Posted on: 07 April, 2015
Author: Angela Tempest
Cats meow a lot - it's their version of human conversation. But it can a sign of a health or behavioural problem, particular when the frequency of meowing changes. Here we look at what to do if your cat is meowing a lot. Cats use their meows and other vocalisations in much the same way that we humans do – to tell the world what we think, to let others know what we feel and to make our presence known. Cats learn to meow when they are kittens to attract their mother’s attention to get food or protection. As they get older, a range of other sounds come to them and they use them to warn off other cats, to greet them and of course to communicate with us humans. Different breeds of cat are more vocal than others are and have different tones and pitches to their meows. Siamese are one breed renowned for their talkative nature and their volume so is lots of loud meowing isn’t ideal for you, then they won’t be your favourite breed! Some cats meow seem to like to meow, calling for random reasons as if just to hear their own voices. Others will meow back when you talk to them, conducting a conversation with you. Attention seeking is the top reason that cats meows so much but there are also reasons relating to their health that need to be monitored, particularly if a quiet cats begin to meow a lot. These can include: Illness – If you notice a change in behaviour in your cat, the first thing to do is get in touch with your vet. There are many illnesses that can make cats hungry, thirsty or in pain and this in turn makes they meow a lot. Older cats can develop conditions such as an overactive thyroid or kidney disease, both of which often see an increase in meowing. Behavioural – as mentioned, attention seeking is a top reason why a cat meows a lot and can be a way of getting you to play with them, fuss them or even just chat back to them. If the meowing becomes a problem in its frequency, then the best way to ease it is not to respond when the cat does it. When the cat is quiet, then give them what they were meowing for – attention, play or whatever. But don’t just ignore the cat, as this will upset them – spend time with them each day so that they don’t feel the need to chase you around meowing at you. Food – cats are opportunists and if they see someone in the kitchen, they think they might sneak something to eat, often meowing to prompt you. If this becomes an issue, don’t feed the cat when she meows too much. Talking – cats often meow at you when you enter the room, simply saying hello. But it can also be a sign of loneliness if the cat is spending a lot of time on its own. Having suitable entertainment for the cat when you are out is important such as toys, a play area or even a bird feeder visible from the window for them to watch. Stress – stressed cats tend to become more vocal and cats can become stressed by a large number of factors, from a change of home, new animal or baby even a major change in daily routine. Sometimes giving them a bit of time to adapt can do the job but extra attention to calm the cat never hurts Age related – as cats get older they, like humans, feel an increase in aches and pains and may call out due to this. They can get confused and call out, particularly in the night, so a dim light left on can help ease this. Medication from your vet can also help with other symptoms. Meowing is as natural for cats as talking is for humans so while you can discourage certain behaviours, you will never stop them meowing and nor should you. Never punish a cat for meowing as this will alienate the cat but not stop the vocalisation. If you are working through a program to reduce the meowing, don’t give in and stick to the plan to change their behaviours. Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com I am a cat owner as well as a cat lover and enjoy writing about the different breeds as well as helpful articles about health and behavioural problems.