowing as kittens to get the attention of their mother, so this behavior is often passed onto the human owner; especially if the owner encourages it. So cats often use meowing to gain attention, and to communicate with their owner.

This theory is partially supported by the lack of / reduction of meowing in feral cats. Additionally, you do not often see cats meowing to each other (not counting hissing or growling).

Answer 2

It is their way of communicating, like when you speak. They don't have speech so that is their language.

They may want to get your attention because the are hungry, or they want to play with you, or they are scared of something, or something is bothering them. They actually can have different sounding Meows depending on the scenario, if you know the cat well and listen closely, you will notice it.