Cats are great, sure, but they can also be jerks. Like when they step all over your face in the middle of the night—so you close your bedroom door and they meow and scratch until you let them back in.

Cats meow for several reasons, which change as they grow from kittens into cats. Kittens meow to their mothers to let them know when they're hungry, cold, or scared. But once kittens grow into adult ...