Having your cat meow at night isn't uncommon, however it can be very troublesome for caregivers that need a good night sleep. There's a number of reasons why your cat won't stop meowing at night. Thankfully, there are also a number of solutions.
In this AnimalWised article we're going to explain the reasons why your cat won't stop meowing at night and the solutions to this issue. Continue reading to learn more!
Why cats meow
Cats mainly meow to communicate with humans. This is because cats tend to communicate with other cats through body communication. As we tend to talk to our cats, they will try to verbally communicate their needs and feelings through meows.
Different meows will communicate different messages. For example, a cat may meow and purr gently to show their affection towards their caregiver. Sometimes cats will even meow and run to their caregivers once they arrive home to welcome their caregiver back home. To learn more, we encourage you to read our article on why cats meow or watch our Youtube video below.
Why your cat won't stop meowing at night
They're bored
As most cats are generally more active at night, it's normal to hear your cat playing or meowing at night. This can become an issue when they meow excessively and wake you up. When they do this it's probably because they're calling you to play with them or give them affection because they're bored.
They're hungry
Cats may meow excessively at night if they're hungry. This may be the case if you gave them dinner hours before bedtime. During the night, they may become hungry and start meowing, asking you to feed them again.
They're active at night
Cats are nocturnal animals, meaning that they are mostly active at night. Although cats typically sleep anywhere between 16 - 20 hours per day, they don't generally sleep these hours continuously. They will often take many naps during the day and night. That's why it's not uncommon for your cat to be up at night, however, it isn't normal for them to be excessively meowing during the entire night either.
They're senior cats
It's no surprise that senior cats will experience certain health issues. One of these include Cognitive Disfunction Syndrome, also known as CDS, which is directly connected to the effect of the ageing in your cat's brain. They have a variety of syndromes, one of them being excessive meowing during the night.
They feel trapped
When we adopt outdoor cats they will often need time to adapt to living inside a house or apartment. This is especially true when it comes to staying inside at night. As cats are often more active at night, your outdoor cat may be meowing at you so you can open the door or window for them to go out.
They're mating
Cats normally meow to communicate with their human caregiver. However, there are certain times they meow for other reasons. This is one of them. Your cat may be meowing at night if they are mating with another cat. Perhaps this is your own home or, if they are allowed outside at night, it could occur in the patio or on the roof.
Change of environment
If you've recently moved to a new place with your cat, they will need some time to get used to their new home. This may result in them meowing at night because they don't feel comfortable yet and feel as if they need to stay in alert. Sometimes a change of environment can also affect us, so it's understandable that our cat will need some time to adapt.
Health issue
Lastly, a cat may begin to meow at night because they are in pain. This can be a serious issue, so it's best to take them to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
How to make your cat stop meowing at night
Take them to the vet
Firstly, we'll want to rule out any health issues. For this you can take your cat to their veterinarian for a regular check-up. This way, your veterinarian can make sure this behavioral issue isn't due to a health problem. If it is, they will be able to treat your cat early on before it gets serious. If it's not, you can let your mind at ease. Your veterinarian could also give you some guidance to helping your cat be more quiet during the night.
Change their feeding time
Something else you should try is change their feeding time. This can be especially useful if you believe that you have been feeding your cat their dinner too early, leaving them hungry at night. Even if it's just a treat, try feeding them closer to bedtime so that they can wait until you wake up to eat again.
Give them time to adapt
If you've recently moved to a new place or there's someone new in your household, you will need to be patient and give your cat time to adapt to the new environment. This new change may put your cat in an alert mode, not allowing them to relax and sleep like they would before. In this case, give your cat attention and love for them to realise that everything is okay and that they are safe in this new situation.
Encourage them to be more active during the day
To make sure your cat sleeps with you at night, it's best to encourage them to be active during the day. To do this, play with them during the day, take them out for a walk and feed them a high quality cat diet. Then, at night they will be ready to cuddle and dive into a good night's sleep with you.
Learn more in our article about tips to stop a cat from meowing all the time.
Understanding feline behavior
Lastly, we want to encourage you to learn more about cat behavior. As a caregiver, we need to be able to identify certain behavior from our cat and understand its meaning. Whether it be that they are feeling ill, hungry or affectionate, we should be able to identify what they're trying to tell us.
This way, our communication and bond with our cat will be better. We will also be able to better care for them. To learn more about this, we encourage you to read our complete guide to understanding cat behavior.
If you want to read similar articles to My Cat Won't Stop Meowing at Night, we recommend you visit our Behavioral problems category.