Why is My Cat Meowing Non-Stop?
Is your cat’s non-stop meowing making your crazy? Even after years of working closely with animals, I still like to speak with my veterinarian or other animal experts when questions concerning my pets arise. So when Olivia started meowing excessively for no apparent reason, I knew it was time to consult with The Catvocate, Dr. Liz Bales.
When Olivia meows, it sounds like she’s in a bit of distress, but when I approach her, she acts normal and friendly. After chatting with Dr. Bales and doing some research, I discovered that there are many, many things that can cause a cat to meow non-stop! In fact, she told me that there isn’t one single answer to this question. But, excessive meowing can have a whole list of reasons and she’s been kind of enough to share some of them with us here.
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What Does Your Cat’s Meow Mean?
- Your cat might just be trying to say “hello.”After you’ve been away, it’s not unusual for your kitty to run and greet you at the front door and give you a sweet meow. She may also be inclined to greet new ones.
- Your cat might have anxiety. Excessive vocalization is one symptom of cat anxiety. If your cat has anxiety, it’s important to get her the right treatment. See this resource page for more help on dealing with pet anxiety.
- Your cat might want a little extra attention. If your cat comes up to you, rubs against your leg, and meows or purrs, you can bet that she is just seeking some attention. Cats crave interactions from their family, so it’s important that we show them how much we care for them by giving them that attention.
- Your cat may want to breed. If your cat hasn’t been spayed or neutered, you can expect some pretty unusual behavior from them. This is especially true as they transition from a kitten to a cat. Unspayed female cats make a very specific yeowling meow when they are in heat. Spaying them will end this behavior. Talk to your veterinarian about spaying or neutering your cat. There are many health benefits associated with “fixing” your feline, not to mention that your kitty won’t be contributing to pet overpopulation!
- Your cat might be bored or lonely. She might just be looking for something to fill her time. Especially if your cat is the only feline in the home (like Olivia is right now), she may become restless looking for a way to be entertained. Just because cats are rather independent creatures, doesn’t mean they don’t need mental and physical stimulation in their environment. Feline enrichment is a hot topic these days because so many house cats are overweight or obese (about 50%!) because they don’t get enough exercise or opportunities to use their natural instincts. Keep reading below for some advice and product solutions on enriching your cat’s environment.
- Your cat may need something. Try to read the situation. If your cat is looking longingly out the window, she may see something that caught her eye, like a bird or a bug. This is a good signal that she needs some mental stimulation and play time. Or, if she’s meowing and staring you down as you eat a tuna fish sandwich or rubbing against your leg every time you walk close to her empty food bowl, you know she’s hungry.
- Your cat could have a health concern. She could be meowing because something is truly wrong. As our cats age, they often develop health issues, so she may have pain or she could be confused. Dr. Liz Bales says hyperthyroidism can also be a culprit. She says, “Cats who become hyperthyroid meow a lot, particularly overnight. Hyperthyroidism is a disease most commonly seen in cats over 8 years old.” If you can’t figure out why your cat is meowing, your cat seems ill, or her meowing is excessive, it’s important to have a talk with your vet to rule out any underlying conditions.
According to Catster, there are six different kinds of meowing sounds, and each one signals something different. If you’re curious about which meow your cat is using, simply search for cat meowing videos to compare them to your cat’s meows. But always talk to your veterinarian if you have ANY inkling your kitty may be in pain, distress or sick.
Do’s and Don’ts of Dealing with a Cat that Meows Non-Stop
- Don’t ignore your cats meowing without establishing the reason. Remember, there’s something causing her to be vocal. Even if you think your cat might just be meowing only because of boredom or to gain attention, make your best attempt to establish the reason.
- Do find a source of entertainment for your cat. Your cat needs to play and keep busy. Adopting another cat to keep your current kitty company is an option for some. However, if that’s not an option, or you already have multiple cats, try out some new kitty products to keep her entertained. My kitty Olivia loves keeping busy with this Cat Activity Play Mat
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- Don’t punish your cat for meowing. Punishing your cat for meowing isn’t kind or effective. Dr. Liz Bales advises to never hit your cat, yell at your cat, or spray her with water. These techniques don’t work and will make your cat scared of you. Getting to the root of the problem is always the best course of action.
- Do talk to your vet. If you can’t figure out what your cat needs or wants, it’s time to have a conversation with your vet. Your kitty may have a health concern that needs to be addressed. Don’t put this off — cats are great at hiding illness, so if you so much as have a hint of suspicion there’s a health issue, see the vet.
- Don’t reward bad behavior. If it’s excessive attention that your cat is seeking, don’t give in to her every want. Dr. Bales says, “If you know your cat is healthy and safe, their needs are met, and your cat is meowing for something you don’t want to give – like endless treats. Don’t give in. If you give in, you have told your cat that endless meowing works and they will just keep doing it.” Rather, focus on good behavior. Reward her with attention when she’s been calm and quiet. Your kitty will catch on to what you respond to.
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- Do make sure your kitty has a smart set up for feeding time. If you want to provide a mentally and physically stimulating meal time (healthiest for your cat), you can use Doc & Phoebe’s Indoor Hunting Cat Feeder. Make your cat work for her food! For her, it won’t be work, it will be more like play because her natural instincts to hunt, pounce and play will engage! You also need to ensure your kitty has enough water and feels encouraged to drink.
Dehydration can cause health issues in kitties, which may also cause excessive meowing. This Catit Flower Fountain
Be a Proactive Pet Parent
Above all, we want our pets to be healthy and happy. Taking the time to address concerns with our pets will lengthen and add joy to their lives. Certainly, that’s something we all want for our beloved animals!
Great, thanks for sharing this blog article. Want more.
Thanks for reading! I am glad this helped!
Kristen
Similar issue here: Crying, meowing for no reason. Even cats need to sometimes be vocal to just hear their own voice, I get that. But, sometimes enuf is enuf! We have a 2 yr old kitty, Megan, adopted 5 months ago and has adjusted well. We are both retired so have plenty of time and attention. Established routines since day 01. She’s not our first cat. Kitty has fresh water at all times (changed twice daily), free feed dry kibble at all times. I hide small quantities of her food so she can hunt (part of her daily feed) and kibble is also placed inside toys and tossed for her to run and catch. Kitty doesn’t really care much for treats or catnip. We play numerous times daily. She sleeps with me. Toys get swapped out when she gets bored. She has alone toys and ‘play with me’ toys. Litter box is changed daily. She is 100% healthy and shots up to date. She has multiple safe places thru the house to den down and nap uninterrupted, including a perch to watch outside squirrels and birds Kitty also has a cat bed or can sit with us or wherever she wants in the living room, plenty of places for her to settle down. There are no closed doors in the house other than exits. No other animals in the house, no kids, so no agitation. She sleeps very well. She can eat a good meal, go potty, groom, take a nap, then 15 mts of playtime (usually until she decides she is done and quit playing so she know she is exercised). We may settle down to watch TV. At that time, kitty will meander into another room, then start loudly fussing. She will almost deliberately go into another room to start whining. Do we call her to come here? Yes. Does she? No. She just cries and meows. If you get up and start doing something (put away laundry, dishes, sweep, clean, tidy up) she happily comes along to keep you company and only occasionally wants to chat with you (I also encourage her to come along and talk to her coz I feel this is good bonding and exercise and stimulation). But once we settle down into our chairs, it is ON and time for her to scream non-stop (hours if you can bear to listen to that for hours). Seems Like on purpose she leaves the room to go into another room to just sit there and scream. The TV is not too loud so the volume is not hurting her ears, she will happily nap during a loud game of football, lol, so that isn’t it. You could be reading quietly and she does the same thing.
QUESTION: Is it wrong to wade thru the 10 or 15 toys scattered on the floor to walk over calmly, gently scoop up kitty, without saying a word, after 15 mts or so or her ‘singing the song of her people’ to put her in a bedroom and close the door? This would be the bedroom we share at night and there is a potty box and water for her. We would only put her in there for as long as she is wailing.
Sorry I know this is long but I want to clarify her toys are regular cats toys, plastic bottle caps, anything that catches her fancy and is safe and also toys that wiggle and scoot along (battery and USB powered) when we aren’t doing interactive toys with her (wands, tonka toy trucks she loves, tossing toys to her to chase, etc) so she has plenty of toys and gadgets. And Megan Kit has blankets in every room as well as her beds and tower perch condo.
Hi Carla,
It seems like she could be trying to get your attention. Some cats, especially if you are home all of the time, just get lonely. It does sound like you are spending a lot of time with her, though. Does she always get vocal in the same area? She could be “hunting” something on the ceiling or outside. She may just see some dust or a cobweb she wants to get her paws on!
I wouldn’t suggest locking her in the room until she is quiet, as I don’t think that would solve the problem. Try hiding some of her hunting toys in the room where she gets vocal. Then, she can satisfy that hunting instinct. You can also put a Feliway diffuser in that room, as that releases calming messages into the area that only they can smell. You can get one here: https://amzn.to/3bGtwY6
Let me know how it goes! It’s also worth checking with your vet to make sure she is totally healthy!
Kristen
Thanks again for the blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Cool.
I have a cat that was abanded she was outside the most of her life and we got her fixed 2 days ago and she won’t stop meowing i need to know if she is in pain or bored or just want to play she is about 6 months old so i am scared i need to know if she is in pain or no and also she will not let you go to bed and when you put her on the bed she jump right of and play with her toys i really need your help i only got one hour of sleep.Oh yeah she has another cat with her but they are scared of each other can you please tell me why they are both girls/females
thank you
Liliana
Hi Liliana,
Kittens by nature are more playful than adult cats. So, if she is meowing, she may just be playing or wanting to play with you. I would call your vet where she was spayed to get her checked out if you are concerned she is in pain from her procedure. Kittens typically bounce back quickly after a spay/neuter, so it’s likely that she is wanting to play, but definitely a good idea to check in with your vet.
Cats are nocturnal, and unfortunately they won’t typically want to sleep at bedtime when they are kittens. So, it’s important to feed her at the same time each day, and have a set playtime with her that way she can get used to having a routine. Then, she may start going to sleep at bedtime the older she gets!
Cats can take a while to get used to one another since they are territorial in nature. So, be sure to cautiously and slowly introduce her to the other cat you have in your house. It’s best to keep them in separate rooms for a week or so until they get used to the other’s scent. It can take months for them to warm up to one another. This book is an excellent resource for introducing cats: https://amzn.to/3nvWKLY
I hope this helps! Thanks for rescuing a new cat!
Kristen
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Hello, I have 2 cats one of them (Kevin) we got 2 years ago and the other one (Kacy) we got like mid October of this year so not long ago. Kevin is completely fine and quiet with good qualities which I wish would rub off on Kacy cause she’s mischievous. Anywho so my post is about Kacy, at random times (but usually morning and night) she will meow nonstop. For the most part I’d say that she does this when she is on the window sill looking outside but she also does it randomly when she’s just walking around too. After reading your post I realize we have been treating the issue the wrong way by spraying and yelling at her. But even then she doesn’t stop. Please help cause we really like her but she can get annoying when we are doing our homework and when we are trying to sleep. Also she cries a lot when we open the front door. She was previously a stray cat so I’m not sure if maybe she just wants to run around and be free again.
Hi Amanda!
How old is Kacy? Kittens sometimes will meow a little more when they are younger to learn how to get your attention. Meowing in the morning and at night can indicate that she is hungry. Is this when you usually feed her? Ensuring she has a set feeding time is important since cats are so routine oriented.
Additionally, it sounds like she might be meowing at her “prey”. Since she typically meows at the window/door, she likely sees a bird or a squirrel that she is “hunting”. This is very common for indoor house cats. This meow is likely out of excitement for seeing her prey, not that she wants to go back outside. Keeping cats indoors is really important as they are exposed to many diseases when they are outdoors, and un-spayed female cats can become pregnant very young. I would highly recommend keeping her indoors at all times and ensuring she gets spayed if she isn’t already.
Cats meow to communicate with us, so it is likely she is telling you something. She could be hungry, need some attention, or be hunting her prey. I would put Feliway diffusers around your house, as those communicate natural calming messages to felines. This can help her feel more comfortable in her new home. https://amzn.to/33f8Oto You can also get automatic feeders to help establish a set mealtime for both of your cats. This could help her be less likely to meow in the morning and night. https://amzn.to/3mflNTv
I hope this helps! If you are concerned about her meowing, I would definitely recommend a vet appointment to ensure she is not in any distress!
Keep me posted.
Kristen
yea this is awsome
Glad you liked it, Sophia!
Kristen
I have 2 kittens who I just brought home.bThey have been fixed and had a health check as well as being microchipped. They have a new environment to get use to however they meow/scream mom stop,getting in louder here and there.what am I doing wrong
I have a pretty similar problem my cat has been meowing all morning and I’m not totally sure why so, I tried to pick him up but, then, he bit me, I guess he didn’t eat to be picked up?
I have a pretty similar problem my cat has been meowing all the time and I’m not totally sure why so, I tried to pick him up but, then, he bit me, I guess he didn’t eat to be picked up?
Rachael,
If a pet who’s normally okay with you handling them bites you, it could mean they’re in pain. Given that they’re also meowing constantly, I’d suggest talking to your vet to see if there’s a medical issue.
I hope everything’s all right with your kitty!
Kristen
Thanks for the informative video. I have a new tabby cat who meows constantly, and especially at night. He was a stray and I’m pretty sure he has anxiety. :/