Charlie Meowing
I used to think that meowing a lot was not a Ragdoll cat behavior, but I am beginning to wonder if that’s the case. My Charlie is a meowing maniac. Trigg, not so much. Rags rarely meowed and it wasn’t until he was an crotchety old man that he started meowing – and by then I wanted him to meow so badly that I loved everything I could get!
Charlie is definitely the most vocal of the 8 Ragdoll cats in my family – as far as I have witnessed. Murphy, my mom’s 7-year old Ragdoll cat, is very vocal, but usually when spoken to or when he’s hauling around a toy of his. He doesn’t meow at you when you are on the phone, like Charlie likes to do.
Here’s a video of Charlie as a Ragdoll kitten meowing:
And here he is as an adult meowing:
Here’s a video of Caymus wailing at Petco:
And when we’re getting ready to leave, he’s still meowing:
Rags as an old man meowing (it’s a long video, forward to :32 to hear his meow – I think he meowed because his teeth hurt, but I am not sure):
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Hank pretty much only meows when he wants food! Even if the bowl is like half full…he is so picky he wants it FULL. I’m like, “Hankie, you HAVE food!”
Cute – I love that you call him “Hankie” I would have to follow that with “Hankie Pankie”…
Charlie will just walk in the room and meow, announcing his presence and that I should be interested in it.
Boomer’s a BIG talker, too. He meows when he wants fed… and when he just wants me to walk him downstairs and *show* him his food bowl. He goes into the bathroom right next to my office and meows for me to turn his sink water on. He meows at his own reflection in the mirror on the shower door, as well as the ones in our home gym. He meows to get me to play with him (especially chase). He meows when he just wants attention. He does a combo trill-meow when he’s tearing through the house from window to window, trying to track the progress of something outside. Sometimes he even meows when he’s yawning–a sort of strangled little cut-off meow (as funny to see as it is to hear). And, like all good mommies, I recognize each meow, and know just what he wants.
Ragdolls, quiet? Ha!
Sounds like Boomer is related to Charlie. Does it ever drive you crazy? Sometimes I give Charlie a firm, “NO!” and he puts his ears back and lowers his eyes and goes and lays down. Sometimes I don’t know what the heck he wants other than attention!
No… I would be crushed if he *didn’t* talk to me all the time! I love listening to him (it’s a very *sweet* voice) and having conversations with him.
And I loved your videos–Charlie the (adorable little puffball) baby, then a year later, in the same spot, doing the same thing? So precious!!
I crack up when i read that Ragdolls are not supposed to be talkative. Taro and Jasper are/were talkers. Taro likes to meow for all sorts of reasons, similar to what GlamKitty wrote above. I’ve noticed that he’s developed a new meow lately, more whiney and high-pitched, when he’s especially needy. It always precedes him making biscuits on me or my husband. I am posting a link below which was supposed to be a video of my dog with her new toy, but Taro steals the show with his pitiful meowing in the background:
http://youtu.be/BMhwHqFs_gc
Taro’s meowing in that video reminds me of something Charlie would totally do – ignore the dog and want the attention himself!
By the way Jenny, i had to turn down the volume on your first video (Charlie as a kitten) cause his meowing was so high pitched! ADORABLE!
did you listen to the video at home? i would be curious if Taro would respond.
Zoey meows all the time! Most especially, when she wants your attention or if you talk to her. She loves to talk right back and she has different sounds for different moods. Sometimes when she’s annoyed or exasperated, she’ll sigh or give a quiet little “Ugh” sound. I hear that one a lot when she goes to the vet! I should really start video taping her more, but she’s notorious for KNOWING when she’s being photographed or video taped, and will purposefully stop what she’s doing! Haha!
That’s funny! Charlie totally has mood meows too. Currently, he is annoyed I am on the computer and not taking him outside – so it’s a loud obnoxious meow to get my attention. The “UGH” meow is usually when he walks into a room and plops down….
Raina hardly EVER meows. She will sit by her empty food dish totally silent until someone notices and fills it for her! She never cries for food, attention, or when she sees other cats. The only time she vocalizes is to “chirp” at birds and squirrels, and when she catches a fly she “moans” because she doesn’t know what to do with it! Occasionally she will give a kitten meow at bedtime if she is a in super lovey mood. Other that that, she’s a remarkably quiet cat!
Raina sounds like Rags was – delightful!
My tortie point mitted ragdoll, Kiva, is kind of like Murphy. She talks or coos quietly but only when spoken to or when she’s hauling around her toy pink furry ball. My new kitten Pixie, also a tortie point mitted ragdoll, is completely silent most of the time or on occaision makes the jesture but little or no sounds comes out. That is, unless I’ve been away for a while and just opened the door, then it’s a high pitch but soft and very feminine and kitten like meowing telling me I’ve been very missed.
Cute! Amie, how are they getting along? Is Kiva more accepting of Pixie now?
Hi Jenny – Yes, but it’s going very slowly. I had them both on the bed today sleeping and it’s best when Kiva can’t “see” the kitten. Pillows in the way, you know.
What about your older guy? I cannot remember his name – does it start with a “J”? Does he mind the kitten?
Oh that baby charlie was too cute!! My ragdoll Frank hardly ever talked as a kitten but will meow occasionally now. Not much of a talker really.
My Becky has never meowed, really. She is two and a half years old and the closest thing I’ve heard is a bungled very quiet meow like she can’t make that sound. She purrs really loud and often though, so I guess everything is OK. I thought there was something wrong with her voice box – but I’m not complaining!
For my future Ragdolls, I hope they meow or make some kind of sound every now and then instead of remaining completely silent. Does your Ragdoll snore at all?
Charlie did when he was fat, but now that he is the ideal weight, no…
Finally got a free moment to enjoy all these Meow videos
Of all the cats in my life (a long life so there’ve been a bunch), some are or were vocal and others not. Both my Raggies were talkative, Moosie more than Gizmo. Could be their Siamese lineage. Baby Mew, my long-haired orange tabby, is my main speaker now; she earned her name the moment I brought her home. She’s too small and the wrong color to be a Raggie but otherwise has every characteristic: cuddly, attentive, just wonderful. I call her my Ragdoll in disguise 
When Theo came to my house as a kitten, he wasn’t very vocal, but now he can be quite the talker! At first he meowed a lot when I was preparing his breakfast, but now he answers me when I talk to him in my crazy cat lady annoying voice hahaha
Everybody in my house is jealous because he basically only talks to me. My mother says when I’m not around Theo almost doesn’t meow. He also talks to get our attention to his needs, like ‘I want to drink from the faucet, can you open it for me?’, ‘I want food’ etc. Oh, a hilarious fact: whenever he’s going to his litter box he makes a special meow, announcing what he’s up to. I can’t help but laugh! He also meows when the family is having lunch/dinner, and, don’t fool yourself, because he’s not asking for food.. he wants us to make him company while he eats too.
I recently noticed that whenever we have guests to entertain, he becomes especially talkative to get our attentions back to him. He is one of a kind
that makes me want to meet Theo! he sounds hilarious – i especially like that he announces when he’s going the bathroom.
Lily meows loudly when it is time to go for her walk in the morning or to go out and play in the garage. If you ignore her, she meows even longer and louder. It is so funny as her tongue sticks out of her mouth in a point. If you talk to her when she is meowing to go out, she will rub against you to let you know she is there.
She also lets us know when she is in the litter box by meowing and when she brings us her favorite toy. She also calls for our Persian cat Ginger until she finds her. Lily can be very vocal at times.
Lilly does meow a lot -the litter box meowing would make me laugh every time. My mom’s Murphy also meows when he has his favorite toy. Do you think her meowing is funny?!
Charlie’s meow is still very kitten-like, it’s cute! I like it when cats meow every now and then, but not constantly meowing without stopping.
We have a ragdoll named Oswald who cries NONSTOP. All hours of the day and sometimes in his sleep. We think it’s that he’s trying to talk to us like we talk to him and to each other. I can’t believe it’s not a normal thing! PS: Love the website! Just saw your cards featured on Moderncat and had to check out your website.
Thanks, Caroline. You could feature Oswald on the site! Have you considered featuring him as Ragdoll of the Week? Is he your first Ragdoll? That is funny that he talks in his sleep!
I thought about submitting for him to be featured but I’m actually not sure if he’s really a Ragdoll– all we know is that his grandmother is a purebred Persian, and he’s big and muscular, very docile, friendly (greets us at the door, etc), and very floppy. So Ragdoll seems the closest fit but we’ll never be sure.
oh, ok. well, he sounds like a cool cat nonetheless!