Hearing a loud, distressed meow or cry coming from a tree or dense bushes often causes confusion. Many people assume they are hearing a lost kitten or an injured house cat, but the sound is frequently produced by a bird. This acoustic surprise is an example of avian mimicry, where birds evolve vocalizations that imitate other animals. The confusion is generally caused by one of two species: one with a specialized call that gives it its name, and the other a generalist that can copy almost any sound it encounters.
The Gray Catbird
The most direct answer is the Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis). This medium-sized songbird is named specifically for its distinctive, unmusical call, a nasal and drawn-out “mew” that is remarkably similar to a domestic cat’s cry. Ornithologists believe the bird uses this simple, repetitive call primarily as an alarm or contact vocalization, often making the sound from within dense cover.
The catbird’s appearance is understated, meaning it is often heard but not seen. Its plumage is a uniform, smooth slate-gray color across its body, accented by a neat black cap on its head. A defining feature is a patch of rusty, chestnut-red feathers located directly beneath its long tail, often visible when the bird is perched or startled.
The species is a summer resident across much of eastern and central North America. They typically inhabit areas with thick, low-growing vegetation, such as shrubbery, forest edges, and suburban gardens. Catbirds prefer to move and forage in these dense thickets, rarely venturing into open spaces. This preference for cover, combined with their characteristic mew, makes the source of the sound difficult to pinpoint.
Vocal Mimicry and the Northern Mockingbird
While the Gray Catbird has a dedicated cat-like call, the Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) also contributes to the confusion through its extraordinary ability to mimic a vast range of sounds. The Mockingbird is famed for its complex vocal repertoire, which includes the meows of a cat among a catalog of other imitations. Unlike the Catbird, the Mockingbird is a generalist mimic, capable of reproducing the calls of dozens of other bird species, as well as artificial noises like car alarms and machinery.
The Mockingbird’s cat imitation is incorporated into its lengthy, improvised song, contrasting sharply with the Catbird’s singular, repetitive mew. A single Mockingbird may cycle through numerous complex phrases, repeating each one multiple times before moving to the next imitation. This species is typically found across the southern United States and is a common sight in open areas and urban environments, often singing from a prominent, exposed perch.
The difference in their vocal behavior is a helpful distinguishing factor. The Mockingbird’s song is a complex, varied performance, whereas the Catbird’s cat sound is a simple, nasal alarm or contact note. The Mockingbird’s broad range of sounds is reflected in its scientific name, which translates to “many-tongued mimic.” This ability establishes the Mockingbird as a secondary but significant source of the mysterious cat-like bird noise.
Identifying the Sound: Bird or Feline?
A listener can use several contextual clues to determine whether the sound is avian or an actual feline. The location is the most immediate indicator. A bird will typically be calling from a fixed position high within a tree or a dense, inaccessible shrub. In contrast, a domestic cat’s meow, while sometimes coming from cover, is more likely to move or be accompanied by rustling closer to the ground.
The specific auditory quality of the noise can also offer a hint of its origin. Bird vocalizations are produced through a specialized avian voice box called a syrinx. These sounds may possess a slightly hollow, metallic, or thin quality that differs from the resonance of a mammal’s vocal cords. Furthermore, the timing of the sound is a strong clue, as most songbirds are highly active and vocal during the daylight hours, particularly around dawn and dusk.
Observing the pattern of the call can also help narrow the identity. If the sound is the exact same mew repeated consistently every few seconds, it is likely the Gray Catbird. If the cat meow is one phrase within a rapidly changing sequence of other distinct bird calls or even siren sounds, the culprit is almost certainly the Northern Mockingbird.