A cat will have a lot of reasons why it might feel the need to meow. Kittens, for example, will usually resort to meowing as a way of calling their mothers when they are either scared, hungry, or cold. With age, cats will find other ways of interacting with other cats and vocalizing their intentions, most of the time using either hissing or yowling, depending on the situation. What’s interesting, though, is that adult cats will generally use meowing as a way to communicate with people in general and especially their owner. But, depending on how often your cat meows, it might become annoying at some point.
If you’re one of the people that want to know why is a cat meowing so much and whether the pet is actually crying, then this is the article for you.
Before you take action to stop a cat from meowing, you will first need to understand what is she trying to tell you. A cat making pain noises will require quite a different treatment than a cat that simply needs attention. Below you will find some of the common reasons why a cat will meow continuously and ways in which you can stop it from all the meowing.
They want to chat due to loneliness or boredom
Yes, if you have a cat that spends most of the day alone in your home, her problem might actually be loneliness. We all know that kitties aren’t the most social creatures but even so, from time to time they will not only enjoy but even require the company of people they like. You may find that your cat walks into rooms meowing or greets you by meowing consistently when you get home. There are even cats that get used to people chatting and will mimic their behavior, joining in regular conversations.
So how do you deal with a cat’s boredom? To help her get through this situation, you can try to help her stay entertained by leaving some cat toys around while you leave the house. Along with interactive toys, you can also get a kitty tower. Putting a bird feeder just outside the house so she can see birds out the window will help the animal keep busy for hours. You can even leave a video playing on YouTube created specifically for cats.
You might also like my articles on whether there is a cat food shortage in the US, how much should kittens eat, and whether cats hold grudges.
They might be hungry
Do you notice your cat crying especially when she sees someone entering the kitchen? It’s probably her way of asking for food, even if she had eaten not too long ago. Some house cats will become especially vocal when they feel that it is their time to eat.
This time, the solution is pretty obvious. You might think that it is best to just feed her but this would be very counterproductive to stopping any future meowing. In fact, you will have to do quite the opposite and train your cat not to do this by refusing to feed her when she cries. Wait until she is quiet and only then put down a bowl of food for her. This will help her understand with time that she will get food when she’ll be quiet. Going for an automatic feeder would be even better. This device will release a small portion of food at set intervals.
They crave attention
Yes, some cats might meow trying to get your attention. Cats really like spending time with their owner and from time to time, they might start meowing as a way of showing their desire to play or cuddle. To stop her from crying loudly for your attention you will have to do the same as with eating. Stop giving her attention and look away when she starts meowing, and then give her your undivided attention when she’s quiet.
Always be careful when ignoring a pet. Keep in mind that this cute animal does want love from you, she needs chat times, grooming, and a lot of playing every day. Don’t ignore her throughout the day and devote some of your time to your furry companion.
They are either stressed or sick
There are a lot of ailments and diseases that will make your cat experience pain, thirst, or hunger, which would lead to extensive meowing. Two of the medical conditions that will make your cat very vocal will be overactive thyroid and kidney disease. Stress can also be behind a cat’s reasoning for becoming vocal. Your cat can experience stress due to a multitude of reasons like you adding a new family member or moving out of your old home, or any other significant life changes for that matter. When cats are stressed out, they might meow a lot more than usual.
This is one of the hardest problems to solve. It’s not like you’d move back into your old home just to stop the cat from crying. If you feel that your cat’s meowing might be due to emotional or physical pain, take it to the vet to see what’s wrong. They will tell you how to calm your pet down or help her get rid of her pain.
They’re getting old
This is really common for cats reaching a certain age. They will suffer from mental confusion and cognitive dysfunction just like people when getting very old, becoming very easily disoriented. This will make the cat meow quite a lot throughout the day and even during the night.
There’s not a lot you can do to fix this, but sometimes a nightlight can be very helpful for the cat to get less disoriented and feel more comfortable at night. If things get particularly severe, you should contact the vet and see if there’s anything you can medically do. There are some medications that can be prescribed to alleviate some of the symptoms.
They are in heat
If you haven’t spayed or neutered your cat, she’ll want to breed periodically and during her heat periods, she will become very vocal. Most of the time, female cats will make louder sounds than males. They will spend around one week of every month in heat time in which they will yowl strongly. Males will usually only yowl when a female in heat is around. This can become very annoying for their owners and to prevent these sounds, spaying or neutering will usually be the best solution.
Keep in mind that although very annoying, a cat’s meowing will have the purpose of making you understand that they are unhappy. This unhappiness can be either from a lack of attention or from a medical issue that might be causing pain. Regardless of the reason, you should never ignore your pet’s cries and should do whatever possible to first identify the issue and then fix it.
