How To Stop Cat From Meowing At Night?

Typically, cats have a valid (at least from their point of view) reason for waking up the owner, be it thirst, hunger, or boredom.

Instead of scolding your pet for hindering your sleep, you should try to understand it and resolve the issue by eliminating its root.

Some feline owners don’t get a good night’s sleep for years, but you don’t have to be one of them. Any cat can be trained to be quiet when the owners sleep.

Understand Why Your Cat Meows

To understand how to stop a cat from crying at night, you should first identify why your pet does it. The reasons cats meow at night are numerous.

Felines are naturally more active at nighttime. In the wild, cats often hunt at nighttime, so many housecats also spend their night running around and playing.

If your cat is generally talkative, it may be meowing at night while playing. But in most cases, cats cry at night to communicate something to the owner.

Many cats meow at night because they’re bored. If a cat doesn’t get enough enrichment throughout the day, it will seek the owner’s attention. Another possible reason is hunger – if you feed your cat too early, it may try to wake up at night.

Some cats need more affection than others and genuinely suffer if they can’t sleep with the owner. The issue is prevalent with particular cat breeds, including Burmese and Sphynx.

Cats may cry loudly in the early morning because they want to have their litter box cleaned. The only solution, in this case, would be to clean it more frequently, twice or three times a day.

Felines in heat and intact male cats often cry if they sense the smell of another cat, regardless of the time of the day. This is a very plausible reason if you have many stray cats walking outside your house.

As you can see, for the most part, cats cry at night because their needs aren’t fulfilled. But sometimes, night meowing signals a medical condition that requires the owner’s attention.

Excessive vocalization at night and throughout the day can indicate thyroid disease in cats, a deficiency or excess of the thyroid hormone responsible for metabolic function.

Senior cats may suddenly begin crying at night because of cognitive dysfunction disorder – a feline equivalent of dementia.

Provide Your Cat With Entertainment

Boredom is the most common reason for a cat crying loudly at night, and that’s no wonder. In the wild, cats have plenty of places to explore and see something new every day. But in the home environment, they need constant entertainment.

If your cat doesn’t have enough toys or you don’t spend time playing with it, it won’t drain its energy throughout the day and will hinder your sleep.

Spend at least 15 minutes playing with your cat using a wand toy or laser pointer daily. Some cats love to play fetch, so you can throw balls or chew toys.

Some owners think that if their cat has several chew toys, it won’t become bored, but cats don’t find static toys amusing. Instead, get your cat a ball track toy or a mouse on a spring for independent play.

If you have a garden or a park nearby and your cat meows at the window or front door, you can bring it outside on a leash.

Ignore The Meowing

If a cat meows because its need (foods, affection, play) isn’t fulfilled, the logical thing to do would be to fulfill that need. Right? Wrong. You need to meet your cat’s needs, but not until it stops crying.

Furthermore, not every need is equally important. Hunger or thirst are valid reasons for standing up at night (as long as the cat isn’t on a strict diet). Affection or boredom aren’t.

Suppose that you react every time your cat meows at night. Your pet will eventually learn that crying gets it food, affection, playtime, or whatever else it desires. Getting rid of the habit afterward will be challenging.

“Ignore” means ignore entirely. One may think that scolding the cat will teach it to behave, but even negative actions will be perceived as attention.

Furthermore, cats don’t respond well to punishment and may despise the owner, which worsens the behavior.

Get An Automatic Feeder

If your cat cries at the same time every night, the chances are that it wants to eat. One option is to feed your cat later in the day to postpone the meow alarm, but a significantly easier solution is to get an automatic feeder.

Some automatic cat feeders have a high enough food capacity to leave a cat alone for the weekend and can be controlled through a mobile app. However, smart automatic feeders are pricey.

If you’re looking for a cheaper solution, get a simple mechanical feeder with a timer. Set the timer about 10 minutes before your cat usually starts crying and see if that helps.

Alternatively, get your cat a kibble ball. A kibble ball is precisely what the name suggests – a toy filled with dry cat food which provides a cat an extra food serving along with enrichment.

Kibble balls are perfect for cats on a diet because the serving is tiny. If a kibble ball isn’t an option and your cat is on a diet, consult with a vet regarding making its diet more nutritious.

Clean The Litterbox Before Bed

Some cats are very neat and can’t stand going to a dirty litter box, crying at night to force the owner to clean it.

If your cat also has a habit of digging in the litter box for long at night, it’s the most likely reason. The easiest solution, in this case, is to clean the litter box right before bed.

However, it may not help if the litterbox is too small or you have several cats, and it gets dirty quickly. In this case, change the litter box for a larger one, get more litter boxes, or pour more litter.

Create a Comfortable Sleeping Environment For Your Cat

Some cats die for affection and can’t stand sleeping alone. If that’s the case with your cat, you may let it sleep with you, but if it’s impossible, create your pet a comfortable sleeping environment.

Get your pet a nice soft bed. Many cats prefer caves to open beds because they make them feel safe and cozy. Place the bed away from any draughty and moist areas but not too close to heaters.

Put your cat’s favorite toys into the bed to encourage it to sleep there. You may also spritz a catnip spray onto the bed, but don’t overuse this method to avoid developing tolerance in your pet.

Every time your cat sleeps in its bed, give it the treat to draw positive associations with it.

Give Your Cat Affection Before Bed

Assuming your cat cries at night at the bedroom door seeking attention, give it affection before bed. Spend some time petting your cat and let it sleep on your knees while you watch TV in the evening.

Some cats need cuddles non-stop, so affection before bed may not be enough. But if you also create a comfortable sleeping environment for your cat, you can double the odds of success.

Many cats like stuffed toys because they are large, soft, and warm. Some cuddly toys for cats are infused with catnip or are heated.

Reset Your Cat’s Body Clock

Most cats adapt to their owner’s routine over time and go to sleep when the owner does. However, if everyone in the household has a different schedule, a cat may be confused and remain active at night.

Thankfully, you can reset your cat’s body clock to teach it to sleep at night. If your cat is motivated by hunger, you may delay breakfast time instead of serving it early.

This would mean extra hungry hours for your cat, so you should also feed it later in the evening. Over time, your cat will get used to eating at 9 a.m. instead of 5 a.m.

See a Vet

If your cat isn’t motivated by hunger, thirst, need for affection, or boredom, ensure it isn’t suffering from a medical condition associated with meowing at night. One of such conditions is cognitive dysfunction disorder.

Cognitive dysfunction disorder occurs in 50% of cats aged over 15 but can develop earlier.

The symptoms of cognitive dysfunction disorder in cats include sleep-wake cycle alterations (increased activity at night), house soiling, activity level changes, and disorientation.

Cats with cognitive dysfunction disorder may feel anxious, groom themselves excessively or stop grooming entirely, and have appetite changes. Another possible cause of meowing at night is thyroid disorder.

An excess of the thyroid hormone in a cat’s body may make it restless, pacing, and meowing at night. If you notice any other abnormalities in your cat’s behavior, seek veterinary help.

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