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The litter tray

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

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Original poster

How do we stop the cat from meowing?

28 replies

MerryChristmasEverybody · 03/01/2013 19:24

We have had our kitten since she was 9 weeks old. She is now 8 months old. She a beautiful cat who can be very loving. But our problem with her is, she will not stop meowing.

She sleeps downstairs and has the run of the lounge and kitchen. We have a door between the lounge and stairs which we shut at night to stop her from coming upstairs. Every night when we go to bed she meows constantly for 20-30 minutes. She will wake in the night and meow for ages.

Sometimes, for her own safety, we have to look her into a room away from us. She will meow constantly until we are back.

If any door is shut - for instance the dining room door - she will sit by that door and meow. It doesn't matter if anybody is in that room or not.

Sometimes she'll even sit by the wardrobe doors and meow constantly at them.

It is driving us all mad as it's almost constant.

She has plenty of toys. A scratching post. Loads of balls, mice, catnip toys. But she doesn't really play with them (however she had a fun 3 days with a bit of sellotape recently, she was obsessed with it)

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 03/01/2013 19:36

She wants you and not toys. Why don't you let her sleep with you?

Peggotty · 03/01/2013 19:38

Hmm do you think she's maybe a bit anxious? Might be worth trying some Feliway spray or a Feliway diffuser?

SecretNutellaFix · 03/01/2013 19:49

Cats only miaow to humans- they don't do it very much with other cats. They'll chirp and purr, hiss and scream.

She wants your attention.

cozietoesie · 03/01/2013 19:56

Oh - and the meowing at closed doors is more attention seeking. If you opened them she might go in for 5 seconds and then ignore them again, coming back to get love from you; the meowing having attracted your attention and brought you closer to her.

Has she got Siamese in her? (Because this sounds like standard Siamese behaviour.)

TheSilveryTinsellyPussycat · 03/01/2013 20:56

Is she an indoors cat?

tribpot · 03/01/2013 20:58

To the cat, all doors and drawers must be left ajar to facilitate exploration, preferably in the middle of the night. I am currently looking at my cat asleep on my ironing board, which she originally found by climbing up the chest of drawers I had obliging left askew for her convenience. Now she can jump from the ground, which is nice.

I do think she'd be happier sleeping where you are. It's instinctive for a cat to sleep with the pack.

Yoghurty · 03/01/2013 21:02

Good luck with that!

I have a chatty kitty- she's nearly 8 and has always been very vocal.

I don't find it constant or irritating thou as she's always with me- we have to shut her in the kitchen at night or she'd come screaming into us at 4am!

It's definitely attention seeking in my case- and we always have wondered whether she has Siamese in her as her face is quite pointy.

I think it's lovely that she wants to talk to you

TheSilveryTinsellyPussycat · 03/01/2013 21:03

tribpot is right, even after living here for 7 years DCat still insists on inspecting the walk-in wardrobe, the linen cupboard, and the boiler tank cupboard. Fair enough, she sometimes sleeps in the first two, but there is just enough room at the side of the tank for her to squeeze down.

Got to check every inch of your domain, if you're a cat

Sparklingbrook · 03/01/2013 21:04

Awww. She wants to be with you. Sparkling Cat doesn't like any doors shut and sleeps on the bed with us every night.

VenusRising · 04/01/2013 01:32

No doors closed here either - everything slightly ajar to facilitate the prowling.
And no miaowing if she's fed and watered: she sleeps under my arm after a lot of chirruping and nuzzling though.
Maybe try sleeping with her, you might be pleasantly surprised how well you sleep!

jessjessjess · 04/01/2013 02:13

She sounds sad and lonely - she is being abandoned at night by the people she loves. I think you need to let her up with you, it's mean when you only have one cat.

jessjessjess · 04/01/2013 02:15

PS our kitten sleeps on my pillow by my head. Last night I went to bed before DH and the cat stayed with me until I went to sleep, then went downstairs to see DH. You're missing out on a nice bond.

Our cat would be devastated if we shut him out alone at night.

cozietoesie · 04/01/2013 06:58

Over many many moons, I've never had a Siamese that didn't sleep with me at night - and sleep in my bed (or occasionally my armchair if the weather was very hot) during the day. To the point that if one of my Siamese had taken to sleeping elsewhere, I would have been gnawing my fingernails wondering what I was doing wrong.

Each of them has regarded being shut away from The Person (they bond to one person usually) as a punishment and becomes desperately upset. It makes for easy discipline in the cozie household but I'm wondering if your girl has developed that sort of close bond with you and needs to fill up her tank regularly on 'Personness'. If so, letting her sleep/be with you will calm her down a lot.

I'd give it a try. They tend to sleep quietly and thoroughly once they're upstairs and they're desperately clean. I'd rather have a cat in/on my bed than some people I know!

Selks · 04/01/2013 07:03

I don't think it's unreasonable not to want to share your bed with your cat. I love my cat but don't want him on my bed at night.
OP I'd suggest trying felliway.

cozietoesie · 04/01/2013 07:30

Oh it's not at all unreasonable - just that many people assume that cats sleep downstairs and people sleep upstairs and don't give the alternatives any thought. It may be the answer to the OP's problems if they have no objection to it.

MaggieMaggieMaggieMcGill · 04/01/2013 07:34

And also letting her out, if she does not go out at the moment. Cats need stimulation and the great outdoors is the perfect place to find it.

JumpingJackSprat · 04/01/2013 07:42

having the cat in the room doesnt necesarily mean on the bed - my cat has a radiator bed and cat tree in bedroom and she only goes on the bed when im not in it. mine meows in the middle of the night if i let her wander round so she gets shut in my room at night. only way for me to get a full nights sleep!

cozietoesie · 04/01/2013 07:49

Yep - that would satisfy a need for human company.

bodiddly · 04/01/2013 07:50

It is loneliness. You either need to let the cat come in with you or get another cat. We ended up having to do both!

StuffezLaBouche · 04/01/2013 19:40

cozie that's such a lovely explanation of Siameses!

Original poster

MerryChristmasEverybody · 04/01/2013 20:24

Thanks for all replies. She is not Siamese - she is half ragdoll, not sure other half but definitely not siamese (she's tabby colour so prob ragdoll/tabby)

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 04/01/2013 21:12

Ah - then that makes sense. I've never had a ragdoll but I understand them to be very gentle and incredibly people-oriented. If she's got that bloodline in her, she almost certainly wants extra night-time nearned to you.

cozietoesie · 04/01/2013 21:12

nearness

bottleofbeer · 04/01/2013 21:28

Awww, my cat snogs me.

She loves a snuggle too. She just wants to hang out with you!

JumpingJackSprat · 04/01/2013 22:21

mine is a ragdoll and shes not a cuddler but definitely loves being around people!

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