Fluffy, warm, purry cats are the best, aren’t they? They are quite straight forward with letting you know how they feel. Claws out means back off, head bumps mean you’re in their good books. Of course, there are ways cats communicate that are a little more difficult to understand, such as meows. If your cat won’t stop meowing, you might feel particularly concerned as to why it is happening.
If you are wondering – why is my cat meowing? This article has all the answers. Let’s take a closer look at cats and why their melodic vocal tones are the soundtrack to your life lately:
Why Do Cats Meow?
Cats meow for a multitude of reasons with their first meows being aimed at their mum to say they are hungry, cold or otherwise in need of attention. As they get older though they are unlikely to meow to others cats so much. Instead, they meow to people. This is done for a number of reasons including:
- As a greeting – Your cat will respond to your voice, meowing when you greet them, when you return home, and when you speak to them.
- For attention – If you give a cat attention when they meow, they learn that it gets them the cuddles, so they keep doing it to get that attention. They may do the same thing to get you to talk to them, stroke them or otherwise give them your attention.
- For food – Cats might pipe right up at mealtimes to let you know they are near death and must eat right now. This is likely to happen, even if there is some food in their bowl.
- To go out, or come in – Whether it is the bedroom door, the back door, or even a window, cats will meow to have access to the other side.
- For mating – Lady cats might meow to let male cats know they are ready to mate. In most cases though, this is more of a yowl, something that also occurs during the act of mating.
My Cat Won’t Stop Meowing
A cat meowing is not unusual and actually, many of us kind of love it when our cats speak to us. Studies have even shown that cats learn to meow specifically for their owners, so it makes sense that we should appreciate their tiny little tuneful efforts.
That being said, of course there is a time when cats meowing is a problem. If you’re wondering ‘why does my cat keep meowing?’ Your cat is otherwise quiet and this is definitely not normal for them, there is something going on.
The first thing you need to do is consider taking them to your vet. This will help rule out the meowing being a medical issue.
Your cat could be meowing in pain, in which case you will want to get that addressed right away. This is especially relevant if the cat appears:
- Injured or unwell
- Was missing for a few days
- It has had an accident
- To be acting differently is overly shy, aggressive, is making itself small, or is otherwise acting strangely
If a medical issue is ruled out, there could be other causes for your cat being more vocal than usual. A cat meowing at night, is likely to be meowing because it is territorial or trying to mate.
How you deal with this issue is personal to you.
Getting a cat spayed or neutered is a really good idea, not only to reduce their loud mating attempts, but to also help avoid extra cats being made. This may help when cats are generally being loud in heat anyway, regardless of the time of day.
It may also be that your cat is meowing because it is angry. Again, this could be a medical problem or it could be for various reasons causing it to be unhappy in your home. Looking further into what to do when a cat is angry will help you to solve the problem for the good of your cat and home life.
The fact is, your priority should always be ensuring your cat is healthy, happy and content if you’re wondering ‘why is my cat meowing so much?’. This will hopefully help to resolve the issue in many cases, especially in scenarios where cats have previously been quiet.
My Cat Is Healthy, Happy And Content – But It Still Won’t Shut The Boop Up
If you’re thinking – ‘my cat won’t stop meowing and there is no reason’ then it comes down to how much you want to tolerate. It may be that as long as your kitty is happy and healthy, you’re OK with the way they shout at you in kitty language.
If the meowing is an issue and tends to relate to your cat trying to get attention, you can train them to understand that you will only respond to them with attention when they are quiet. The same thing can be done in regards to not rewarding meowing with food.
This kind of training will take a lot of effort on your part, but perhaps it will be worth it if you’re struggling with the one-man-band that is your cat piping up every time you’re around them.
If your cat is meowing out of loneliness when you are not around, it could be worth adopting a cat to keep them company. Of course, this is a long process to get right but it could be worth it for your cat’s wellbeing.
Alternatively, you could look into getting a trusted family member, friend or pet sitter to pay a visit to the house halfway through the day to give the cat some attention.
If the issue is your cat asking to go outside, or get inside, you might want to consider installing a cat flap so that they have the ability to get in and out without bothering you. If your cat is going to be living exclusively indoors, giving them plenty of stimulation and love should stop them constantly asking to go out.
“A meow massages the heart.” – Stuart McMillan
If the meows indicate a problem, or are an issue, there’s plenty you can do to rectify the situation.
However, the fact is, if your cat is well, their meows are another way for them to express themselves to you, which is something to be treasured.