Goats make a "baa" sound similar to the sound a sheep makes, but goat vocalizations are closer to whats called a "bleat," which is a sound also sometimes made by cows and deer. Goat sounds may all sound the same to the untrained ear, but they actually differ based on what the goat is trying to communicate. For example, goats snort-bleat to alert others to potential danger, and they make different sounds when they are excited or joyful. Kids make specific sounds when they cry for their mothers. The pitch and loudness of goat sounds vary widely among various breeds, with some females having a quiet, gentle bleat, while others shout loudly and in a high pitch.

According to a study, goats recognize when one of their herd-mates is happy or sad from their bleats alone. When goats hear a series of calls that change in emotional tone, they look towards the source of the sound, and their heart-rate readings indicate the animals own emotions are swayed by the noises. Goats make various sounds to express different emotions, just like humans.