If you own a cat, you are probably well aware of their strange and peculiar behaviors.
Just closely watch your cat for a couple minutes, and they will probably do something that will leave you scratching your head. However, in just about all cases, there is a method to the madness.
Almost all of a cat’s behavior is natural and a result of evolution. In today’s article, we are going to go into detail about a strange noise cats often make.
Why do cats ekekek?
Cats usually ekekek to mimic hunting, express their excitement, because they are in heat, and to communicate with other cats and animals.
Hunting
The main reason a cat will make an ekekek sound is because of their natural hunting instinct.
Cats will usually make this chirping sound when they see a prey nearby. This could be anything from a small rodent, squirrel, bunny rabbit, or even a bird. It is common for cats to make this sound when they are stuck inside, but can still see the prey through a door or a window.
A cat makes this sound because their entire body is hyped up on adrenaline because it wants to chase after the prey. In some cases, a cat will make this sounds as a sign of frustration because they are unable to get outside to access the animal.
This is the same reason why cats grab your leg when you walk.
Excitement
A cat will also make an ekekek sound when they are overwhelmed by excitement.
This is common when your cat sees that you have a treat for them. An ekekek sound is one step above a meow. In other words, it is a meow on steroids. Your cat is making this noise because they are overwhelmed with excitement in anticipation of getting the food.
A cat will also make this sound when playing with a toy. While it usually signals that your cat is happy or excited, it can also be a result of frustration.
For example, if you are shooting a laser pointer across the room and your cat is constantly chasing it, they might make an ekekek sound out of frustration for not being able to reach the point.
In heat
A female cat in heat might also make ekekek sounds. This is because she is desperately looking for a male companion to mate with. To reduce this behavior, you should check out my article on how to help a cat in heat.
Communication
Lastly, a cat will also make an ekekek sound as a communication tool.
This could be to communicate to other cats, or even other animals. For example, if your cat sees a neighbors cat outside, they might start chirping to get their attention.
A cat might also make an ekekek sound to get the attention of your dog, or another animal that’s outside. It may come as a surprise, but cats love to communicate with other animals (when they are not trying to eat them). The ekekek sound might also be used as a warning signal to communicate to other pets that there is danger nearby.
It can be seen as a cat’s version of barking.
How to stop a cat from making ekekek sound?
If the ekekek sound becomes too annoying, I recommend that you get a cat sedative. A great solution is the Feliway cat relaxer.
Should I worry if my cat is making an ekekek sound?
While the sound is probably annoying for your eardrums, there is no need to worry if your cat is making an ekekek sound. Most of the time it just means your cat is overly excited, or possibly bored.
If your cat is making the ekekek sound while standing at the door, we recommend letting them outside if possible. You may also want to try giving your cat more one on one attention, as your cat might be chirping because they are bored.
