Is your cat meowing or crying during the night? Your furry friend’s calls in the dark of the night or even during the day may be the result of stress or another issue. Here is the why and how to stop the behavior keep you up all night.
Related: Why Does Your Cat Meow? 5 Possible Reasons
Medical Issues
Chicago veterinarian Ken Schwartz explained that perhaps your furry friend’s cries are for medical help. While it can be a simpler issue, as we will discuss later, there could also be something internally wrong. “Thyroid disease, hypertension, kidney disease, urinary pain, and cognitive dysfunction are all issues that can lead to nighttime vocalization,” Ken expressed.
Anxiety
Beyond medical issues, your cat’s meows could be a sign of stress. “Decreases in vision or hearing may make your cat more anxious and not want to be left alone or in the dark. This could lead to vocalizing and try to get into the bedroom,” Dr. Schwartz elaborated.
Age
Older cats may be experiencing some hearing loss. This might be a sign it’s time to get your kitty’s hearing checked. Aged felines tend to use meowing to guide themselves and when it gets dark, they use the sound to help navigate the limited light.
Boredom
Cats sleep a lot, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get bored. They could be looking for something to do or a way to get your attention. It could also be a protest to not being able to find their preferred toy.
Related: 5 Myths About Pet Cats
Stop the Meowing Madness
It may feel like you’re going a bit crazy with all midnight meowing. There are ways to ensure a great night sleep. Try using these tips…
1. First, check with your vet to make sure there are no medical issues.
2. Once your kitty has a clean bill of health, make sure they are comfortable in their nighttime space. Make sure access to food, water, litter box, and toys aren’t impeded. Consider leaving on a light for your cat to ensure they aren’t experiencing any undue anxiety.
3. Spend some special pre-bedtime with your cat. Just like family, cats need a little love and attention before you call it a night.
4. Consider involving them in your bedtime routine. Cats tend to be creatures of habit, too. Involve them in your nightly wind down so they know it’s time for sleep.
5. Stick to your rules. If you give into their meowing racket, it will only encourage the behavior.
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My mom has 2 cats and they do this a lot. When I was little she even used to scare me saying that they’re “meowing” at ghosts to make me go to bed!
Some good pointers here for suggestions on how to stop cat meowing at night time. I don’t actually have a cat but my dog used to bark at night a lot and it was anxiety related so this is always an issue too with cats. Good post!
This is good information to have on hand. My cats do not exhibit such behavior (yet) but when they do, I know now how to address it. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome! My sister absolutely loves tips about her cat. This is exactly the kind of stuff she freaks out about. Sending to her now to see if it’s any help to her 🙂
Such a great read, though I don’t have cats as pet, I have seen many of my neighbours who have them complaint about occasional meowing. Atleast, I shall now be able to help them with some reasons as you shared!
The cat I had when I was young could meow when i wanted milk..at times, if it didn’t have enough, I could hear it sneaking into the cupboard to do some stealing..hehe…For sure, one should check up on the cat when it meows, its not always a normal thing.
This is such great info! I love my cats so this info is very helpful for me to understand them better! <3
Cats are nocturnal creatures. I feel like if I had one, I would have to have it sleep in a different room than me. I like uninterrupted sleep.
I did not even realise that cats too need a bedtime routine. Reading your post certainly explains it all . I dont have pets so was totally unaware.
I have a cat meowing mostly night time or early morning we think he stressed his sister had to be put down she had lung cancer 3 wks ago then on top of this we moved . I know we are stressed doing all these. Is there anything we can do to help him. Maybe meds. Or something else
I’m going to try the leaving few lights on tonight. She just had check-up. I think she just wants to play ! I play for at least 30 minutes every night before bed…. but that doesn’t help. She HOWLS almost every night for sometimes 45 minutes. She puts ME under stress ! But I LOVE her so,so much. She is just a spoiled princess. It would break my heart if I found out she was loosing
Her sight and was having hard time finding the bedroom. Oh yes, she sleeps with me every night on her heating pad a fluffy blanket and her own pillows. Ya, she’s a princess.
Meowing at night chasing toys and playing or running at full speed up and down the halls. Not all the time but once in a while , figure they just need some more excercise and since nocturnal hunters do a lot of moving around at night.