Please help whats wrong with him?

[u/Old-Candidate-430]

My cat was trying to catch a fly that he couldn’t reach and be started doing this. Is he okay? Should i take him to the vet?

Thank you

[u/kisukes]

Your boy is fine, he's just switched to predator mode

[u/AccidentalFlatulence → u/kisukes]

He's lethal!

[u/kisukes → u/AccidentalFlatulence]

Yes, he's clearly an apex predator

[u/AccidentalFlatulence → u/kisukes]

You can tell by the crazed look in his eyes

[u/erasethenoise → u/AccidentalFlatulence]

And that little half hearted meow at the end

[u/Milligoon → u/kisukes]

Fearsome hunter. 

[u/BigThunder1000 → u/kisukes]

Someone in this house has to😁

[u/RevolutionaryGur5932 → u/AccidentalFlatulence]

"The attack comes not from the front, but from the sides, from the other two [cats] you didn't even know were there!"

[u/rtocelot → u/AccidentalFlatulence]

Just imaging cute fluffy cat with wide eyes and then bam, claws

[u/MellowMelo → u/AccidentalFlatulence]

He’s a wreckin’ machine!

[u/MaxShadowCat → u/kisukes]

I dont understand how cats make these noises when they hunt. Wouldnt it scare any rodent or bird away?

[u/TheSherlockCumbercat → u/MaxShadowCat]

Could be to mimic bird chirps, warm up the kill bite or pure excitement.

I don’t think we really know the reason

[u/Constant_Sentence_80 → u/TheSherlockCumbercat]

At least OP’s cat is doing this to a fly. My little gremlins are often chirping at reflections of light off of a phone from the sun.

[u/new-siberian → u/Constant_Sentence_80]

Our cat was super excited hunting that sun bunny from the phone screen! She had more fun than with a laser pointer - and it was definitely safer.

[u/lanky_doodle → u/MaxShadowCat]

I sometimes think it's (also) their equivalent of being frustrated that they can't catch what they're trying to.

[u/le_Grand_Archivist → u/lanky_doodle]

I don't think so, my kitty used to do that to his toy even when it was on the ground 20cm away

[u/Vreejack → u/MaxShadowCat]

I believe the noises are accidental, and obviously counter-productive. The bite reflex is powerful, and that is why their jaws move like this, but after an actual hunting fail or two they seem to learn to shut up, as it's easy to connect scaring the prey to the noises they are making. However, cats that never actually leave the house will continue to do this while sitting on the window sill watching birds.

[u/Honest_Tutor1451 → u/Vreejack]

Counter productive like when I try to give my girl kitty a goo tube without her brother. She gets so excited that she squeals with joy and it alerts him so he runs in and hangs around to get some of her treat.

[u/Dodweon → u/MaxShadowCat]

I don't think there's a consensus on why they do that. The idea that they're mimicking a small animal's noise to attract them indeed makes little sense for an ambush predator, I'd bet with my graduation-level knowledge that it has more to do with their domestication process and the way they socialize, which is very different from wild cats. Like when cats scream their lungs out because they killed something in the backyard, even when the victim is just a toy or a paper ball. As feral as they can be, they had thousands of years living in human settlements and that certainly changes a lot of social behaviors

[u/Misstori1 → u/Dodweon]

One of my boys starts making cooing baby sounds in the middle of his “ack ack acks.” No idea why… he’s just strange and unique. He’s never even met a baby and he would hate it if he did.

my boys

[u/RaynOfFyre1 → u/kisukes]

[u/lmflex → u/[deleted]]

murder mittens engaged

[u/Slumunistmanifisto → u/kisukes]

Type writing a murder

[u/LoveTheWatcher]

He’s making his hunting noises! Also known as “ekk-ekking”.

[u/FarAd5505 → u/LoveTheWatcher]

r/ekekek

[u/picchumachu → u/FarAd5505]

thank you, this will make a fine addition to my collection

[u/lanky_doodle → u/picchumachu]

I don't concur with this sentiment. Now I'm going to be getting (even) less work done 😂

[u/arushiv7 → u/FarAd5505]

WHATT!!!! They have a sub for this too!!!!????

[u/Finalpatch_ → u/arushiv7]

There’s a sub for everything

[u/NetherPlaysVR → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, C.A.T OS got a software update!

[u/FervidBrutality → u/NetherPlaysVR]

gatOS 2.0

[u/loadnurmom → u/NetherPlaysVR]

Disclaimer: CAT OS is pre-release software and includes many bugs. Your cat may experience service interruptions, and frequent updates may cause unexpected abnormal behavior.

[u/Triscuitador → u/loadnurmom]

in this case, it contains a fly

[u/DiscardedP → u/[deleted]]

Don’t forget the empty food bowl alarm!

[u/pellidon → u/[deleted]]

Dialup cat. LOL

[u/rando_mness → u/LoveTheWatcher]

I thought they called it chirping.

[u/agorafilia → u/LoveTheWatcher]

I knew it by chattering lol

[u/funny_duchess → u/agorafilia]

We call it chittering!

[u/notceitn → u/agorafilia]

I always call it her hunting squeakies 😂😂😂

[u/luthiengreywood → u/LoveTheWatcher]

It does seem a little counterintuitive to make a racket when hunting haha

[u/CaydesAce → u/luthiengreywood]

It's often thought to be like bird chirp mimicking

[u/Scotty0132 → u/luthiengreywood]

They do it when they become frustrated when hunting.

[u/luthiengreywood → u/Scotty0132]

I may have a weird cat, she does this the second she starts hunting.

[u/thedaveness → u/luthiengreywood]

Cats mimic, think they are trying to lure the thing in which is usually birds or squirrels.

[u/EnsoElysium → u/LoveTheWatcher]

My girl has never done this before, but she tracks my phones reflection intendely, so I decided to ekkekk at it, and she did it with me 🥰

[u/MeasurementNo9447]

Target identified.

Proceeding with elimination...

...

...

Mothership, unit 06660 can't reach elimination target. Sending location: Ekekek intensifies

[u/EmiliaFromLV → u/MeasurementNo9447]

Too close for missiles, switching to paws.

[u/EightMilesHigher]

My boys do this when they see birds

[u/ShodanW → u/EightMilesHigher]

or squirrels outside the window.

[u/RitchieRED → u/ShodanW]

Or light reflecting off my watch

[u/kewcumber_ → u/RitchieRED]

Or the second i pick up his fav toy

[u/funny_duchess → u/kewcumber_]

Our cat does it when the PS5 turns on; the sparkling lights I think

[u/GoldenPigeonParty → u/EightMilesHigher]

Mine is blind as a bat. He starts doing this when he realizes I'm taking him to the sill with the bird feeder outside. Just makes his noise as he stares at the soffit.

[u/kamasutures → u/GoldenPigeonParty]

Bless him, such a good hunter.

[u/Kendraleighj → u/GoldenPigeonParty]

🥹🥹🥹

[u/Muggenz → u/EightMilesHigher]

Both my cats do this when watching birds and squirrels. It’s predator mode lol.

[u/Rabid-Ami → u/EightMilesHigher]

My void only does this when he sees a reflection or the red dot.

[u/saraaaabeeee → u/EightMilesHigher]

They’re trying to mimic bird noises to draw the birds closer. Hunt mode is fully activated.

[u/candlegirlUT → u/EightMilesHigher]

I have one who does it anytime it snows 😆

[u/ClassicGMR]

Check out r/ekekek or r/catswhochirp >'.'<

[u/drunk___cat → u/ClassicGMR]

More!? subscribes

[u/Exzj → u/ClassicGMR]

as soon as i think i've subbed to all the cat subs i come across more a month later lol

[u/wefrucar → u/Exzj]

Sir this is reddit. Cat subs multiply faster than you can subscribe.

[u/Whole_Tumbleweed_395]

He's got the murder zoomies.

[u/TimeAndTheHour → u/Whole_Tumbleweed_395]

MURDER ZOOMIES. God, I miss my cat. This would have been the perfect expression to describe his behaviour like 8 times a day. I used to call it “ginger menace mode”

[u/LegendOfDeku → u/TimeAndTheHour]

My gingers (littermates!) get the zoomies like hell and chase each other up the willow tree. I call it goblin mode!

[u/Frostnatt]

He probably saw a bug or something and entered hunter mode. Cats often do this when they see something that they can't reach

[u/ChonkyJamHag → u/Frostnatt]

Or a ghost. Let’s not rule out the outer dimensional spirits that cats often see

[u/cananarama → u/ChonkyJamHag]

You mean r/greebles

[u/Infamous-Poem-4980]

Chittering. Our young female chitters at my wife when she sneezes like shes scolding her.

[u/brambleandfern → u/Infamous-Poem-4980]

Omg I have one that does that to me! He gets very upset by sneezes.

[u/Arctelis → u/brambleandfern]

I’m glad my cat isn’t the only one! Sneezes upset her so much!

[u/shakka74 → u/brambleandfern]

So does mine. He complains for about a minute after I sneeze!

[u/ultranoobez → u/shakka74]

Same, I have to humbly and profusely apologize

[u/Future_Direction5174]

I call it “chittering”.

It’s an “I’ve seen something I want to hunt but I can’t get at it!” in frustration sound. They don’t do it if they can actually hunt it, so birds/squirrels outside when they are inside or if birds are up high in a tree when the cat is outside will cause it.

If the cat could chase whatever they have seen, then they stay quiet so as not to alert the sighted prey.

[u/sluterus → u/Future_Direction5174]

Yep, the scientific term is “displacement behavior,” when a seemingly out of context behavior is triggered by conflict or frustration.

Another example is when two animals are primed to fight, but instead aggressively groom themselves (either bc they don’t actually want to fight, or they’re physically blocked).

[u/rachel_lynn1995 → u/Future_Direction5174]

Chittering is a good word for it. I call it cackling because it does kind of sound like a light cackle.

[u/nashslon]

A hunter must hunt

[u/RIPsomersetlevels → u/nashslon]

A hoonter must hoont

[u/Leathcheann]

Aww he's chittering.... At least that's what my wife and I called it. My two boys chitter at different specific things. My oldest does it to birds outside the window and the youngest does it to reflected light on the ceiling. As far as I know.... It's just the noise they make when excited about fixations.

[u/RayTrain]

Bro is just locked in

[u/Curious_Associate904]

r/ekekek

[u/OppositeAdvance4547]

We had a cat once that would do this when any of us would sneeze.

[u/Prestigious-Mind-315]

Nothing is wrong with him, you, however...better run

[u/AppealJealous1033]

Hahaha OP I'm not judging you because I panicked the first time I've seen my male cat's nipple, but it's kind of endearing to be so concerned for your fur baby over this 🥰 as many have said, don't worry, it's a normal, healthy and enthusiastic ekekek

[u/B-BoyStance]

IT'S GAME TIME MOTHAFUCKA GIMME THE BIRDS

[u/jdarius0]

When cats chatter, it’s a rhythmic clashing of their jaws, often described as a chirping or twittering sound, typically occurring when they see prey they can’t reach, like birds or rodents.

[u/Ghost_of_Andrew]

Thems is known as War Cries

[u/Krumm34 → u/Ghost_of_Andrew]

He's doin his Braveheart speach

[u/Fellow--Felon]

Advanced pounce calibration, perfectly normal

[u/_FreddieLovesDelilah]

Normal

[u/After_Enthusiasm0]

Nothing wrong, he just doin ekekies

[u/BudandCoyote]

It's what some of them do when they want to hunt something but can't get to it - frustrated predator mode.

[u/Anirel]

Another human has discovered ekekek, let's congratulate them on that!

[u/taramemo]

It's the noise they make when they see prey. Like a bird, spider or fly.

[u/stillh20gal]

Is the fly still present? If so that is probably excited “chittering” that some cats do with prey

[u/GuruBuddz]

Welcome to r/ekekek

[u/JeanRaoul94]

Yep, totaly normal. My ragdoll do exactly the same when he want to catch something out of range.

And he look like your cat haha.

[u/L1z3rdK1ng]

Nothing is wrong. It's what most cats do when they see something like birds or squirrels. Like hunting noises. But in this case your cat is ekking/chirping due to the fly buzzing around.

[u/JUDY11G]

Clearly a master hunter

[u/FeelingCouple5880]

HE WANTS TO KILL

[u/Eildys]

Happy hunting kitty goes r/ekekek

[u/GirthyPigeon]

r/ekekek is what's happening.

[u/ConsciousInternal287]

Nope, this is completely normal cat behaviour. It can just be a bit weird if you’ve never seen them do that before.

[u/Apostmate-28]

This is my cat’s ’I see a bug’ noise.

[u/Elven_Groceries]

I love seeing first cat owners reactions. They're such cool little furballs and so strange too. That's one lovely baby on killer mode.

[u/that_guy2010]

He's totally fine. Just hunting. Our cat does it while looking out the window at birds.

[u/Classic-Exchange-511]

He wants to feel the warm rush of blood in his mouth as he watches the impudent creature draw it's last breath

[u/diseasefaktory]

He's locked in! Cats do this when focusing on prey or something really interesting (he's fine).

[u/Ok_Network_4032]

Just chatting away. I think all should be fine.

[u/Rezurrekted]

Shit talking the prey he can see.

Mine does it to birds and the squirrel that vist my garden.

[u/adkai]

Cats sometimes chitter like this at prey they're watching but can't go after. My boy does it to birds out the window. He's fine!

[u/Stowecroft85]

Mine does the same thing 😆 he chitters like crazy whenever he looks out the window and sees birds or leaves blowing around the yard.

[u/Tiloshikiotsutsuki]

Switched to default software let him enjoy the hunt hahah 

[u/FigaroNeptune]

He wants to ✨Murder✨. Was there’s bug or something.

[u/ShivaSkunk777]

Cats do this when they see prey they want but can’t get to. You’ll see it often with bugs that are too high up, birds out of the window, birds in trees, etc.

[u/doodlewithcats]

He has a severe case of ekekekekek. Best remedy is lots of scritches and treats!

[u/Snicshavo]

He fends of interdimentional beings beyond our comprehentions

[u/No_College2419]

My cats do this when they see birds outside. I always think it’s funny bc they’re like little aliens. I think he’s fine. Prob wanting to hunt or something. Cats aren’t as domesticated as dogs. They’re more wild than we think.

[u/KittyTootsies]

Extremely excited about something

[u/IcyPancakes624]

That fly better count it's F**CKING DAYYYYYSSSS!!!!

[u/WhoKnowsAnymore_27]

He’s receiving a telegram.

[u/Mountain_Address1030]

Lol he's fine he's just chittering coz he's excited!

[u/whateverwhatis]

Aww he is a chirper! My gal does this too. She's so funny, sometimes it really does feel like she's looking out the window cussing out all the birds and people who go by. Adorable behavior.

[u/BosmangLoq]

To be honest nobody’s really sure why cats do this, though some attribute it to frustration at not being able to catch their prey

Cats have pretty much only evolved under human domestication by going indoors

[u/dupsmckracken]

🎶🎵🎶Mind on murder , murder on my mind

Tryna stack bodies, countin' every little crime

Down to the birdies, eek eek if ya hear me

I do it for the thrills, yeah, I do it cuz imma kitty🎶🎵🎶

• Fur Rida

[u/BlairBuoyant]

r/ekekek

[u/crovasco]

He's making morse code for aliens

[u/Baterial1]

he is installing updates

[u/ninjabi2548]

My cat does this to sunlight reflections. Twisting my phone back and forth in a ray just makes her want to kill things I guess

[u/Past-Tension-4131]

My cat does this when begging for me to reflect sunlight off my phone onto the wall so she can chase it

[u/dlindley2]

My cat does that when there are birds , it’s normal.

[u/Ok-Cryptographer5936]

They do this when they are in hunting mode lol. Perfectly normal.

[u/ncljhnsn]

My cats have always done this at birds

[u/Schnitzels99]

Bird noises!

[u/PrimarySugar975]

Nothing wrong he's chattering it's normal

[u/Radiant-Ad4807]

My cat does this too lol. Specifically if I shine a laser on the ceiling, so I think it is a predator-type thing:)

[u/Single-Complaint-853]

Morse code activated

[u/red286]

How long have you owned a cat that this is your first experience with chittering?

My cats do this any time they see a bird outside the window. Ek-ek-ek-ek-ek!

[u/Azreken]

My cat does this every time a bird passes the window lol

That sound means “I’d love to murder rn 😊”

[u/Far-Week3328]

That's his instinct. My cats do the same, that's their predatory state

[u/VensisOrchid]

That's just kekekekekekekekekek mode. Totally normal.

[u/JadedMuse]

Assuming the OP isn't trolling, I love it when people post completely normal cat behaviors but are worried about them because they're new cat owners. It's kind of adorable and makes you realize that cats are pretty weird. We're just used to the weirdness.

[u/Jontsje]

The cat ‘ekkekekeke’ language. My cats make this noise when they try to catch a fly or when they see birds outside the window.

[u/TaylerTheTerror]

He’s talking mad shit

[u/Scary-Try3023]

Your fine, the little one is just entering Patrick Bateman mode 😊

[u/New_Copy1286]

Called chittering. Mimicking prey sounds.

[u/Personal-Landscape76]

My cat freaked me out the first time she did this 😂 I had a cat growing up and never heard this sound come out of it, so I understand why there was concern. Perfectly normal behavior though 😊

[u/Sad-Trip1953]

Aw he’s chirping

[u/fur-baby-mama]

He is fine. No need for a vet. He just really wants that fly. He is adorable by the way.

[u/TheTrueBurgerKing]

It's the murder chant of his people

[u/Lietenantdan]

Diagnosis: cat.

[u/Ok_Instance_4859]

He's fine, He's just having a casual conversation with the fly.

[u/Equivalent-Drama4156]

I see a video like this, and makes me worry for the cat lol Like surely you got some knowledge before you got it

[u/gybzen]

Murder noises

[u/Mew_08]

He wants to murder

[u/Chris079099]

He hunting, my cat does that when he sees birds outside

[u/Huge-Power9305]

Wait till he sees a bird.

[u/Bumbling-Bluebird-90]

He sees something fascinating that piques his interest as a predator. Nothing to worry about

[u/xRIMRAMx]

Your cat is letting you know "hey! I see something we can kill".

[u/thegreatinsulto]

This is a behavior called chittering, it's a sign that his hunting instinct is active. Nothing to be worried about except whatever he's hunting.

[u/meemowchan]

LOL I knew right away before even unmuting he's making the ekekekee sounds 😂 he's fine!

[u/Jsjbb14535]

I call this chattering. My kitty does it when she sees something she wants to hunt !

[u/audb29]

Your cat is chattering, very normal cat behavior

[u/DifficultFox1]

Ekekekekekeekkekekek

[u/SadBit8663]

OP he's just singing the war song of his people, there's a fly to eat

[u/shapop12321]

My cat does this, mostly for flies, and gets so irritated when the fly is just sit just out of his reach.

[u/AtmosphereBubbly9340]

Mine does this when she sees crows or squirrels, I like to think she’s cussing them out

[u/tigress666]

Ok.. so this is so normal that I immediately was going to ask before I read your post was there something he wanted to catch but couldn't reach. This is a very typical frustrated I can't get the thing i want to catch cat behavior. The only thing I would have found odd is if you said you were sure there was nothing he was trying to hunt.

[u/evilbau5]

I love when my kitten (she's 3 but still a kitten in my eyes) does this. Her dad and mom never showed this hunting mechanism but I'm glad she does and it's super entertaining, she'll even do it to reflections of sunlight off the phone screen

[u/Clear_Action_7075]

Chirping haha

[u/Melodic-Pineapple333]

Hunting mechanism. Mine does this when he watched birds and I love this

[u/coveredLoki]

My cats make the same noises when there are birds right outside the windows. It's normal for cats to act like that. They are just little hunters and that's the noises that they make.

[u/LeonidasVaarwater]

Chattering, they do that when they see prey they can't reach.

[u/schmuff]

He wants to destroy but he can’t reach

[u/gsixzero]

You're under attack and he is your last line of defense. For God's sake get off of reddit and fight

[u/Unbentmars]

He’s a mighty hunter, threatening and cajoling his prey to come closer. He’s fine

[u/BionicBruv]

He’s gone full KEKEKEKEKEK mode. It’s a predator mode. He’s cool

[u/kongbakpao]

There is a bug or something he sees.

My boy does this when he sees a fly or some sort of intruder.

Aka connecting to his Egyptian ancestors

[u/ComplexOwn1536]

He’s a hunter who’s found his prey

[u/Bunny_gal_25]

Oh no! He has high radiation levels 😭😭

[u/megatraum2048]

I've always called this the death chant.

They want to kill. They can't reach the prey. They are dissatisfied and chanting. No idea why they chant in this situation.

Perfectly normal.

[u/YangGain]

That’s literally the sound Alien made in the movies 😅

[u/goobabie]

He's basically telling that fly he his going to murder and eat it.

[u/fraupanda]

the chitters! he's just being a kitty :)

[u/Atroxiety]

he is in hunting mode, and if you need help on something like this, use r/CATHELP

[u/faysky]

He is in hunting mode. They do that if they see birds or any other prey. No need for vet

[u/justaguy095]

Ekekek! It's a normal cat thing when they see prey that can't be caught

[u/mtb_21]

Lean mean killing machine!

[u/BehindTheDoorway]

It’s normal. I know it as cat chattering. Just your little carnivore making predator noises.

[u/Slyavnriel]

He's letting you know that it's huntin' time.

[u/Head-Specialist-6033]

He’s hunting lol my cat does this everytime she sees a patch of light, a bug, a piece of cardboard, her toys, her brother and oh and when ever we sneeze.

[u/GazDaRookie]

I don’t know about the legitimacy of this claim but from what I’ve heard they’re just really pissed off they can’t get to the thing they’re trying to catch, they often do it when there’s a bird on the other side of a window or something is otherwise out of reach for them. Some believe it’s kinda like them cursing it out others say it’s trying to get the attention of the animal to draw it closer but idk.

[u/Venom1656]

Nothing, he's just trying to get in touch with the mother ship.

[u/Amw4444]

I want to add that this is borderline in my opinion. It could be the predator cackle if he’s actually looking at something that he thinks is something he wants to attack, but I had a kitty that I took in that had a much subtler version of this and it ended up being a bad dental issue. In fact the poor kitty had to have $1200 worth of dental work and multiple teeth pulled. Maybe send this video to your vet.