5 Reasons Your Cat Keeps Meowing At Night
Does your cat keep meowing at night? Here are five reasons your cat might be keeping you up with those persistent meows and yowls - and some tips on how to help curb this behavior!
1. Cats are naturally more active late at night/early in the morning.
While it's thought that cats are nocturnal, that is not strictly true. Cats are naturally crepuscular, meaning that they are most active at dawn and dusk. For a cat in the wild, this is the ideal time to stalk and hunt their prey. But just because your humble house cat isn't in the wild doesn't mean they don't have the same powerful instincts!
Although your cat can adapt to your nightly routine, a cat's crepuscular nature means they may be active and awake in the early hours of the morning and yowling for your attention - when you're trying to catch some Z's.
2. Your cat may be bored or unstimulated.
If your cat is crying and meowing at night, it may be out of boredom or lack of mental/physical stimulation. They might begin meowing during these crepuscular hours as a form of attention-seeking behavior, often because they haven't gotten enough exercise or tired themselves out enough to sleep.
Time to get preemptive! Tire your kitties out before with a bit of playtime before bedtime. If you have some difficulty getting your cat to play, try a few toys to see what type they like best. My cat, Betsy, prefers crinkly toys that make a sound. Other cats may prefer a toy with feathers that more resemble their natural prey.
Ideally, you'll want to find a toy that is fun for both you and your cat. The Mouse Hunt Toy is an interactive toy you can control from your smartphone while your cat does all the work.
Playtime not only helps your cat get the physical and mental exercise they need - but it also helps increase the bond between you and your cat!
3. It can be a sign of illness.
Some cats are naturally more chatty than others - Siamese cats are known for being especially fond of expressing their opinions vocally. But if your cat is suddenly meowing more than usual at night, to the point of excessiveness, this may be a sign of an underlying illness. For instance, cats of all ages can develop an overactive thyroid or kidney disease, both of which can result in excessive vocalizations. It’s important to pay attention to your cat’s behavior - and of course, their meows. They may be trying to tell you something is wrong.
4. They're in heat.
If your cat is not spayed or neutered, be prepared for a lot more racket. Unaltered females in heat will yowl to attract a mate - and unaltered males will yowl in reply when they smell a female in heat. Spaying and neutering your cat can help prevent this caterwauling. On top of that, spaying and neutering can actually improve your pet’s health, curb behavioral issues, and help save on the long-term cost of veterinary care.
5. They're HUNGRY.
Cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy suggests feeding your cats 3 times a day, with 6-8 hours between feedings. If your bedtime is 11:00 pm, give your cat a meal right before bed - with that playtime we talked about at around 9:30, before the meal. So you tire your cat out, give them a small breather, then feed them their final meal before bedtime. This will encourage your kitty to settle down for the night - after eating, they'll start grooming. And then they'll probably cuddle up for a good night's sleep.
I figured that my elderly lady (she’s now 14) actually might become nightblind, hard of hearing, and slightly senile. She started calling very anxiously every night, and when we called her name, loudly, she would eventually come up stairs (meowing every few stepps to have us keep calling her name), and finally quiet down. Once we started leaving nightlights on around the house, she’s been much calmer. She still seems to lose track of us and call out, but not as panicky, and she finds her way to us quicker
About an hour before I go to bed I wake up my cat, play with him and then refresh his water. While my husband and I are getting ready for bed, he hangs out with us and then disappears to prowl. I started this 20 years ago when we had three cats that would sit on the stairs and meow at the skylight at the top of the stairs. The sound would echo off the walls. It was awful when they would start this at 3 am.
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