Cat yowling at night, after eating, at another cat, for no reason

Are you experiencing cat yowling at night, at another cat, after eating, for no reason or in old felines? This post explores the various causes for these which include mating, pain, environmental changes as well as senility. Find more details below.

Cat Yowling

The most common and heard cat sound is a meow. However, there are many other sounds which communicate various things. Knowing what each sound means is of great advantage as it will help you understand your cat better. Cat yowling is a long and more drawn out moan which indicates territorial concern, worry, mating issues or discomfort. In most cases, it is used amongst cats to indicate a mating urge or territoriality. It could also be indicative of a decline in cognitive functions in older cats or boredom. We get into the details of these below.

Causes of Cat Yowling

There are many reasons for cat yowling. Some of them may require immediate veterinarian attention while others can be dealt with at home. Here are the causes and relevant remedies for yowling in cats.

Environmental Changes

Cats hate change in general. They will be affected by situations such as moving houses and being brought home from shelters. In such cases, they have a hard time adjusting to their new environment. This leads to them vocalizing their displeasure. The cat yowling and meowing in such cases is a sign of anxiety. Additionally, they will exhibit other signs of anxiety such as urine marking and withdrawal.

To deal with yowling that is as a result of stress and anxiety, encouraging relaxation techniques could stop it. This may involve using interactive toys to play or allowing her to roll around in catnip. These should be effective in minimizing this kind of vocalization.

Mating: Female Cat Yowling In Heat

Both female and male cats that have not been neutered or spayed yowl when they are sexually mature to indicate an urge to mate. Female cats on heat will yowl to attract males and alert them on their readiness to mate. On the other hand, males will spend time yowling and meowing whenever they catch the scent of a female in heat around.

Where this kind of yowling is a bother, the best remedy to it is to have your cat spayed or neutered immediately they hit puberty stage. In addition to taking care of the yowling, it will help control the overpopulation epidemic that is likely to occur if it is not done. Additionally, it increases their lifespan and helps them live a healthier life.

Cat Yowling In Pain

If your cat is yowling excessively and constantly all of a sudden, it could be he is in pain. This is more so where a cat was let outside. It is possible that a fight may have ensued and they got a physical injury. They might also have stepped on or rolled on objects that subjected them to injuries. If this is suspected, visit a veterinarian for a complete diagnosis.

Video: How To Stop Your Cat From Meowing and Yowling

Seeking Attention

Cats will not always be independent although most of the times they come across as so. Constant yowling may be an attention seeking behavior. She may be in need of some little snuggles or may want to play hide and seek with you and use the yowls to communicate the same.

To stop this, learn to spend some quality time with your cat each day. This will help to stop her from feeling neglected and lonely. Be cautious though on how you achieve this. It should not be done in a way that reinforces the behavior.

Aging

Naturally, animals tend to suffer diminishing senses with age. Aging cats tend to suffer visual, hearing and memory problems. These may result in constant yowling due to the feeling of disorientation. You can help your kitty manage these issues by identifying their immediate problem and helping them cope with it.

Medical Conditions

Cats are known to camouflage their illnesses quite well. However, yowling could be an indication that they are not feeling well. There are various health conditions that could cause cat yowling including diabetes, kidney failure and thyroid issues. Where an illness is suspected to be causing vocalization in cats, visit your veterinarian immediately.

Video: Why Does My Cat... Meow?

Cat Yowling At another Cat

In most cases, a cat yowling at another cat is a sign of aggression. In such situations, the cat will stare, stalk, howl and puff their fur in addition to yowling. There are different forms of aggression that could cause this.

Territorial aggression occurs when another cat invades their territory. Aggression between male cats may occur as a form of territoriality, fighting over females or to achieve a higher placement in the pecking order. Cats may also show aggression when they get themselves in situations where they need to defend themselves against other cats. All these could result in cat yowling.

Cat Yowling After Eating

Why do cats yowl after eating? This is a common question in online forums. Some cats are quite vocal and behaviorist attribute yowling after enjoying food to a feeling of satisfaction. This is a way of your cat letting you know that they enjoyed their meal. In case your cat is healthy in all other ways, vocalization after eating should not be of much concern.

Cat Yowling For No Reason

If after evaluating your cat you can’t seem to find any reason for it, it could be that the cat is simply predisposed to this kind of behavior. Siamese cats are known vocalizers and by doing so it doesn’t mean anything is wrong with them. They are simply being themselves.

Cat Yowling At Night

You are deep in your sleep when suddenly you hear your cat calling. Cat yowling at night is most of the times as a result nocturnal predicaments. These may include:

Physical Distress

Pain can cause yowling at night and your cat may be calling to be rescued. Something as simple as getting tangled in furnishings could cause this.

Insecurity

Insecure cats are known to want attention showered upon them. This could see your cat howling at night. This is more so in cats that are deaf and blind. When left alone at night, they are likely to meow and yowl.

Video: Meowing, chirping, yowls! Noisy Bengal cats talking

Senility

Senility is a common cause for night calling in cats. As the mental ability and their physical prowess decline with age, the behavior gets severe. Since aging cats also suffer other behavioral issues and as a result may not be allowed in their owner’s bed, this could be the cause for yowling.

Cat Yowling At Night for No Reason

At times though, the night time yowling may not be for a specific reason. It could simply be that the cat is predisposed to vocalize. This is possible in Siamese cats. The situation should be too much of a concern unless it is causing sleepless nights for the humans.

How to Control Cat Yowling at Night

To keep the nighttime yowling down:

• Avoid consoling your cat when they yowl as this will validate and reinforce the bad behavior.
• If possible, allow your cat to sleep in your bedroom. Human presence may be all the comfort they need to stop yowling.
• Get your pet a heated sleeping pad. The heat emitted will soothe your cat to sleep and give you time to sleep as well.
• Where your cat has to sleep in another room, use a baby monitor to check on and give him verbal attention without having to get out of bed.

Elderly Cat Yowling – Cat Senility Yowling

Like indicated above, elderly cat yowling is common. It could be as a result of sensory decline resulting in loss smelling, vision and hearing senses. This leads to irritability in the cat and vocalization results. High blood pressure, hyperthyroidism and central nervous disease are all common in old dogs. These could lead to yowling. In case of diseases causing chronic pain, your cat will be yowling constantly.

To control senility yowling in cats, avoid moving things around the house as this could cause them distress. Also avoid picking them up and leaving them in unfamiliar places. Show your aging cat a lot of love to let them live their last days without much heartache and to save you from the cat yowling.

Reviews & Comments