Study shows that cats meow louder for men than for women

The findings indicate that cats adjust their behavior depending on how well a person perceives subtle feline signals.

The research team, led by Yasemin Salgirli Demirbas, analyzed video recordings of 31 cats in their home environments. Caregivers wore chest mounted cameras that captured the first moments after they entered their homes. From hundreds of clips, researchers assessed 22 distinct greeting behaviors.

In their published statement, the authors note that “greeting behavior is a key component of social behavior in animals, which serves a variety of purposes such as conveying intent and adjusting social relationships by reducing tension and reinforcing social bonds.”

According to the study, one factor strongly influenced vocal intensity: the sex of the returning person. Cats produced more meows when greeting men. The researchers suggest this may be linked to differences in how men and women interpret nonverbal animal cues. Previous studies have shown that women are generally more responsive to soft vocalizations and more likely to use cat directed speech, while men tend to overlook quieter signals.

The study identified a consistent pattern of affiliative behavior across all cats, including raising the tail, approaching the caregiver, and engaging in allorubbing, the practice of rubbing the head or flank to exchange scents. These gestures form what the researchers describe as a reliable feline welcome.

By relying solely on video evidence, the team avoided the limitations of self-reported pet behavior. Their findings reinforce earlier research showing that cats maintain social bonds with their owners and actively adapt their communication strategies to the person they are interacting with.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that a global study covering 51 developing countries revealed significant differences in childfree rates, driven largely by levels of human development.