Why does my cat meow day and night?

What "Meow" Means: But Why Does My Cat Meow?

The food bowl is full of kibble, the water has just been changed and is fresh, the litter box is clean, the window is open—but your cat is meowing. It meows in the morning, it meows in the evening, and worst of all, it meows at night. So what can you do to stop it from disturbing your sleep? But more importantly, what does its meowing mean?

My cat, that chatterbox

It’s important to know that a cat’s meowing isn’t just a casual behavior. A cat never meows without a reason—except perhaps in the case of a kitten. If a cat meows, it’s to communicate with you. In fact, cats tend to yowl when interacting with each other. With us, they vocalize to get our attention. You’ve probably noticed that they don’t meow the same way when they’re hungry, in pain, or want to go outside—and above all, they’ve figured out that when they meow near the window, we open it for them, or near their food bowl, miraculously, we fill it up for them.

So why does my cat meow at random times if everything is fine? Why does he make himself heard especially at night when the house is quiet and he has everything he needs (food, water, etc.)? The reason is simple: your cat is asking for attention. That’s right, he needs reassurance and to communicate with you. And it doesn’t matter if you toss him your slipper in the dark, scold him, or cuddle him—what he wants is to feel that the focus is on him. He’s won; you’re in for a double shot of coffee in the morning, and in his little head, he’s thinking, “I’ll do it again tonight.”

Operation: Radio Silence

My cat is meowing… It’s time to get zen! Here’s what you’ll need. You’ll have to arm yourself with patience and, above all, stop responding to its demands. To do this, you’ll need to follow a strict three-step plan over the course of about ten days. Operation “Radio Silence”—let’s get started:

– First step: cohesion. As a commando unit, the entire squad… er, the whole family must act as one. It is absolutely essential NOT to react to untimely meowing. This may be difficult, especially at first and particularly for the children. However, this phase is absolutely crucial to achieving ultimate victory.

– Step two: disdain. My cat meows and will keep meowing like this for a good week before changing tactics and moving on to a phase of vocal modulation. It will try different ways to get your attention to make sure it’s heard. It may also change its behavior. Much like a child who misbehaves out of boredom, expect unusual scratches on furniture, knick-knacks falling off shelves, and so on. Above all, don’t react in front of it. Take a deep breath, suck it up, or eat a few squares of chocolate. Only repair the damage when he’s not around; otherwise, he’ll see it as a response from you, and you’ll have lost. After 3 to 4 days, he’ll start to calm down. You’ll still need to be vigilant, because if you interact with him during this final phase, boom—you’ll have to start all over again. And worse, your cat will have learned to be persistent, making it even harder to get him to stop.

Tip: If your cat starts meowing in an unusual way, approach it without looking at it, do something casual like rummaging through your coat pockets or pouring yourself a glass of water, and discreetly check to see if everything is okay. This should work. Be careful, though, not to do this too often—as you can imagine, it might start to take advantage of the situation.

– Step three: the medal of merit. Once you’ve earned your cat’s silence, a second phase begins. The reward. As strange as it may seem, you’ll reward him during calm moments. Repeat this two or three times a day (a pat, a treat) for several days, and your cat will understand that it’s during these peaceful moments that he gets a little something, and no longer when he meows.

In addition, learn how to break his routine during this therapy. A new environment, new behavior. It’s very simple: move a rug or a small piece of furniture in the areas where he spends his days, and in your bedroom if he stays there at night. This will help him adapt.

If your cat is elderly

One last point to wrap up: if your cat is elderly, it may be suffering from senility. Or some cats may have OCD. In these cases, the only solution is to consult your veterinarian for help.

Cheer up and get to work. It’s not like 3 kg of fur is going to terrorize the house… Is it? Noooooo!!!!!! Break ranks!

The article " Why Does My Cat Meow Day and Night? What 'Meow' Means " first appeared on Alleva Dog and Cat Food Alleva Diusapet.fr.