Oriental Shorthair Cat's Barely-Audible 'Honks' at Seagulls Are Too Precious to Resist
Whether or not you own a cat, it's not difficult to imagine a cat's stereotypical meow. The sound is high-pitched, inquisitive, and absolutely adorable, but that's not the only noise felines can make. Far from it!
In fact, some cats make noises that sound nothing like a meow at all. Whether it's a groan, a yowl, or--in this case--a honk, these not-so-common sounds are very entertaining to hear. For Oriental Shorthair owner Hannah, though, she gets to hear these silly sounds every day! Her orange and white cat, Winstony, had quite a lot to say while spotting seagulls from the car, and now, a January 26 video of him talking has other people talking on TikTok! Why? Because you can barely hear what he's saying!
OMG--listen to him! You might need to watch the video again with the volume at its highest to get a good listen to his tiny honks, but sure enough, there they are. It's such a silly sound for a cat to make, but for Winstony, it's totally normal!
Related: Cat Mom Shares 3 Fascinating Facts About Oriental Shorthairs
This Oriental Shorthair's fans dubbed these the 'whisper honks,' which his owner @hannahzgreat couldn't agree with more. She explained that he normally honks at the wild turkeys passing through his backyard, so calling out a seagull was only a natural next step. If you listen extra closely, it sounds like one of the birds honks back to him, too!
Why Do Cats Honk?
Even though many cats have a very traditional-sounding meow, some naturally make sounds that resemble chirps or honks. The Oriental Shorthair is one of those breeds! To them, a honk could mean anything from 'hello,' to 'go away,' but you'll learn to tell what your cat's different meows mean as you spend more and more time together.
Even though the hypoallergenic Oriental Shorthair breed is known for its honking sounds, a few cats only make this sound when feeling frustrated or upset. In this case, you'll want to pay attention to your cat's body language and tail position to estimate what they may be expressing. In very rare cases, a honking sound can be a sign of a feline respiratory infection, though other unusual symptoms will likely accompany this honk.
In Winstony's case, his barely audible honks could be a sign that he's in predator mode (sort of). Even though he's resting happily in Hannah's arms, he's locked in on something interesting and is incredibly focused. Whatever thoughts are behind the tiny honks--I sure appreciate his sharp attention and even sharper eyesight!
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