Why do cats meow loudly at night: reasons for "concerts"

Nighttime "concerts" with loud meowing are a legendary feature of domestic cats that can make the owner angry even with his favorite furry friend. However, veterinarians and felinologists advise not to throw a slipper at a noisy animal, but to pay attention to this habit. Its sudden appearance or a change in behavior pattern may indicate, among other things, health problems.

OBOZREVATEL asked why cats can start "singing" at night. And how this can be prevented to ensure peace and harmony in the family.

The cat is a nocturnal animal

No matter how you slice it, you can't go against nature. Evolution has created cats as nocturnal predators, so the dark time of day is the right time for them to be active because it is during these hours that it is easiest to find their favorite prey in nature - small rodents. Most of all, purrs like evening twilight and pre-dawn hours. Hence the habit of waking up the owners at five in the morning. Young cats are the most active at night.

The animal is bored

A cat that lives with people adapts to constant contact, and when its owner or owners lie aimlessly for several hours and do not pay attention to it, it can become resentful. The animal may begin to draw attention to itself by vocalizing or doing certain things, such as persistently touching the person with its paw until it wakes up. In this way, the pet shows that it wants to play with you more than anything else. The best way to deal with this behavior is to ignore it. Over time, the cat will realize that it will not get its way.

The cat has health problems

It's not very common, but nighttime meowing can indicate problems with the cat's thyroid gland or kidneys, for example. So, if your cat starts screaming at night, and if it has never done so before, take it to the vet for a checkup. Especially if the meowing is accompanied by a restless leash.

The cat is getting older

Like humans, older cats are prone to neurological and cognitive disorders. There is even such a diagnosis as feline cognitive dysfunction syndrome. So maybe your pet just started confusing the times of day because of his or her age.

The animal is stressed

Do you remember those legendary memes where cats demand that you open the door for them and then don't go in? This behavior is caused by the love of these animals to keep their entire territory under control at the same time, which is impossible when part of it is isolated by a door. This can cause the cat considerable stress, which it will begin to show through vocalizations. So, if your furry friend wakes you up at night to let him out, it may be worthwhile to simply install cat doors everywhere so that he can move freely around the house without disturbing you.

An unsterilized animal has entered the mating season

This problem can arise for owners of animals that have not been sterilized. When they enter the mating season, they will call out to their partner to breed. They choose nighttime because of their natural activity cycles. Cats can be especially noisy during this time. Therefore, if you do not plan to breed cats, it is better to sterilize your pet. This will also extend its life.

What to do to calm a noisy cat

It's impossible to convince a cat to go to bed at night and not wake up before the alarm. This trick does not work with all people. Therefore, it is better to act cunningly, relying on the animal's behavior. For example, before going to bed, you can arrange crazy games that will both delight and exhaust the cat, and then he will sleep peacefully all night. A late dinner can also prevent nighttime "concerts" because a full cat won't scream for food. I guess. The most extreme option is to force the purr to give himself a grueling grooming session. Some owners of particularly noisy cats wet their tail (and only their tail) at night. The animal begins to lick it for a long time and intensively to get rid of the unpleasant water, gets tired, and falls asleep. But this is still a life hack for extreme cases.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL told you what can make a cat sneeze and when to worry about it.

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