Meow

A meow or miaow is a cat vocalization. ''Meows'' may have a large range of sounds. Adult cats rarely meow to each other. An adult cat meowing at a human is generally considered a post-domestication extension of meowing by kittens: a call for attention.

Pre-domesticated felines are believed to have communicated with each other mainly via their sense of smell and marking behaviors which provide a superior means of communication with other cats, but as they were domesticated they learned to vocalize to humans. Their vocalizations can signal hunger, desire to go outside, or simple greetings.

A mew is a high-pitched meow often produced by kittens. It is apparently used to solicit attention from the kitten's mother, and adult cats may use it during periods of distress or sadness, or to signal submission. Provided by Wikipedia