Source checked November 12, 2026. Editorial team. Not professionally reviewed.
An umbrella and several examples
Cats Protection uses miaow as an umbrella term and discusses meow, mew, chirrup, purr, growl and hiss. The point of this page is not to replace the source with a pronunciation lesson or universal phrasebook. Different sound names help readers find a section of an article; they do not give this website enough information to evaluate an individual animal.
Why we avoid a happiness button
The source explicitly notes that purring can occur in contexts other than contentment, including pain, and recommends veterinary advice when concerned. That is one reason our reading dial never returns a happiness score. We do not take a sound associated with a positive state in one paragraph and use it to rule out a problem in another situation.
Keep the other signals out of a checklist
The source includes body-language context, but this page is not a handling or safety assessment. We provide no combination of ears, eyes or sound that grants permission to approach, touch or restrain a cat. An actual concern needs suitable advice. Our educational contribution is the limit on interpretation, not another do-it-yourself test with an impressive-looking result.
Cats Protection: Why do cats meow? · Blue Cross: Stress in cats