Unfortunately, a kitten may become ill or injured. In this case, meowing turns out to be a response to pain and a cry for help. Examine the cat carefully, paying attention to the anatomical integrity and normal physiological functions. A meowing complaint accompanied by a wound, unnatural posture, unsteady gait, apathy, refusal of food, bleeding from the eyes and nose, vomiting, diarrhea, urinary problems – a clear sign to visit the veterinary clinic.
- Why a cat meows for no reason all the time
- What to do if the cat meows too much?
- Stress
- Lack of attention
- "Serenades" in the spring.
- Cats screaming at night
- The feeling of anxiety
- Bad attitudes of owners.
- Why a cat can yelp
- Hormones .
- Disease
- How to calm a cat if he cries out
- Attention-seeking and attempts at manipulation
- Sense of hunger
- What to do if the cat meows too much
- Folk remedies for fighting crying
- Veterinarian tips
Why a cat meows for no reason all the time
Cats communicate with each other and their owners by meowing at different pitches and volumes. An occasional soft "meow" usually causes neither anxiety nor annoyance to the owners of pets. But what to think if the cat meows loudly almost constantly? What could it mean: malnutrition, complaints of pain, or lack of attention from the owner?
There are many reasons why cats meow. Let's look at the most common ones:
Hunger in kittens and adult cats . Almost all pets tend to meow loudly when they are hungry. The stronger they are, the louder their "meow" becomes. Especially demanding are pets meow in the morning, when their owner just ripped his head off the pillow. By the way, besides a desire to eat, animals may meow to signal their owners that they are thirsty;
The period of acclimation to a new home in kittens . A new-found baby cat can meow for fear and confusion for the first twenty-four hours when they are away from their mother cat;
Asking for help . Many kittens call their owner for help by meowing loudly when they cannot cope with some problem (e.g. to go down from a tree or to pull a spider's web off their muzzle);
Desire to draw attention to themselves . A cat walks and meows when it wants its adored owner to play and talk to it. Even the most independent introverted cats need companionship and affection from time to time;
A warning of an imminent attack . Cats love affection, as mentioned just above, but in moderation. If a cat meows when you pet it, chances are it's expressing this: a) the owner is petting in the wrong place (e.g., in the belly area); b) petting too long; c) petting with great pressure, causing pain. The cat, annoyed by the masters incomprehension, can, by the way, not only meow. He can use his main weapons – claws and teeth;
What to do if the cat meows too much?
There are many reasons for cats meowing. Let's consider how to be an owner whose cat meows too often:
First, you need to identify the reason why the cat is constantly meowing . The most important thing is to recognize in time if the animal is ill with something. Any alarming symptoms are a reason to consult a doctor;
If a cat meows demandingly after a meal If a cat meows demandingly after a meal, you should consider increasing the usual amount of food;
Gently stroking and talking quietly will almost always calm your cat . The owner should pay attention to his cat on a daily basis;
It is not only playing with the owner that can save a cat from boredom; . . The cat may play on its own if it has interesting toys, which you can buy in any pet store or make on your own;
If the meow is caused by stress If his meow is caused by stress, you may need to take sedatives (Cot Bayun, Stop-Stress, Felivei etc.). But treatment should preferably be carried out after consulting a doctor;
But the manipulative cat should not give in . The animal must know that the leader of the house is a man, so the last word should always be for him. Does your pet meow loudly when he demands a tidbit from the table (such as a piece of smoked sausage, which is bad for the cat's body)? No problem! The owner has the right to ignore the vocal beggar;
If the cat is active during the night hours If the cat is active at night (meows, runs around the apartment, plays and makes noise), the owner should reconsider the daily routine of his varmint. The cat should simply not get enough sleep during the day and evening, so that by night he has only one desire – to sleep sweetly;
A great many cats and cats cry out because of the call of the flesh . If the animal is not of breeding value, it is advisable to have it neutered or spayed. Another way is to find a sexual partner for the cat or cat. Calming a cat in heat or bringing a cat that senses that there is a mating cat nearby is almost impossible;
An overly talkative purr can and should be besieged with stern and loud remarks . Animals always know by their voice that the owner is angry. But beating pets for "meow" is by no means allowed. The use of physical force will simply humiliate and offend the cat.
Stress
A stressful situation in which the cat was uprooted from its familiar environment can also cause the animal to want to scream loudly. The reason may be some sudden changes: moving, loud noise, the appearance of new people or animals in the apartment. In this case, the owner should listen to his pet more carefully, and not hope that the problem will resolve itself. Ignoring the problem, as a rule, only worsens the situation and can later completely undermine the health of the four-legged friend.
Try to find out what it was that caused the cat's condition and show him that you still love him, that the house is still safe. Create the most comfortable conditions for your purrfect cat, but by no means impose your society on her against her will. As soon as the cat is sure there is no more danger, the screaming will stop. You can use preparations like felive or catnip to reduce stress levels.
Lack of attention
No matter how much people talk about cats being independent and not needing people, science has proved the opposite. Our furry pets are so attached to us that when we don't give them enough attention, it makes the animals uncomfortable. A scream or "voice" is a great way to let the owner know that they want something from them. Perhaps it is time for a change of water in the bowl, or your pet has been sitting in one place and really wants to play with you. As soon as the signal is correctly understood by the owner and the necessary action for the pet at this moment in time is performed, the purr will calm down.
In short, an animal signals to us its problems and desires by its loud cry. But still the loudest and longest "cat concerts" are caused by hormones.
"Serenades" in the spring.
In fact, uncastrated cats have a mating season all year round. And in the spring there is a strong hormonal surge, forcing the males to alert the kittens with a loud cry that they are ready to procreate. During this period cats also tend to mark their territory.
Females, in their turn, demonstrate their "vocal" activity at the end of February – beginning of March and in summer.
It is impossible to fight the instincts. Therefore, in order not to become an unwilling witness of disembodied sexual activity of your pet – do not keep it at home, let the animal satisfy its natural need. Then the animal will remain happy and healthy, and the owner will not have to listen to serenades.
But if you don't want to burden yourself with feline offspring, then it's better to have the cat neutered and the cat spayed. Such animals are less active and not as troublesome as full-fledged four-legged pets.
There are also medicines in the form of pills that reduce the sexual activity of the animal. However, the fact that such drugs are hormonal makes them harmful for the animal's body (and it is also a question of what is more harmful – castration/sterilization or the pills).
Cats screaming at night
Sleep is an important factor in a person's health, activity and mood. However, when your beloved pet screams violently all night long, it is unlikely that you will get much sleep. And there may be several reasons for such cat behavior:
- Attracting attention. It is possible that your cat is alone all day long. He misses human attention and companionship. Accordingly, the animal begins to show its activity when you are around. If you leave your pet home alone all day, be prepared for him to "tell" you all his discontent at night. If you can't spend more time with your four-legged pet when you leave him alone, provide him with interesting toys to amuse himself with during your absence. And when you come home in the evening, give the cat some attention: talk to him, play with him, pet him. Satisfied with such attention, your pet will sleep soundly.
- "Night Hunter.". By nature, cats are nocturnal animals. Many animals, once in a human family, adjust to the routine of life: sleeping at night and awake during the day. However, there are exceptions. If you notice that your cat sleeps all day long and that his playfulness intensifies at night, he starts to prank and yell, then this bad habit should be purposefully eradicated. Try to load up your cat with activities during the day and do not let him nap until the night – by evening the animal will be tired out and will sleep a sound sleep. It will take some time for your cat to get used to this routine.
- Moving .. Often the situation when the cat begins to scream at night is manifested when the family moves to a new place of residence. The animal begins to learn new possessions. Since our moustached pets are very sensitive to the issue of territoriality, with its screaming cat announces that he is the new owner of the area. As a rule, this behavior does not last long. When the cat feels safe and sees that there are no competitors around, it calms down.
The feeling of anxiety
Cats are one of the few animals that instinctively sense approaching danger or a major change in weather conditions. Therefore, the relentless meowing and screaming of an animal may well signal an impending natural disaster or other threat to the owner.
Cats on subconscious level have permanent competition for land like their ancestors and unlike dogs they do not mark their territories but try to scare away unwanted guests by scaring shouting so that they did not even want to move into the possessions of others. Owners may often notice such behavior when they move in with their pet to a new place of residence. The cat in this way is simply trying to point to its possessions without getting into a fight. The phenomenon is temporary, so it's worth just waiting it out.
Bad attitudes of owners.
Cats always see and feel inadequacy on the part of their owners and lack of love. When the owner regularly punishes the animal even for the slightest misdeeds (kicks, shouts, hits), then the animal will definitely defend itself or will eventually consider such owners as its enemies, will behave even more lewdly trying to mark their territory and will leave people alone. Just change your attitude towards your cat and be more gentle, and then the cat will be more compliant.
If your pet was quiet before and all of a sudden he starts to scream violently at any time of the day or night, the most sensible decision is to take him to the veterinarian for consultation and coordination of further actions. A proper approach to caring for your pet is always encouraged by his good attitude in the future.
For example, a strong craving for breeding may also be due to the pet's lack of a sense of freedom. Owners may let him go for a walk, but there is a good chance that he just won't come back. Hormone regulating drugs can be used to discourage sexual desire, but this can be detrimental to the health of the cat. Castration should only be carried out after the animal has passed the walking period.
General advice on what to do if a cat howls at night:
- Do not let the cat sleep in the evening.
- When you bring the cat into your house pay much attention to it during the first days of separation, play with it, teach it to sleep in a specially allocated place, not in your bedroom (if necessary you can lock it with a litter box and food in its place).
- Play with the cat throughout the day to keep him moving and active. This is necessary to imitate hunting, which these pets instinctively do most of their waking hours.
- Meat products must be a regular part of the pet's diet, and hunting is the main instinct the owner must satisfy on a regular basis.
Why a cat can yelp
The loud cries of a pet can be heard at any time: in the middle of the night or in the morning. Some scream during the day. And there are some that are able to yell 24 hours a day. For animals of Oriental breed is the norm, but the rest of the pussy is always a good reason for such behavior.
Hormones .
During the heat period, all non-sterilized cats scream without exception. The desire to have offspring is so strong that it causes not only psychological, but also physical suffering to the animal. The same fate awaits a cat if it is not neutered.
In addition, during mating, a loud cry is a signal to the opposite sex. The cat signals that he is full of strength, energy and thirsty for love. Of course, a constantly screaming animal causes discomfort to the owners, especially if the concerts happen in the morning or at night. But it is a natural phenomenon, with which it is impossible to fight. It remains to patiently wait for the difficult period to end.
Disease
If an old cat is constantly yelling, he may have Alzheimer's disease or a nervous disorder. This is a consequence of irreversible age-related changes in the animal's body. The owner should consult a veterinarian. There are a number of medications that can alleviate the pet's condition and help it calm down, at least for a while.
The screaming of a young cat may indicate some kind of injury or severe pain. The cat may have a severe abdominal pain. The owner will be able to tell this by gently probing the cat. Normally, the abdomen should be soft and light pressure is not a cause for concern. If the abdomen is hard, bloated, resembling a drum, and the animal furiously scratches its owner's hands, you should go to the vet immediately.
Helminth infections can also cause previously calm purrs to scream at night. Worms cause intestinal pain and often even lead to intestinal obstruction. Prophylactic treatment of the pet against worms should be carried out regularly, starting from the third week of life.
How to calm a cat if he cries out
If a calm cat suddenly starts bawling all over again, you have only one solution: consult your veterinarian. Proper treatment will not only get rid of the cat's howling, but also make his life much easier.
Breeding cravings are more difficult to overcome. There are many hormonal drugs that reduce the sexual activity of animals, but such drugs are very harmful to health. Their use is justified only in the most extreme cases. It is better to let the pet loose and let him go for a walk. He will calm down by himself when he has finished all the important things. Well, after that, it is better to neuter the animal.
If the cat walks, screams and does not let you sleep at night, you can try this strategy:
- During the day, play with the animal as much as possible, making him actively move and jump. This is an imitation of hunting, which all wild cats are constantly engaged in. After satisfying his instincts, the domestic predator will calm down.
- After the game, you should feed the cat with something nourishing, preferably meat. This is also an imitation of the natural process: hunting – eating prey. After such a ritual should work and the next instinct – a well-fed sleep.
- Don't let the kitty take a nap, especially in the evening.
- From the first day of the kitten's arrival, accustom him to sleep in his own place, preferably not in the room where the owners sleep. Then at hard times it will be possible to take it out of the bedroom and have a quiet rest. In severe cases, you can even lock the howling purr in a far room, not forgetting to leave him water and a litter box.
If you suspect that the cat's cries are not caused by an illness, but by a bad mood or a desire to annoy you can give him herbal remedies: Cot Bayun, Felivey, and others. They are safe for the pussy's health and have a mild calming effect.
The only thing you should not do is yell and hurt your pet. Physical violence will not work: the pet will simply not understand why it deserves such treatment. You should try to find out the cause of the crying and eliminate it. Then both the cat will be calm and the owners will be able to sleep normally.
Attention-seeking and attempts at manipulation
The human family becomes a pack or pride for the kitten, so the adult cat can begin to test the owner's "strength". However, we are not talking about blatantly aggressive tricks, ending with bites and painful scratches, but only – about persistent attempts to pet to get what he wants.
In particular, a kitten who's on the loose may meow and begging for a favorite pastime more and more, or – insistently crawl into your arms when you're busy working. Many stripped whiskers, make noises, demanding to open the door to another room or let them out for a walk in the yard. Smelling the fragrant fried chicken cooling on the table, the kitten will make real hungry groans, although it may not be hungry at all.
In other words, any prohibition by the owner, which goes along with the animal's instinctive desires, may give birth to attempts to influence the human in order to find out who is the "main cat" in the house. Accordingly, if the owner follows the incessant meowing of his pet, he indulges his whims and provokes his desires to become arbitrary.
To restore the "status quo" it is recommended to be patient and persistent, making the kitty understand that he is always a submissive. From childhood, a spoiled cat can become a real devil, doing whatever she wants in the house.
Sense of hunger
Growing kittens have a higher metabolic rate and higher energy expenditure than adults. Their stomachs are the size of thimble sized animals, so they eat often and little by little. A hungry kitten may beg for food, standing on its hind legs, rubbing its owner's feet and looking at his face.
Felinologists recommend not to leave the feeder empty, because the tail baby can come to eat 10 or even 16 times a day. . Use only quality natural products for feeding (raw pulp of beef, veal, chicken, rabbit, and also boiled liver, lungs, heart, low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, oat and rice porridge, low-fat sea fish), or dry food for kittens of premium and super-premium levels.
Meow howling can be expressed by the bad habit of growing up kittens to beg for "goodies", despite the fact that their own bowl is full of food. Begging must be strictly suppressed, because the cat will become more and more spoiled in food, demanding from the caring owners of the real delights.
Try clapping your hands and sharply saying "No!" as soon as the pet resembles a beggar. For the most stubborn pets, you may have to use a "cold shower" in the form of a spray of water from a spray bottle.
What to do if the cat meows too much
If there is no one in the apartment during the day the cat is resting, but at night it will most likely disturb the sleep of others. A healthy, well-fed cat can meow at night for no reason, because it is bored.
To solve this problem it is easy – you need to provide your cat with enough physical activity during the day. To do this, you can use special toys with sound or light effects.
Closer to bedtime, it is advisable to feed the cat meat food. The digestion of animal protein promotes sound sleep. Veterinarians recommend leaving food out at night not only for babies, but also for adult cats. A night journey to the bowl of food calms even the most restless animals.
It is not uncommon for owners to complain that a cat's temper deteriorates as it ages. If an older cat is constantly yelling, you should pay attention to her. The following problems may have occurred:
- The cat is losing sight or hearing. By meowing, it is asking its owner for help. If a deaf pet can move around on its own, a blind pet will have to be constantly carried in its arms.
- A constantly meowing old cat needs increased attention and affection.
- Sore joints. The cat is constantly meowing because it is in severe pain when it moves.
- Diseases of internal organs. An animal that is in pain, meows to let the owner know about it. You can try to treat the pet by giving him painkillers that the veterinarian will prescribe.
- Manipulation. Over the many years of living together, the cat has learned: if you meow long enough, you can achieve what you want.
Folk remedies for fighting crying
If the constant meowing of the cat is irritating and does not let you sleep at night, you can use decoctions of medicinal herbs such as:
Veterinarian tips
The most common reason for systematic "cat meow" is reproduction instinct. In order to calm the meowing animal, hormonal drugs are used.
If owners expect to breed periodically, Sex Barrier – a hormone-control product.
Veterinarians give preference to it, because this drug is safe for the health of animals. After its withdrawal, the female is able to bear healthy offspring in 3-4 months.
Regular exposure to medication on the hormonal system of the cat can cause serious damage to its health. That is why veterinarians recommend spaying (neutering) animals that are not intended for breeding.
In any case, before taking drastic measures, it is necessary to reconsider the possible reasons for the strange behavior of the pet. Cats are very sensitive to attention from their owners, so most often it is enough to provide the pet with comfortable living conditions to solve the problems.