Cat cawing

Question
My Siamese cat woke me up very early this a.m. making a very loud cry.  It almost sounded like a blackbird's caw or an eagle's cry.  I've never had a cat make that kind of noise before, it really scared me.  I thought she was having a heart attack.  When I found her, she was sitting in the hall with my other cat.  Did she just get frightened or was she making a warning sound to my other cat who she really doesn't get along with?

Answer
Hi Dawn.  Cats make all kinds of sounds, and Siamese have an especially wide vocabulary.  Knowing the cats don't always get along so well, it's a good possibility your Siamese was communicating to your other cat that she didn't want to be bothered.  Cats can also sound forlorn when they're looking for something or someone, when they've "caught" something they were "hunting" (often a sock!), or when they're confused or anxious.  A cat having a seizure or not getting enough oxygen to the brain may let out a bizarre and disconcerting cry, too.

Since you weren't right there when the noises occurred, it's hard to say what they could've meant.  Body language is usually what gives it away.  If you hear these sounds again and she seems to be disoriented or just staring into space, then you should get her to a vet.  This could indicate that she's going blind, is having seizures, heart problems or is anemic, or if she's an older cat, she may have a condition similar to human Alzheimer's, called Cognitive Dysfunction in cats.