Diary of a Cat Mom
Diary of a Cat Mom is a reflective cat podcast created and hosted by Dagmar Gatell about understanding cats more deeply — and creating a calmer, more connected life for both you and your cats.
Based on real experiences caring for over 50 cats throughout her life, each episode shares quiet observations, emotional moments, caregiving reflections, and gentle insights from everyday life with cats. From routines, behavior, and emotional wellbeing to grief, gratitude, overstimulation, trust, and the small meaningful moments many people overlook — this is not a traditional “how-to” podcast, but a space for understanding, awareness, and lived experience.
Beyond cat care itself, Diary of a Cat Mom also explores our connection to nature, emotional presence, personal growth, and the way our inner state can influence the animals who share our lives. Because living with cats is never only about feeding and routines — it’s also about energy, safety, trust, patience, and how we show up emotionally in the spaces we create together.
Created especially for cat moms 35+ in multi‑cat homes who see their cats as family, this podcast offers companionship, reassurance, perspective, and emotional support during seasons of caregiving, uncertainty, healing, change, and letting go.
Diary of a Cat Mom is a personal storytelling podcast and does not replace professional veterinary advice. Every cat is unique, and medical or behavioral concerns should always be discussed with a trusted veterinarian or qualified professional.
You’re not alone on this journey.
We’re learning, loving, and growing together — one paw print at a time.
Diary of a Cat Mom
Cat Vocalization | What My Cats' Unique Sounds Mean | Ep. 117
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Have you ever wondered what your cat is trying to tell you?
In this episode of the Diary of a Cat Mom podcast, I share what I've learned about cat vocalization after living with multiple cats. While cats often meow, chirp, trill, chatter, or howl, I discovered that every one of my cats has their own unique sound and personality.
From Peekaboo reminding me not to forget her dinner to Fred greeting me outside my office door, Hope humming with excitement over food, and Snow White's unforgettable high-pitched demands, every vocalization became a clue that helped me better understand what each of them needed.
Over time, I realized it wasn't just about recognizing the sounds. Watching their body language, the situation, and the time of day helped me understand the bigger picture. Instead of ignoring their communication, I learned to respond in ways that strengthened our bond while still keeping healthy boundaries.
If you've ever wondered what your cat's different sounds might mean, I hope my experiences help you better understand your own furry family member.
What You'll Learn In This Cat Podcast Episode
- What cat vocalization means
- Common sounds cats make
- Why every cat develops unique ways of communicating
- How body language helps explain vocalizations
- How responding to your cat can strengthen your relationship
Timestamps & Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction
- 00:19 Common cat vocalizations
- 01:02 Peekaboo's signature food sound
- 02:06 Fred's daily hello
- 03:00 Hope's happy food humming
- 03:57 Snow White's unforgettable voice
- 05:41 Learning what each vocalization meant
- 07:07 Why responding matters
- 08:24 Final thoughts & question of the day
Diary of a Cat Mom is a gentle, diary-style cat podcast about everyday life with cats—created especially for cat moms 35+ in multi‑cat homes who see their cats as family.
Resources for Cat Parents
Everything I use for my cats is here: https://diaryofacatmom.com/cat-care-resources/
About the Diary of a Cat Mom Podcast
Diary of a Cat Mom is a personal cat podcast created by Dagmar Gatell, sharing real moments from life with cats. Everything shared comes from lived experience as a cat mom, not intended as professional veterinary advice. Every cat is unique, and for health concerns, always consult your trusted veterinarian.
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Diary of a catmum Cat Vocalization Welcome to Diary of a Cat Mum. This is a topic I hear a lot people, especially cat moms and dads, talking about. I think the most common cat vocalization sounds, they are like crossest meal, right? When they want to say hello or when they want to get your attention. And the second is like chirps and trills. So that you follow them. Whatever you do, you stop and then you pay attention to the little ones. Chattering is something what they do when they see a bird or a squirrel, like the predator is coming out. Howling is when they are distressed, like a vet. But the interesting part is in my Mighty Cat household, every cat has its specific unique sound. And it's really depending on which cat it is, how the cat communicates with me and how the cat vocalizes itself. Like Pigaboo, she is in a separate room because she doesn't like other cats. So when she wanted something, when she heard the food bowls preparation for the other cats, then she started like half angry, half impatient. And was not really howling, it was more like that. It was all for her. She wanted you to know that she knows. You're preparing the food for the others. Don't forget her. The question was, where's mine? And not like in half an hour, where's mine now? That's was her signature sound. And Fred, his signature sound is hello hello right through the door because when I'm working I'm closing the door so I can fully focus and concentrate. And he knows exactly where I am. So he's right in front of the door. And then he hello hello. And if I don't respond back with hello, then he will not stop. He will do it again and again. Because he wants that I know he's there waiting for me. But normally when I respond back in the same way, hello, then he knows, okay, mama's busy, okay, she heard me. She will come, perhaps not right now. And then not all the time, but most of the time he will stop and he will just wait in front of the door for me. The next one who makes the most unique sound is little hope. So little hope, he loves his food. And when I'm preparing the food bowls, he's normally right next to me and he will do like sounds like a little bee or little engine trying to get started. He won't stop doing that. Like there will be an ongoing mmm, and if he doesn't get a response, then he will start hitting his little head against my leg making the sound. So I know I have no chance as to feed him first, and then the other ones who don't make a sound have to wait. But who tops them all is Snow White, my little eight-pound ragdoll. So Snow White from the beginning, since I rescued her, you would not think what this little tiny cat can make soundwise, where you think, oh my god, where is this coming from? So when she doesn't get attention or when she wants to go outside on the porch, she will start doing this in a really high-pitched voice. Like that. And you can imagine, like, there's no way how you can handle this more than for a few minutes because she too won't stop. Perhaps she will hyperventilate because she doesn't have enough oxygen to do that for a long time. But as soon as the oxygen is coming back, she will start again doing it. So you better do what she wants you to do, because if not, there will be no end inside. And sometimes when I'm working, I cannot let her go outside on the porch. So normally what I do, I try to distract her because she likes to eat too. So I give her something to nibble on and she forgets for a little while, and then she's coming back. The sound is back and can be really high-pitched. So interesting is that every cat has her or his unique way of communication to tell you exactly what they want. But in the beginning, I didn't know what these sounds mean. Really, I had to figure out the bigger picture, right? So, what's the situation when they make the sounds? Um, what do they want attention? Do they want food? Do they want to go somewhere? What is it what they are demanding? And the other thing was um the daytime. Are they making the sound in the morning? Are you they making the sound in the evening? What's the body language? Do they seem tense or impatient or relaxed? The more I looked at the bigger picture, the more I really could understand what each of these little souls want and how I can make their life, but also my life, easier by providing them what they need within the time and energy and capability I had available. What I learned from all of this, not communicating with a cat is not an option. Because not communicating means ignoring the cat, and then it just gets worse. So I absorbed them, how they were communicating with me, and then I mirrored them. And a lot of times the sound they make make the sound back so that they realize I understand. And here's where we go. Like whenever they want food, they cannot have food all the time. Like twice a day, we do feeding. If they want detention and if I'm working, it's not possible. But they recognize that I see them, I'm present with them. And I want that they feel good, but also that I feel good. Is here cat communicating with you? And what makes it easy for you to understand what your cat wants? I would love to read that in the comments. So please share. Thank you so much for being here with me in this Diary of a Cat Mom episode. There's always another lesson, another story, another insight waiting to be shared right around the corner. So please check out the next video and join me for the next entry. Bye. Diary of a cat mom.