What to do if your cat is meowing at night

Many cat owners have problems with their cat keeping them up at night, waking their owners early in the morning, or meowing constantly. The fact that the cat meows almost all the time can be due to both physical and psychological problems. In this guide, you will learn more about how to overcome the problem of meowing cats at night.

Kitten looking at the camera in the dark

No matter what problem you have with your cat, it is important that you always make sure that your cat is healthy. Many behavioural problems are due to underlying physical causes. A cat that exhibits unusual behaviour should always see a vet before you go in and make changes to the cat's home environment.

Howling can be due to insecurity

There are three main reasons why your cat meows more at night. It may be due to physical anxiety, insecurity or senility. Cats that meow at night due to insecurity or senility may also meow a lot during the day, especially when the owner is out of sight.

A common feeling in a cat that meows during the night is that it feels exposed and abandoned.

Your cat may be deaf

You cat could also be meowing at night due to deafness (deaf cats often lack a sense of how loud they sound) or blindness (the cat needs help with orientation). It could also be high blood pressure or hyperthyroidism, which can be due to problems with the thyroid gland. In any case, you need to get your cat checked by a vet.

A cat meowing at night can also be due to something as simple as wanting to play with you.

As an owner, you can reduce the risk of the cat meowing at night by restricting the cat from certain areas of the home.

Ignore the cat's meow

If your cat is heathy, it can be a good idea to ignore their meows. They may then howl as if they've injured themselves, this is likely them changing its sound to gain your attention. After a while, they may continue with new sounds until, little-by-little, the meowing tones down - or stops altogether.

Top tips:

There is no specific solution that works for all cats. You have to adapt these tips according to your cat's needs and your situation.
Your cat may stop meowing if it is allowed to sleep in the bedroom or in the bed where it can feel more secure. If the cat needs proximity to its box, place it in the bedroom.
Howling can be due to hormones. By neutering the cat, you can overcome the problem.
For some cats, a radio at low volume works well.
If the cat is older, you can prepare an area where the cat feels safe with a bed, food and water bowl and a litter box (as far from the sleeping and eating area as possible).

The article above is an abridged version of the original text. Note the article is in Swedish.