A cat won't tell you it's stressed. It won't change its expression, sigh, or ask for help. Stress in cats shows up as changes in behavior - often so subtle an owner only notices once the problem has been going on for weeks. Excessive grooming, hiding, refusing food, going outside the litter box, sudden aggression - these aren't bad habits. They're signals that something has changed in a cat's life and its body isn't coping with that change.
Stress in cats - symptoms, causes, and how to help
Why do cats meow? Causes of excessive meowing
Meowing is a language cats invented purely to communicate with people. Adult cats don't meow at each other - between themselves they communicate through body language, scent, and vocalizations like hissing, growling, or purring. Meowing is a sound reserved for an owner - a signal that a cat needs something and has learned that this particular sound gets a response.
Why do cats purr? What purring tells you about your cat's wellbeing
Purring is one of the most recognizable sounds in the animal kingdom - and one of the most misread. Most owners assume a purring cat is simply happy. In fact, cats purr for at least 5 different reasons, and not all of them mean contentment. A cat purrs when relaxed, but also when in pain, stressed, hungry, or in need of close contact.