Albert Schweitzer once said, “there are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” As a cat owner, this quote must have made you smile just thinking about how your cat makes you feel. Until you remember how loud it has been lately, meowing excessively, unlike the cute ball of fur you remember getting.
You must be wondering what’s going on with your cat and why your cat is meowing so much. Well, fret not, as we have got you covered. This article has everything you need to know about why your cat is meowing so much and what you can do about it.
Everything to Know About the Different Sounds Cats Make
Cats are one of the domesticated animals that produce a wide range of sounds. A cat can make purring, yowling, screaming, hissing, and the most common one, meowing sounds. These vocalizations mean different things at different times. The most important thing to note about meowing is that it is primarily used to communicate with humans and rarely other cats.
A meowing cat might be telling you about something important or could simply be welcoming you home. The intensity, frequency, and time all serve as indications of something. One must pay attention to these features to determine what message your cat is passing along, especially when the cat is meowing more than usual.
Why is My Cat Meowing So Much?
Cats meow for many reasons; some may be as simple as wanting to go out, to as severe as being ill or hurt. Your cat may be meowing so much due to a multitude of reasons, they include:
Attention
Cats are like babies, complete with the limited use of language in communication. Cats meow to get their owner’s attention. The needed attention may be for you to talk, play with or cuddle them. This behavior is a learned one, and your cat could get used to getting its way whenever it meows excessively for this reason.
If you want to curb excessive meowing, you should ignore your cat when it is like this and only pay attention to it when it is quiet. However, this does not mean you should completely ignore your cat, as this could be hurtful. Instead, schedule times for play, grooming, and cuddling so your cat never gets a chance to miss you.
Hunger
Your cat could be meowing because it is hungry or wants a snack. If you have set times for meals, your cat may become noisy when that time is drawing near or just when you have neglected to feed them or fill their water bowl.
If you don’t want your cat meowing so much, especially when it gets to mealtimes, wait for it to be quiet before feeding it. That way, it learns that whining does not get the desired results.
Greeting
To you, this may be one of the seemingly most banal reasons your cat may be meowing excessively, but your cat may just be trying to welcome you after a long day from work, the only way it knows how – by meowing. It may be a tad annoying but be sure not to become irritated; instead, cuddle your cat, letting it know that you are just as happy to see it.
Stress
You might think it is bizarre for your cat to be stressed, but everyone gets stressed. A change in environment, a new addition to the family, or an illness could be stressing your cat. The key to de-stressing your pet is ascertaining the cause of its stress and helping it cope.
Age
Aging makes everything seem harder than it is, and cats are not exempt from this challenge. Aging cats may be suffering from cognitive impairment or disorientation because things become confusing for them as they grow older.
Cats experiencing disorientation due to age are usually vulnerable at night, and as such, their meowing is usually more frequent at the time. Leave a night light on or get a veterinarian to prescribe something for your cat to mitigate night-time disorientation.
Heat
Heat is when your pet wants to mate or breed. Your cat may be meowing when it is in heat and wants to mate. The females yowl when they wish to mate/attract a mate, and the males yowl when they sense a female in heat. You can avoid this by getting your cat spayed or neutered. This way, you get yourself quiet while avoiding grandbabies.
Sick
Your cat may be meowing a lot because it is unwell. Excessive and constant meowing could mean that your cat has a disease that can cause problems eating, urinating or generally experiencing discomfort. Such medical conditions could be overactive thyroid/kidney disease, sensory dysfunction, or other ailments.
After going through the article, if you cannot ascertain the cause of your cat’s changed behavior, it is strongly advised that you schedule a trip to the vet. Your vet can then draw up a treatment plan and ensure that your cat recovers fully.