Why Indoor Cats Chirp at Birds (and How to Let Them Hunt Safely)
That chattering at the window is normal. Here's what it means and how to give your indoor cat a hunt it can finish.
That clicking, chattering sound your cat makes at the window? It's their hunting instinct switched on, with nowhere to go.
What it means
Cat behavior experts interviewed by Chewy say it's excitement at spotting prey, and possibly a reflex that rehearses the bite cats use to finish a hunt. It's normal. The catch: an indoor cat gets the stalk but never the pounce. That leftover energy has to go somewhere, and too often it's your ankles or the couch at 3 a.m.
Give them the pounce
The experts' fix is short daily hunting play, ideally before meals. Make it prey that fights back:
- Our flapping bird cat toy, SkyHunt, sits still until your cat strikes, then flaps its wings and chirps in place like a bird trying to escape. Rechargeable, 3 flapping modes, refillable catnip pocket.
- Our suction cup cat toy sticks to a floor, wall or window, and its two prey toys bounce back every swat. Your cat keeps hunting even while you're busy.
Quick tip: play right before dinner, so the hunt ends with a meal, just like it would outside.
Source: Chewy, "Why Do Cats Chirp at Birds? Is This Normal?" (reviewed by Hannah Hart, DVM).