As a cat owner, I’m sure you’ll agree that some cats have some pretty interesting and curibehaviorsours.
My cat chatters when I cough, as well as meowing when I sneeze. A couple of interactions I’ve always tried to understand a bit better.
So, why do cats chatter?
You’ve probably seen your cat, or other cats chattering or squeaking at birds through a window, right?
This is one of the most common chattering interactions cats have, and there are some known scientific reasons why they do this..
One reason is that cats chatter to try and mimic the birds beaks moving and the sounds they are making.
Granted, they don’t do a great job of pretending to be a bird or fooling them, but it’s the best they can do to try confuse the bird and allow them to sneak up on them.
Another reason is that cats chatter when something happens that gives them a burst of adrenalin or a shock.
Cats that have been in fights, chases, seen prey, or are scared have been known to chatter as a response.
Which leads us onto the reason why your cat may be chattering when you cough.
Cats have very sensitive ears, and a loud and unexpected cough, much like a sneeze, can cause an adrenalin rush and cause them to chatter.
The key takeaway here is that coughing around your cat is disturbing them and possibly distressing them a little if they chatter in response.
So, if you have a cough do it somewhere else. Leave your kitty to sleep peacefully and relax safe in the knowledge they are not going to be disturbed!
