Screaming frog ??

[Krewella]

I wondered if anyone has heard a frog scream before....was out in the garden this afternoon and kept hearing this noise like a balloon being let down slowly sort of a eeeeeeek sound. Thought it was my daughter playing with a party balloon until she appeared and asked what the noise was. Looked over and noticed the cat playing in the big clump of ivy at the bottom of the garden walked down and heard the noise again and saw the cat pounce. Daughter and I ran down and saw a frog jumping and cat following and the frog was making this eeeeeeeeeek noise. We grabbed the net scooped the frog up and while daughter distracted the cat I let the frog go in the pond. I know by the markings it was the daddy of the taddies so I`m guessing that mum must still be there somewhere. Luckly I checked the frog over and it seemed untouched the cat is a bit dippy doesn't chase birds or anything. But I wondered if anyone had heard such a noise from a frog?

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Krewella

I wondered if anyone has heard a frog scream before....was out in the garden this afternoon and kept hearing this noise like a balloon being let down slowly sort of a eeeeeeek sound. Thought it was my daughter playing with a party balloon until she appeared and asked what the noise was. Looked over and noticed the cat playing in the big clump of ivy at the bottom of the garden walked down and heard the noise again and saw the cat pounce. Daughter and I ran down and saw a frog jumping and cat following and the frog was making this eeeeeeeeeek noise. We grabbed the net scooped the frog up and while daughter distracted the cat I let the frog go in the pond. I know by the markings it was the daddy of the taddies so I`m guessing that mum must still be there somewhere. Luckly I checked the frog over and it seemed untouched the cat is a bit dippy doesn't chase birds or anything. But I wondered if anyone had heard such a noise from a frog?

Well, I've not heard it myself, but it's a fairly well known occurrence - I think there may be another thread somewhere that mentions it. It's supposed to put predators off - but it obviously didn't work with the cat!

henrya

[nutmeg]

Yes, I've heard frogs scream - and it's been when under attack from my (now deceased) cat. I was surprised the first time I heard it.

[BUMPKIN]

Yes I have heard a frog scream. It was when my pet rabbit was having a hooley round the garden and nearly landed on it. I'm not sure who moved fasted once the screaming commenced the frog or the rabbit.

I have also heard one scream when I have disturbed them slug hunting in the flowerbed.

Another one of mine screamed in the pond (not sure why) and then inflated itself like a balloon trying to look big and imposing. It just looked a bit silly really but is obvioulsy an effective technique with predators.

[nightshade]

I had my wrist slapped as I had never heard this before ( although I have
always had frogs and toads around) and told someone they were mistaken
I have since heard it several times in my own garden,your description of like
a balloon being deflated eeeeeeeek is spot on

[svenrufus]

I'm on tenterhooks at this time of year, as it is guaranteed that the swarms of cats in our area come into our garden at night and torture frogs. Ours is the only garden for some distance that hasn't been decked or concreted over and it is a magnet for the cats as the only natural playground in an urban area.

Lying in bed at 3am listening to frogs screaming is horrible, and last year I bought a water pistol to dispatch the cats. At times, I have seen 6 cats gathered around one frog, waiting their turn. By the end of the season they had learned to scarper as soon as they heard me open the window as they knew they were in for a drenching. I have got quite adept at opening the window silently so I get the chance to get the buggers. During the summer, every time I hear a cat bell on the collar, the adrenalin starts up as I wait for the frogs to give voice.

Incidentally, whenever people say 'Put a bell on your cat' no-one ever thinks about the noise it makes disturbing the neighbours as they maraud through their gardens in the deep of the night - it doesn't save wildlife, and is intensely irritating to non cat owners, so why bother? There are so many reasons to hate cats, frogs screaming in the nght is just one of them.

PS I had a cat as a kid and actually quite like them as individuals, I just never realised at the time what a pest they are but now I do, I wouldn't be so selfish as to own another again.

[Krewella]

I have to admit the cat causing the screaming was my cat. I love cats in fact I love most animals. Mine don't have bells because I think it's horrible for the cat and personally I would like to tie bells round the owner necks and see how fun they find the noise. My cats have spent the first 3 years of there lives living in a flat and have only been out side in the last couple of weeks the one that caused the problem did't have a clue what she was doing and hasn't even checked the area today because I was watching her. She is we think a bit of a special needs cat the other one has no interest in the pond she likes flies and moths and the odd pidgeon but never even gets within a meter of it because she too noisey. I think I should be thankful that the people where we have moved to here have no problems with our cats because at the end of the day they are animals just like the frogs.

[Wild-Woman]

I quite often go out in the garden bare-footed.One evening I did this and went out to see if the back gate was locked, it was dark and it had rained. (You can guess where this is leading). Yep, I trod on one, not full weight thankful and the blessed thing screamed and so did I.Apart from the sliminess underfoot, the noise was like a shockwave up my leg! My other half nearly wet himself laughing!

[Krewella]

I thought it was a rat but must admit I could never mistake the sound again it is quite scary.

[Digifrog]

I've heard a frog make eeek sounds too. When it was being 'attacked' by the neighbours cat.