Almost all cat owners have noticed that they make strange clucking sounds when they see birds on the window or on TV. Basically, cats chirp when they see birds. These strange cat sounds have created many disputes among researchers over the years, who have tried to find out what cats mean by those sounds when they see birds, insects or mice.
This behavior of cats occurs most often in the scenario where the cat is on the windowsill, and on the other side of the window it sees sparrows, pigeons or other birds that are a prey for them. This strange chirping sound made by cats can also occur at the sight of insects or rodents.
Cats also make strange chirping sounds when they see bird videos on TV. There are real "cartoons" for cats on YouTube. At the sight of birds on the TV screen, most cats will make strange sounds, described as clucking and vocalizing, as if complaining about something.
Why do cats chirp when they see birds? Here is the reason.
Even if the cat has become domesticated and lives in a house or apartment, its DNA remains that of a predator, just as its ancestors were who roamed the forests in search of game. Therefore, if you notice that the cat makes unusual sounds at the sight of birds, there is no need to panic or worry. It is perfectly normal cat behavior.
Cats chirp when they see birds and when they adopt the panda pose, they sit with their eyes fixed on their prey and their ears pricked. Researchers believe that cats make these strange sounds when they are aware that they cannot reach the prey they really want. This is almost an involuntary way for the cat to express its frustration. Also, often the strange sound made by the jaws is accompanied by vocalizations that are very similar to crying or whining.
Even if these reactions seem funny to cat owners, to the cat, the sight of prey that it cannot reach is a stress factor.
Some research has provided another explanation for this cat reaction. The strange sound the cat makes when it sees a prey nearby it could rather be a "Heating” a jaw before delivering the fatal bite. Cats are known to need only one bite to neutralize their prey. A cat accustomed to hunting will attack most of the time in the neck area of the prey, to cut the most sensitive part of the spine. The rattle emitted with the corner of the mouth and jaw could mimic the fatal bite.
However, this reaction occurs only when the cat is aware that it cannot reach the prey. Moreover, if the cat sees a prey that it can access, it will not make a sound and will use all its feline qualities to launch a lightning attack to surprise the prey.
