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Why Does My Cat Meow When I Sneeze? Vet-Reviewed Facts & Funny Videos

Written by: Lorre Luther

Last Updated on February 28, 2024 by Catster Editorial Team

Woman sneezing beside a cat

Why Does My Cat Meow When I Sneeze? Vet-Reviewed Facts & Funny Videos

VET APPROVED

Dr. Paola Cuevas Photo

REVIEWED & FACT-CHECKED BY

Dr. Paola Cuevas

MVZ (Veterinarian)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

Learn more »

Most cats are devoted to their humans; they commonly hang out and spend lots of time with their favorite people. Some cats meow in response to their owners’ sneezes; if yours does, it may have led you to wonder, “Why do cats meow when you sneeze?” Cats sometimes meow or vocalize in return when people sneeze because they’re annoyed or startled, but they frequently do it just as a way of acknowledging their human’s situation. There is a good chance that this was a learned behavior, reinforced by their owner’s attention right after their meow or vocalization.

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Top 3 Common Responses to Sneezes

While many cats meow when their humans sneeze, their responses can vary. Some cats just get angry, and others appear more interested in expressing their concern.

1. Annoyed Cats

Some cats aren’t amused by their humans’ sneezing activities. The cat in the video wants their owner to settle down so they can go back to lounging in peace.


2. Scared Cats

Cats have incredibly acute hearing, and noises that seem normal to people can easily startle them. Scared cats sometimes move past meowing in response to sneezes and immediately shift into high gear.


3. Sympathetic Cats

These cats seem to be doing something between copying their person and asking if they’re okay. This is likely a way that the cat acknowledges that something’s going on and that they are willing to engage with their humans. Their responses are calm and collected.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do Cats Meow?

Adult cats mostly use scent and body language to communicate with each other. Meowing is generally reserved for communication between kittens and their mothers and grown cats and people. Cats meow to express pleasure when people show affection, but they can also do it because they want to engage in some sort of communication with their humans, like when they are hungry or in pain.

They also meow to get their owner’s attention and ask for a treat or cuddles. Cats trying to get their owners to clean their litter boxes or give them food often meow repeatedly in complaining tones. They may also meow when frightened or stressed.

A cat that vocalizes back to a human after a sneeze might only be acknowledging that they know that something happened, or they might have learned that after responding to a sneeze, they will get some sort of attention in return.

How Else Do Cats Communicate With Humans?

Cats turn to body language and vocalization to get their points across to humans. They frequently use their whiskers and tails to indicate how they’re feeling. Cats probably lean heavily on vocalization when trying to make things clear to humans, as it’s often difficult for people to pick up on the subtleties of feline body language.

It also appears that many cats and their human companions develop blended languages that facilitate communication.

woman playing and talking with her cat
Image Credit: Mira Arnaudova, Shutterstock

How Do Cats Communicate With Other Cats?

Cats typically rely on body language and scent to exchange information with other cats. They use a variety of mechanisms, including whisker and tail position, to indicate if they’re happy, scared, cautious, or interested in interacting.

Scent plays an enormous role in feline communication. Cats produce pheromones, which are odorless chemical markers that carry information about their health and reproductive status. Pheromones are produced by scent glands found in several locations on cats’ bodies, including their faces and paws. These powerful hormones are also found in their urine, which is one of the reasons cats spray to mark their territory.

Adult cats occasionally hiss or yowl in the direction of other cats when scared. They often touch noses or link tails with those they’re happy to see and feel comfortable around.

Do Cats Imitate Their Humans?

There’s some evidence that cats’ behavior is affected by their owners, and they can have personality traits that mirror those of their favorite people. Cats attempt to bond with their favorite people by showing interest in activities requiring humans to focus intensely, and cats likely interpret the activities as necessary to their companions.

There’s some evidence that cats can also imitate human behavior. In one study, a cat learned to accurately mirror human actions; if the human in the experiment touched a box with her hand, the cat would do the same with her paw.

Do Cats Have Good Hearing?

Cats have fantastic hearing. They rely on it heavily when hunting in the wild, particularly when there’s not much light out. They can also hear sounds entirely undetectable by humans, particularly high-pitched ones like those made by squeaking mice.

Cats’ outer ears can move toward sounds, which boosts their hearing abilities. Because they have such fantastic hearing, loud, sudden sounds (like sneezes) can make them scared.

Are There Cats That Typically Meow More Than Others?

Yes. Siamese, Sphynx, Tonkinese, and Bengal cats are known for being quick to let out a meow or two. Unspayed female cats meow frequently when they’re in heat, and unneutered males often do so when seeking mates. Kittens are a bit more inclined to meow than adult cats.

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Conclusion

Cats have all sorts of adorable ways of interacting and engaging with humans, and it’s relatively common for them to meow when people sneeze. They do so for all sorts of reasons, from being startled to simply acknowledging their humans, likely as a learned behavior.

While cats are generally expert communicators, adults don’t generally meow to communicate with each other; it’s primarily a way of getting information across to humans. Body language and scent are the primary ways cats exchange information with each other.


Featured Image Credit: Motortion Films, Shutterstock

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