How To Stop Your Cat From Meowing at Night

Tired of your cat meowing at night disturbing your sleep? Find out why your cat is meowing at night so you know how to get your cat to stop meowing.

Why is you cat meowing at night?

Hunger/thirst

Health concerns

Ageing: Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS)

Cats are crepuscular (most active at dusk and dawn)

Your cat may be bored or has excess energy

Your cat wants attention

Your cat suffers from hormonal fluctuations and is looking for love

Anxiety: Change of environment, change in schedule, outdoor cats may feel trapped

How to stop nighttime meowing

Here’s some tips and tricks to help stop your feline friend from meowing at night.

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Provide enough food and water

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It’s crucial to establish feeding times for your feline friend and don’t let your cat get used to meowing for food at night when they feel hungry.

Delay your cat’s dinner until closer to bedtime and make sure he has food and water throughout the night so he doesn’t wake you with hungry meows. In addition, cats are more likely to fall asleep with a full stomach.

Don’t ignore playtime and affection before bed

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Give your kitty plenty of playtime before bed. This will help to tire your kitty out right before bedtime so he can sleep through the night. In addition to playtime, try to schedule a few minutes for affection and cuddles with the cats. Your cat can have an opportunity to play and feel enriched mentally and physically.

Clean their litter box

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Cats are very finicky about their bathroom habits, and like us, they prefer a fresh, clean environment to do their business in. So, if you want to stop your cat meowing at night, make sure to clean their litter box before bed.

Reset your cat’s body clock

Younger cats have the tendency to be more active at night because their instincts tell them that it’s a great time to hunt. You can try resetting his body clock by getting him used to being awake during the day and sleeping at night.

Create a safe night-time environment

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As your cat gets older, they are prone to obtaining visual problems or even issues in mental functioning like dementia. This makes them feel vulnerable and less confident as they move around the house. That anxiety is a common cause of the whaling and meowing you’ll hear at night. They may need your guidance during the night to go about their journey around the house. Use nightlights around your home.

Check if anything is waking or disturbing your cat

Lights, loud noise or somethings outside may keep your cat awake and meowing – after all, cat is light sleepers! Finding ways to prevent this disruption, such as turning automatic lights off, may be a good way to prevent sleep disturbances.

Visit the vet

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If this is unusual behavior from your cat, it could mean there is something going on. Your vet can help find or rule out any underlying medical issues.

Ignore it

If your cat is well fed, watered, played with and physically fit, completely ignoring its behaviour is likely to be your best course of action. If your cat is accustomed to getting a response from you when he meows, once you stop giving him attention for the meowing behaviour he will try twice as hard to get your attention.