Facts about the animal kingdom

Why Does My Cat Meow so Much?

Olivia Grisham
By Olivia Grisham, Journalist specialized in animal care. June 19, 2017
Why Does My Cat Meow so Much?
Cats

See files for Cats

Meowing is a cat's way of communicating with us, catching our attention and telling us they need something. In this AnimalWised article we want to elaborate on the reasons for a cat's frequent meowing and help you identify their specific cause.

In most cases, listening to our pet and trying to understand it may be the key to identifying an illness, pathology or inadequate care on our part. Keep reading and find out why your cat meows so much to start implementing a solution for a happy and healthy animal.

You may also be interested in: Why Does My Cat Sleep So Much?

Contents

  1. Kittens meowing
  2. Cats meowing in pain
  3. Meowing in stress
  4. Does your cat spend a lot of time alone?
  5. Meowing because they want food
  6. Your cat is happy to see you
  7. They want your attention
  8. Have you adopted a stray cat?
  9. Is your cat in heat?
  10. Your cat is getting older
  11. If your cat meows a lot, do not ignore them

Kittens meowing

When we separate a kitten from their mother and siblings, they will most likely meow for them during the first few days in our home. They don't do this because they are not being well taken care of. The reason for this behavior is much simpler. From birth, a kitten is accustomed to meow when they move from their mother in order for her to find them easily and quickly.

When you adopt a kitten, they experience the same sense of separation and, therefore, will meow to call their mother. In order for this separation to be as smooth as possible and for the kitten to develop properly, allow them to stay with their mother until they reach two months of age.

A kitten meowing during the first few days that they are with us is totally normal. In this sense, what you should do is try to have your little companion adapt to their new life as soon as possible. Provide them with the basic care they need and offer them all your love. Of course, do not pamper or spoil them in excess. To obtain a happy and healthy cat it is not necessary to give into their every demand. We must educate them.

Why Does My Cat Meow so Much? - Kittens meowing

Cats meowing in pain

If a kitten meows at various times of day after just adopting them, it is fine. However, if an adult cat is doing this, we must stop to listen, observe and discover the reason why.

If you notice that your cat has started to meow very suddenly, the first thing you must do is to check if they can feel some type of pain. To do this, you will have to gently palpate all areas of their body and observe their reaction. If they moan when you touch a certain part, you will have found the answer and you should go to the vet immediately.

On the other hand, whenever we witness a blow or fall, even if at first glance physical damage is not visible, internal consequences can occur. They can be mild or very serious. Therefore, it is so important to take your pet to the veterinarian as soon as the blow occurs. In most cases, internal damage is usually manifested days after the incident.

If after examining your pet and they do not react but continue to meow, you must start observing all their behaviors and movements. You will likely notice other symptoms, such as lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of hair, etc,. If they manifest any other symptoms, it is possible that your feline is suffering from a disease that only a specialist can diagnose and treat.

Why Does My Cat Meow so Much? - Cats meowing in pain

Meowing in stress

Just as dogs emit different types of barking depending on what they want to say, cats also have several meows. Have you tried to take your cat to the vet and started to hear a stern, powerful and long meow? This is the typical reaction of a cat suffering from stress.

Whenever you identify that type of meow, it means that your feline is stressed for some reason and therefore you must treat them immediately. To do this, the first thing you must do is identify the cause that is giving them stress. Once identified, you must proceed to solve it.

You must keep in mind that cats are animals that require a space of their own to be able to feel protected and safe when they feel threatened, afraid. Or when they simply want to disconnect and relax. If your furry partner does not have this, it will be crucial that you start looking for one. Notice if there is a place they prefer to be in.

Why Does My Cat Meow so Much? - Meowing in stress

Does your cat spend a lot of time alone?

One of the main symptoms of anxiety in cats is meowing. If your pet spends long hours alone at home, boredom and loneliness can develop and a state of anxiety that must be treated immediately. Excessive meowing is often accompanied by other behavioral problems, such as scratching furniture or hyperactivity.

We tend to believe that cats being more independent than dogs do not require as much of our attention and care. It is not like this. In addition to water, food and a clean litterbox, they need to be provided with fun and exercise. More than for lack of affection, the feline suffers anxiety when they spend a lot of time alone, because they are bored and require entertainment. That is why they may become badly behaved or begin to bite you.

My cat meows because of anxiety, what do I do?

To remedy this situation, we must ensure that we leave enough space in the home so that they can move freely when we are not at home. We will have to acquire a scraper and toys so that they can have fun without our presence. Give them access to a window so they can look outside and reduce their feelings of being locked in. Of course, devote some time to play with your pet too. We advise you to go to a specialist so that they can examine your cat thoroughly and decide the best guidelines to follow to treat their anxiety.

Why Does My Cat Meow so Much? - Does your cat spend a lot of time alone?

Meowing because they want food

It may seem like a simple question, but does your cat eat enough food? It is possible that your feline will be hungry with the daily doses of food that you provide them which means they will meow to have more. Depending on their weight and size, you must provide a specific amount of feed. Consult your vet if you are unsure of this amount.

If you already provide the amount they need and still notice that they are very upset, what you should check is the type of food you are giving them. Feeding a cat should be based on the combination of dry and wet feed and, as far as possible, homemade diets.

If your pet does not like the food you give, oris bored to always receive the same, they will probably stop eating and request other food through meowing.In these cases, cats tend to meow near the food bowl, refrigerator or place where we keep their treats and goodies.

Why Does My Cat Meow so Much? - Meowing because they want food

Your cat is happy to see you

The way cats greet us when they see us is through meowing, kneading and, in some cases, licking. Although hard to believe, cats can become very affectionate and show us that they are happy with our presence. Therefore, they may overwhelmingly happy when we arrive home after being absent and begin to meow excessively.

What do we do? Return this greeting with a sign of affection, which may well be a slight caress or affectionate touch. We do not want to let them think meowing a lot is fine and they can do it whenever. We just need to convey to them that we are just as happy to see them too. Therefore, an exaggerated greeting on our part will not be necessary.

They want your attention

As you can see, not all motives for a cat's meowing are negative. If we know that our pet is not suffering, are receiving an adequate diet and are not anxious, they may simply want our attention. This is likely because we are not spending enough time with them.

As we discussed in previous sections, cats also need us to pay attention to them and some playtime to burn the energy accumulated during the day. In addition to reducing meows, we will get a happy, healthy and balanced pet and strengthen our bond with them.

Have you adopted a stray cat?

If you've just adopted a stray cat and you've noticed that they get very upset every time you come in, visitors come in, or when they hear some strange noise, etc., they probably feel threatened.

Keep in mind that for a long time they have been exposed to all kinds of hazards; they may have had a fight with other cats or even someone could have hurt them. In these cases, meows that cats emit when they believe they are in danger tend to be more like a loud, sharp, and long cry. Check out our article on how to help a malnourished cat.

Why Does My Cat Meow so Much? - Have you adopted a stray cat?

Is your cat in heat?

When cats are in a period of heat, they emit very long, high and loud meows so that male cats come to their call and can reproduce. In general, when they are at this stage, they tend to be more affectionate than normal, rubbing themselves on the floor to relieve their instinct and even cry.

To calm her during this time, you must pay more attention to her, show her more affection than usual and play a lot with her. If you do not want her to mate, we recommend that you take precautions and close all exits of the home to prevent escape or stray cats from entering your home.

Your cat is getting older

When cats reach old age they tend to meow without reason, making long and serious sounds. They can do it in any space of the home and moment of day.However, to ensure that your feline is in perfect condition, AnimalWised recommend you to increase periodic visits to the veterinarian.

On the other hand, keep in mind that an old cat does not require the same care as a young cat. If you are not providing them with enough though, it is likely their meows will increase and their health will be impaired. To offer them the best quality of life, see our article on caring for older cats.

If your cat meows a lot, do not ignore them

As you can see, there are many causes that can determine why a cat meows a lot. Some of them refer to serious health reasons that require the help of a veterinarian so that you can diagnose the issue and start the best treatment. In either case, ignorance should never be the solution. Paying attention to what our cat wants to tell us can be the key to identifying a disease in time, or treating a mental disorder that can only get worse. Also, observing their behavior will tell us if we are providing them with the care and diet they require.

Likewise, we should never resort to violence to correct conduct. With this, all we will get is that our cat is afraid of us and will increase the intensity of their meows. As we commented throughout the article, it is best to find the cause and treat it accordingly.

Why Does My Cat Meow so Much? - If your cat meows a lot, do not ignore them

If you found this article useful, you may be interested in 5 funny things that cats do and how to deal with cat hair shedding.

If you want to read similar articles to Why Does My Cat Meow so Much?, we recommend you visit our Facts about the animal kingdom category.

Write a comment

Add an image
Click to attach a photo related to your comment
What did you think of this article?
1 comment
Rating:
John Clark
Our male, desexed Siamese Blue Point meows almost continuously from waking until he sleeps. He is well fed and has several places where he likes to sleep. At night he will usually sleep on me for a few minutes before heading off to the armchair where he will spend most of the night. He likes to wake us a couple of hours before sunrise when he is allowed to go out before he has his breakfast.
1 of 8
Why Does My Cat Meow so Much?