When a man (or woman) 'catcalls' a woman (or man), what is the motivation? What does s/he hope to achieve?

As a young woman, I was frequently on the receiving end of wolf whistles, inappropriate comments on my appearance, leering, and the like. This question got me to thinking… what’s in it for them? What’s going through the cat-caller’s mind in that moment? What outcome is s/he looking for?

Some possible scenarios:

“Ooh, she’s hot… I’d like to bang her.” If so, is cat-calling an effective strategy, at all? Has anyone ever actually gone on to date the cat-caller?

“Ooh, he’s beautiful. I bet he’ll appreciate my telling him so.” Do we actually appreciate it sometimes? Is there a way to compliment a stranger on their physical appearance without seeming like a creeper?

“Let’s see how uncomfortable I can make this person.” Could it actually be this actively malicious?

What do you think? I’m open to all answers, and would really appreciate it if anyone can answer based on their own experiences as a cat-caller.

Let this be a safe environment, so we can honestly learn about this, please. No flaming!