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Big cats are known to be some of the stealthiest predators on the planet—padding silently through the jungle as they stalk their prey. Meanwhile, domestic cats have learned that being a bit louder can get them more attention from their owners.
Some cat breeds are downright chatty. If you like a cat that “talks” to you, a vocal cat breed is just what you’re looking for. Any individual cat can be vocal or quiet, but some breeds are known for their loud, persistent voices. Let’s meet the most vocal cat breeds.
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The No. 1 spot for most vocal cat breed goes to the Siamese, which is unparalleled in its ability to communicate with humans through loud meows, yowls, chirps, and trills. Siamese are extremely social cats, and their intense desire to bond with their humans is part of the reason for their chatty ways. This trait seems to be genetically linked, as almost all Siamese are big talkers.
In addition to grabbing your attention vocally, the Siamese is notorious for enjoying close contact, climbing onto your lap or even crawling right up your body to wrap themselves around your shoulders like a living shawl.
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The No. 2 spot on our list of most vocal cat breeds is the Oriental Shorthair. This is not surprising considering how closely related Orientals are to Siamese. The Oriental Shorthair is identical to the Siamese in everything but coat color. Whereas Siamese only come in traditional pointed patterns (a light-colored body with darker points of color on the head, legs, and tail), Orientals come in almost every other color and pattern imaginable, including solid colors, tabby patterns, tortoiseshell, bicolor, calico, shading, smoke, and cameo.
The Oriental also comes in a long-coated variety, called the Oriental Longhair. Orientals act just like Siamese, and this extends to their chatty nature.
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A close third place for the most vocal cat goes to the Balinese, another breed very closely related to the Siamese. The Balinese is a carbon copy of the Siamese—but with a long, lovely coat. They have a fine, silky single coat that lies close to the body. Otherwise, the Balinese looks and acts the same as the Siamese. They are highly social, affectionate, and very vocal. Their voice is a touch softer than the Siamese and their chatter is not as demanding.
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You might notice a theme—many of the most vocal cat breeds have Asian roots. The most vocal cat breed, the Siamese, is from Thailand, and another chatty cat, the Burmese, developed right next door in Myanmar (formerly called Burma). Burmese cats love engaging with their people and use their lovely, musical voices to communicate. Unlike the intense and insistent yowl of the Siamese, the Burmese has a softer, sweeter voice that mostly consists of gentle meows and trills.
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The Tonkinese is a combination of two vocal breeds—the Siamese and the Burmese—so it makes sense that the Tonkinese inherited a chatty nature. Like the parent breeds, Tonkinese are affectionate and people-oriented cats who love to be wherever you are. Charmingly, Tonkinese will almost always answer you if you speak directly to them, but they are capable of quiet moments too. The sweet Tonk uses several different sounds when talking to their people, including meowing, chirping, and trilling.
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The hairless Sphynx became a breed when some people fell in love with a bald kitten who was born with a spontaneous genetic mutation. In addition to their hairlessness, Sphynx cats also feature the trait of being a highly vocal breed. Their talkative nature is likely due to their intense desire for social interaction with their human family. Sphynx are known as “Velcro cats” because they stick close to your side always. Their meows, chirps, trills, and yowls are as delightful as their unique appearance.
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Another hairless breed that was created as a result of a random mutation, the Peterbald was developed by crossing bald Russian cats with Oriental Shorthair cats. The Oriental Shorthair takes the No. 2 spot on our list of most vocal cat breeds, so it makes sense that the Peterbald is another talkative breed. Peterbalds are extremely people-oriented and do their best to communicate and bond with their people through plenty of feline conversation.
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The Bengal is a hybrid breed created by crossing an Asian wildcat species—the Asian leopard cat—with several domestic cats, including the Abyssinian, American Shorthair, Burmese, Egyptian Mau, Ocicat, and domestic shorthair cats. Bengals enjoy communicating with their people using a wide variety of vocalizations, including meows, chirps, and yowls. Bengals might have inherited their chattiness from the Asian leopard cat or possibly the Burmese or other breeds in their background.
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The Savannah is a hybrid breed created by crossing a small wild cat species—the African serval—with domestic cats. Perhaps due to their wild ancestry, Savannah cats don’t limit their sounds to simple meows and purrs. They use a wide range of vocalizations to express themselves, including meows, chirps, growls, and hisses. Although this breed is independent, Savannahs enjoy engaging with their human family, and vocalization is a big part of their communication.
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The Singapura is another Asian cat breed with a penchant for chitchat. The Singapura originated in Singapore (Singapura is the Malaysian name for Singapore), though it was officially established in the United States. Singapuras often use their voices to ask their human family for attention—something they rarely get enough of! They express themselves with a variety of endearing meows, chirps, and trills. In return, they bestow their loved ones with gentle affection.
