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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Do cats normally miaow all the time?

25 replies

MarianForrester · 06/09/2012 22:02

I don't know much about cats. I think my neighbour is breeding them. I can hear pretty constant miaowing, a bit like a baby, which is both Very Irritating, and also makes me worry for the cars, even tho I can't stand the feckers.

It is both day and night. Is it normal? I might speak to her about it, don't know what to do!

OP posts:
Original poster
MarianForrester · 06/09/2012 22:12

Cats, not cars, I mean!

OP posts:
Polyethyl · 06/09/2012 22:16

Siamese - yes
Moggies - depends. Sometimes.

vnmum · 06/09/2012 22:18

she could have a siamese cat - very vocal and talk to you or she has a female in season which is more likely if it goes on during the night. They call all the time they are in season and it is loud. If it is that then it should stop within the next few months as they don't usually come into season much after october

Original poster
MarianForrester · 06/09/2012 22:23

I think they are Siamese cats. Aaargh! It's driving me demented!

I thought if they were unhappy I could speak to her and try to help them/get the baby style crying stopped. But looks like that's just what they do Sad

Thanks for that; tho despairing now

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 06/09/2012 22:25

It would be unusual for even Siamese to cry constantly day and night. It's generally only when they want something. Even Siamese sleep.

Maybe if a queen was in season you might get it for some days but not permanently.

What makes you think she's breeding Siamese cats? And if it's a problem, why don't you speak to her about it?

Original poster
MarianForrester · 06/09/2012 22:30

Well, I have seen Siamese kittens roaming in my garden. Heard the crying, and DH today said he'd seen cats in cages in their garden.

I haven't spoken to her because I wasn't sure if I was being unreasonable. I am a dog person and don't know about cats. But I began to worry that the cats might be unhappy, and I don't like that either!

Now I have some more information, i think I will go and speak to her tomorrow.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 06/09/2012 22:32

Cages in the garden could just be her keeping males outside in summer but I really couldn't understand why anyone should have free-roaming kittens as you describe.

You need to speak to her and find out what's going on, I think.

Hassled · 06/09/2012 22:34

I've had many cats, including a Siamese. And no, miaowing all the time is not normal. They miaow when they're hungry, when they're bored, when they want attention. Most of the time they're silent. I think you're right to be worried - an anonymous call to the RSPCA perhaps?

tabulahrasa · 07/09/2012 01:12

Mine miaows for food, to get in doors, to get out doors, if she wants to go out and it's raining, if I've been out and sometimes just for a chat...even with all that it adds up to less than an hour a day - so no, nowhere near constantly

Nymia · 07/09/2012 03:49

My younger male exotic shorthair miaows/whines constantly. My husband doesn't notice it until the weekends, and worries something is wrong, but he really is that vocal every day. Sometimes he wants food/water/attention/doors opened, sometimes there's a fly on the windowsill he is interested in and sometimes he really just talks to himself as he plods about the flat. I heard somewhere that cats don't miaow at each other, only as a method of communicating with humans, and I often wonder what he thinks he's talking to me about! Especially when he knows I'm in one room, leaves, and is then heard complaining at the top of his voice while he heads off to the next bed/scratcher/meal.

I have two others that only miaow in specific circumstances: when the girl cat has snuck under the sink, got stuck as i didn't see her and would like me to open the cupboard door again for her please, and when the oldest boy would like the back door opened.

Could the crying be one or two specific cats? Difficult to say I suppose, as you can't see them all the time. Point is, it doesn't have to be a mistreated animal, cats do have very different personalities and some of those personalities are just naturally LOUD!

lljkk · 07/09/2012 04:05

Siamese are chatty but agree that constant meowing is a sign of agitation or excitement, not exactly normal. If they are breeding they are valuable & should not be out randomly roaming. Have a chat.

sashh · 07/09/2012 05:12

Mine meows when she wants something but when she came into season (no I didn't let her out, and I booked her in with the vet) she was crying all the time.

cozietoesie · 07/09/2012 06:40

Another bunch of early risers!

I have to say that if all the information given by the OP is correct (and not a misinterpretation by me) my best guess would be that something untoward might just have happened.

If Next Door is indeed a breeder (and the 'cages' in the garden seen by the OP's DH could be the outdoor run parts for male cats which would be pretty normal for a breeder) then there is no way that a breeder would be allowing kittens or even older cats to roam loose in the OP's garden. Looked at even cynically, they're worth a lot of money and to lose them or have them injured would not be good news for her.

That, together with the 'pretty constant' noise would make me want to check that the neighbour was OK.

Original poster
MarianForrester · 07/09/2012 07:33

Thanks all, that's really helpful. I feel better about maybe popping in to see her now that i have all this information.

I should say that the kittens in my garden has been over a period of time; and have seen neighbour driving about, so she is ok!

Thanks again

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 07/09/2012 07:49

Well having loose Siamese kittens in your garden is really odd - but as you're not a cat person you wouldn't necessarily have known that. I'd nip next door and speak to her. Maybe see what's going on and if she needs any help.

Fluffycloudland77 · 07/09/2012 14:13

Our cats very "vocal" too. No obvious reason, he's often just telling us he wants the loo, the lounge door is shut, his hot water bottle is in the wrong place, he's not ready for bed just yet and wants to be out of the kitchen, he's only had one pouch of food for breakfast,moms come home and he wants fuss,the kitchen window is shut and he wants to come in the window not the patio door,he wants to jump on the wardrobe, he wants to be lifted up to the ceiling coving to get a spider he's found....

You get the idea. He miaows a lot.

Original poster
MarianForrester · 11/09/2012 11:53

Just an update. DH thought I shouldn't go round as he had met a member if the family whom he thought might be unpleasant if I did, and don't want don't neighbour problems.?

I rang the SSPCA and the woman was pretty scathing, and said they wouldn't send anyone to look because a neighbour's cat was crying. Made me feel like complete time waster, hey ho. Just wanted to make sure it was ok.

Probably just vocal cat by sound of it.

Thanks for all the advice

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 11/09/2012 11:59

Thanks for the update.

If you see Siamese Kittens trouping around your own garden again, I'd be inclined to give the Siamese Welfare Trust a quick ring and explain the situation - because that is really odd. (They could make discreet enquiries.)

Here's the link.

\link{http://www.siameserescue.org.uk/\Siamese Welfare Trust}

Original poster
MarianForrester · 11/09/2012 12:00

O, thanks for that, will do.

I just thought they looked unusual, had no idea weird for them to be out Grin

OP posts:
tabulahrasa · 11/09/2012 15:53

A lot of people don't let Siamese cats out at all - mine goes out, but having kittens out is really quite unnusual

Some0ne · 11/09/2012 16:40

I'd definitely wonder about purebred kittens wandering free. Good idea to phone the SWT, they'll know if the neighbour is a reputable breeder.

Our moggies are vocal in their own ways; the small, dainty one is exceedingly demanding and bosses us around at the top of her tiny voice whenever she sees us, the big fluffsy one is very quiet all day but when the kids are in bed at night likes to sit on the stairs and sing soft lullabies to them. She's a very maternal and lovely girl : )

out2lunch · 11/09/2012 16:44

i have a siamese
he doesn't miaow or yowl constantly only when he wants something
we got him as a kitten and the breeder did let her litters - diff ages -out in the garden

cozietoesie · 11/09/2012 16:50

But out2lunch - them roaming in next door's garden implies free range. I've never known a Siamese breeder to do this. As I said up-thread, even looked at cynically, they're money on the hoof to a breeder and getting lost or ill would not be good news, either for them or for the rest of the breeder's animals in the event of infection. (Being allowed out into an enclosed and protected outdoor space might be different -although I still haven't known any breeder that did that with young kittens.)

out2lunch · 11/09/2012 18:31

yh i suppose i didn't mean free range though

cozietoesie · 11/09/2012 18:40

I reckoned you had meant a protected outdoor space. Smile

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