My cat meows at night: why it happens and what to do

1. Is it normal for a cat to meow at night?

Part of this restlessness is natural. Cats Protection, a UK cat welfare charity, says cats are generally more active at dawn and dusk, and VCA, a US network of veterinary hospitals, adds that they normally hunt and explore most at those times. A cat that gets restless, plays or asks for attention late in the evening or very early in the morning is therefore not surprising.

What deserves attention is a change. Cats Protection notes that some medical conditions make cats wake up in the night, cry excessively or feel restless and disorientated. And a meow does not have a single cause: VCA lists attention-seeking behaviour, sexual behaviour (heat, males), play and medical problems.

2. Causes linked to routine and behaviour

Hunger comes first. The ASPCA, a US animal welfare society, observes that most cats like to eat and can be quite demanding around mealtimes. Cats Protection asks whether your cat is waking because they are hungry and suggests smaller, more regular meals during the day to stave off hunger.

A day that is too quiet comes next. Cats Protection recommends plenty of play during the day to use up excess energy. VCA points out that many owners are out at work or school during the day, so the cat may spend those hours resting; it suggests checking that the cat gets enough social interaction and play during the daytime.

Then there is heat, in a cat that has not been neutered. The ASPCA explains that females yowl to advertise that they are receptive and males yowl to reach them, and that the best way to reduce meowing caused by the heat cycle is to have the cat spayed; VCA says neutering should help reduce these vocalisations in males and females that are not yet neutered.

3. Medical causes to rule out

If your cat is middle-aged or elderly, VCA recommends a veterinary examination to rule out possible medical causes, such as pain, a hormonal disorder or high blood pressure. According to the ASPCA, cats are prone to developing an overactive thyroid and kidney disease as they age, and either can lead to excessive meowing; many illnesses can also make a cat unusually hungry, thirsty, restless or irritable.

The Cornell Feline Health Center, Cornell University’s feline health centre, notes that night-time vocalising is relatively common in cats with an overactive thyroid or high blood pressure. According to VCA, a cat with a sore tummy or achy joints, or one that is injured, often vocalises, and older cats, which often hear less well, may turn up the volume in the evening.

Do not scold them: Cats Protection points out that a cat who wakes you may be trying to tell you they are unwell. If the meowing is new, sudden or comes with other changes, ask a vet first before changing the routine.

4. An older cat that meows at night

With age, cognitive problems can disturb sleep. Cornell describes a cognitive dysfunction whose signs become clearly noticeable in cats aged 10 or over: altered sleep and wake cycles, disorientation in space, toileting outside the litter tray and seemingly unprompted episodes of loud vocalising, frequently in the middle of the night. VCA adds that these cats may howl at all hours.

These signs can also come from other health problems, such as an overactive thyroid, high blood pressure, arthritis or kidney disease: Cornell advises ruling these out first with your vet and recommends routine check-ups so that health problems are identified early. For daily life, it suggests litter trays that are easy to reach, with low sides, ramps where needed, and avoiding bringing in another animal whose presence might stress the cat. VCA suggests a simple night light for an elderly cat whose eyesight is failing.

5. Reviewing the routine: play and meals at the end of the day

For a cat that meows through the night, VCA says you first need to try to reschedule them so that they stay awake and active throughout the day and evening: food, play, affection and attention in the morning and evening, and no evening catnaps. A play session at the end of the day, finished with a treat or a meal as at the end of a hunt, fits well; the Ontario SPCA advises always ending play sessions with a treat or a meal.

As for meals, VCA suggests smaller but more frequent meals, perhaps some of them in foraging toys, and new things to explore each day. For the night itself, the sources differ: VCA advises against giving food through the night because it encourages the cat to stay awake, but for a cat that sleeps most of the night and wakes very early for food it mentions a self-feeder in the room, timed to deliver food at 5 am; Cats Protection, for its part, suggests an automatic feeder that opens during the night or early morning. The ASPCA recommends feeding at set times so that the cat learns it is futile to ask for food at other times.

• Playing with your cat: how long and how

6. When they meow: what to do, and what not to do

For a cat that is asking for something, VCA says the best solution is to ignore the meowing so the cat gets no reward: never food, attention or play when they meow, and any attention whatsoever reinforces the behaviour. VCA admits that in the long run this can be hard to keep up. The ASPCA advises resisting the urge to shout: even angry attention is attention.

Never punish them physically: VCA writes that physical punishment should never be used on cats, because it can lead to fear and anxiety of the owner. The ASPCA adds that scolding or hitting is unlikely to have a lasting effect on the meowing and may make the cat fearful of you.

If the cat keeps disturbing you during the night, VCA mentions keeping them out of the bedroom, as far out of earshot as possible, with a comfortable sleeping area and a litter tray.

7. When to see a vet

Ask a vet if your cat is middle-aged or elderly, or as soon as you notice a change in behaviour: VCA advises acting as soon as you spot changes, because early diagnosis (thyroid, kidneys, arthritis or other ailments) can lead to more effective treatment. Changes worth reporting: new meowing, disorientation, urine or faeces outside the litter tray, unusual hunger or thirst, restlessness.

If you are really struggling to sleep, Cats Protection advises visiting your vet to get a referral to a qualified cat behaviourist.

• Bored cat: signs and ideas to keep them busy