Paw-ssible Expletives: What’s Really Behind Your Cat’s Bird Chatter

If you’ve ever worked with us, you know we’ve got a soft spot for storytelling—and for cats. A good number of our writers are proud cat parents, so when one of them shared this Drool article on why cats make that weird chattering sound at birds, we couldn’t stop talking about it.

Between Zoom calls, Skype threads, and spontaneous kitty cameos on screen, it turns out we’ve all witnessed that moment: our cat staring out the window, body tensed, jaw twitching, chirping like they’re auditioning for a bird choir. But why?

The article dives into two solid theories. The first? SWEARING.

Yep, according to researchers, cats might just be muttering a string of feline expletives when they spot a bird they can’t chase.

Their primal instincts kick in, adrenaline floods their little bodies… but alas, the glass barrier and maybe a few extra pounds from too many treats keep them from acting on it.

So, they grumble to themselves in what we can only assume is the cat equivalent of, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Then there’s the MIMICRY theory.

This one gives our furry friends a bit more credit—it suggests they’re attempting to imitate the bird sounds to lure their prey closer.

Researchers have even observed wildcats in Brazil doing this with monkey calls, so it’s not too far-fetched. Is your cat a master hunter in disguise or just a drama queen with a grudge? Honestly, we’re not sure which theory we love more.

One thing’s certain: cats are strange, mysterious little creatures, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

We’re split in the office on which theory we believe, so now we’re turning it over to you—team Swearing or team Mimicry? Let us know in the comments (bonus points if your cat helped you type them).