Glossary
Trilling
A short, rolling, rising sound cats use as a friendly greeting, copied from the way a mother calls her kittens.
Also called: chirrup, trill, chirp, greeting trill
A trill is a soft, rolling sound that rises in pitch, somewhere between a purr and a meow. It is sometimes written chirrup. Mother cats use it to call their kittens and keep them together, and kittens answer in kind. Adult cats keep the sound for greeting people and other cats they like.
Typical moments are when you come home, when a cat leads you toward its food bowl or when it invites you to follow. It is often given with a raised tail and a slow walk. Some breeds, such as the Siamese and Oriental cats, are more talkative than others, and individual cats vary a great deal.
Trilling is friendly, and there is nothing to correct. A good response is a quiet word or two and a gentle rub, which teaches your cat that talking to you works. A cat that suddenly becomes much more vocal than usual, trills and yowls for no clear reason or calls out at night should be seen by your vet, because pain, thyroid disease, high blood pressure and hearing loss can all change a cat's voice.
Last reviewed November 7, 2026