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Curbing Your Cat's Caterwauling
Rebecca Sweat for The Daily Cat
It may have seemed somewhat cute when your kitten, Tiger, first learned to
meow to let you know he was hungry. But it didn't take long for Tiger's
vocalizing to get old. Lately Tiger's been meowing every morning to get you
out of bed, crying when you leave for work, and yowling in the middle of the
night while you try to sleep. Life with Tiger is anything but quiet.
What turns a cat into a caterwauler? It could be that the cat is in
physical pain or feeling stressed about something at home, and meowing is his
way of telling you something is wrong. Perhaps your cat is meowing to
intimidate intruder cats outside the house. If you've got a sexually intact
female cat, she might be vocalizing to try to attract a mate. Or, maybe your
cat is meowing a lot because he thinks that's the way to get what he wants: a
snack, the door opened, or attention from you.
As lovely as a cat's voice may be, no one wants to live with constant
caterwauling. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to try to turn the
situation around.
Here are some suggestions:
Get your cat examined by a veterinarian. There are many health conditions
that could cause your cat pain or discomfort. Taking your cat to the vet will
get him the medical attention he needs, as well as address the meowing. If
your cat is stressed about a household change or is suffering from separation
anxiety, your vet might prescribe an anti-anxiety medication to help your cat
function better.
Once medical causes are ruled out, try to eliminate or decrease other
factors that may motivate your cat to meow. "If your cat meows because
he's frustrated when he sees the neighbor cat outside your bedroom window, a
solution might be to buy some shades for that window or to keep the door to
that room shut so your cat can't go in there," suggests Sandy Myers, a
pet behavior consultant in Naperville, Illinois. "If your cat is crying
to attract a mate and you do not plan for her to have kittens, you should take
her to your veterinarian and have her spayed."
Make sure you are not reinforcing meowing. "If you are lying in bed
and trying to sleep while your cat is meowing and then you finally get up and
get your cat a treat to shut him up, you are actually rewarding your cat for
vocalizing and teaching him to meow his demands again in the future,"
says Barbara Simpson, DVM, a certified veterinary behaviorist with the
Veterinary Behavior Clinic at Southern Pines, North Carolina.
When your cat meows in a demanding manner, the best response is to ignore
it, she says. "It is important that you tough it out and not give in to
your cat," Simpson says, "because eventually, if he is not rewarded,
the behavior will stop." If you have to, wear ear plugs so you can endure
the noise.
Try to anticipate what your cat is going to want and when -- before he
starts meowing his demands. "If you know your cat likes to play with the
laser pointer after dinner, get it out and start playing with him as soon as
you're done eating -- rather than take a nap on the couch and give your cat a
reason to go over and try to pester you," Simpson suggests.
Reward your cat for good behavior. "When your cat is being quiet,
that's when you should give him all the things he likes -- his food, toys,
outdoor privileges, attention, etc., " Myers says. Sooner or later your
cat will learn that quiet behavior -- not marathon meowing -- is the way to
make things happen.
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