The owner of two Maine Coon cats named Khalifa and Killuas, shared a video of them meowing, to show TikTok users what big domestic cats actually sound like, and people on the platform couldn’t believe it.
In the viral clip, shared earlier in November by @thefluffcats, the two brothers can be heard meowing very gently, making short vocalizations, some of which don’t even resemble the typical “meow” sound that cats usually make.
“OMG [Oh My God] they’re so big, his meows must be massive. Actually not…” says the caption shared with the post.
A Catster article medically reviewed by Dr. Lorna Whittemore says that all healthy cats meow, although the exact sound, reason and frequency varies. For our kitties, meowing is a form communication, usually with humans or with kittens, and these vocalizations can vary depending on what it is that they’re asking.
They may try to signal that they are hungry, or they want to play, or that they are feeling stressed, anxious, or even fearful. But if your cat has started meowing all of a sudden, there could be medical issues behind this new behavior.
An article by Dr. Jennifer S. Fryer published by Preventive Vet, says that pain, hyperthyroidism, hypertension and cognitive dysfunction syndrome are all possible reasons behind unusual meowing.
While it’s cute at first, meowing can soon becoming a nuisance, especially if your cat is exceptionally loud, but there are ways to deal with it, according to Pango Vet. To prevent meowing you should feed your feline on schedule, to make them less likely to meow as a way to demand food.
You should also provide plenty of enrichment, including interactive toys, so they don’t come crying for attention when you’re tired. And make sure they have a quiet place to rest so they don’t get too stressed out by the noises around them.
Do not ignore your cat meows, if they persist it means there’s probably something wrong, and it may be worth visiting the veterinarian.
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According to BetterPet, Maine Coons are actually vocal cats, more likely than many other cats to engage in full conversations with you as they follow you around. They are also very sociable and often crave human interaction.
The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 8.8 million views and 1.4 million likes on the platform.
One user, Carls, commented: “Sounds like scooting a chair across the tile, so cute.”
Don_Omah said: “Why is it that every big fluffy cat I see has the most gentle, chirpy meow. Just like my boy.”
Pot_of_greed wrote: “My cat weighs 9 pounds and screams like her life depends on it, I guess size doesn’t matter here.”
Morflora added: “I mean, have [you] heard cheetahs meow? Sounds pretty much like that as well. big cat ≠ big meow.”
Newsweek reached out to @thefluffcats for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case.
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