Cat mewing at night

[Italiangreyhound]

Our neutered male cat is always shut into the kitchen at night where he has a cat tree with a snuggly hamok. He also sometimes gets a box with towels and bedding in but seems to ignore it. He also has water in the kitchen.

Through the cat flat he has the utility with food and his litter box (not next to each other).

The outer cat flap is locked during the hours of darkness so he can't go out.

Our cat has the run of the neighbourhood from about 8.00 a.m. to 5 or 6/6.30 p.m. when he is shut in the house. This is because when I let him stay out later he did not come in easily and managed to get lost one night!

From the time he comes in at about 5.00 or 6.00 or maybe 6.30, until before about midnight, he has the run of the house and then he is in the kitchen/utility until about 7 or 8 a.m.

He used to be fine with this but now keeps mewing at night.

I don't want him in bedrooms at night and because we have an alarm on at night, and he would activate it, he does need to be in the kitchen (as that room is not alarmed).

I am not sure why he has started mewing but it is quite annoying as it is loud enough to wake me up! But if I check on him he is fine, not into any problems, just maybe does not want to be shut in.

Any advice, please?

Don't go down to him. He knows you'll come if he makes enough noise.

If he can't come upstairs he'll just have to get used to it, which he will eventually.

Thanks Fluffy it is just odd that he has only just started doing this!

Thanks so much.

Perhaps he's thinking "well this is rubbish, I could be on a duvet". Mine gives me sad "you're leaving me here on my own?" Eyes every night but I like to sleep past 4.30am so he has to stay down there.

Thanks, I could not have in bed, he did wee on quilt once and that has really put me off!

He'll get used to it. Our cats are also shut out of our room at night because a) they chew all the cables and b) DP and I both value our sleep and don't like getting woken up at stupid o'clock!

Does he have some toys to play with? Maybe give him some toys to distract him with and possibly get him some comfy fleece blankets off the market to snuggle into. I have one for £10 from Tesco that my cat (neutered male as well!) would steal given half the chance!

Thanks all.