Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related
Never received hand-off from Houston ATC.Did not receive hand-off from Houston. If we did we both missed several attempts by Houston to give us frequency change. Checked with [First Officer] FO who was monitoring 121.5 only to be told FO turned the volume down because of people meowing; when we turned up volume and contacted Atlanta they gave us 120.4 . We were past out Top of Descent (TOD); he laughed and said thought you missed something being still at 35;000 [feet] 50 miles out; gave us a heading and descent landed ZZZ with no further issues. I did have a number to call [and] gave them all my info. He said he still had to fill out a report even though we were in no one's way and middle of nowhere.
Captain reported missing a frequency change and stated the First Officer had turned down the volume of guard frequency due to people 'meowing.'