While most cats are typically quiet, there may be times when your pet may be annoying and very vocal. Cat meowing is a normal behavior, but can turn into a problem, and may also be a signal that your cat is scared or ill. If your cat suddenly starts meowing nonstop, you should find the cause of this behavior.
Ask for Attention
When your cat wants to have more of your attention, he will be very loud and persistent. Even if you lead a busy life, you should take some time to play with your cat. Otherwise he'll feel neglected and will meow continually, and can even develop a behavioral issue that is difficult to correct.
If your cat is asking for attention, you should not respond immediately, as he'll feel rewarded and will know in the future that meowing means that he gets what he wants. Train your cat, so that he won’t use meowing as a tool to manipulate you.
Fear or Threat
When a cat feels threatened, meowing is common. The cat may also be hissing and growling when he's afraid of something or someone. However, when the threatening agent is gone, your cat should get back to his normal behavior. If your cat is threatened by another animal that occurs constantly in his environment, the meowing can be uncontrollable.
Identify the object, person or animal that causes fear in your cat and either remove this from your cat’s environment, or try to get your cat used to it.
Mating Season
During the mating season, cats will use their vocal signals to communicate with other felines. This can become annoying, especially because most cats are active during nighttime. The best way to stop excessive meowing caused by the need to communicate during the mating season is to neuter your cat. This will calm him down and make him a quiet and obedient cat.
Signaling Pain
A cat that's meowing excessively may be suffering from a disease. You should examine your pet and look for any dental problems, swellings on the entire surface of the body, pale gums, hair loss or other visible symptoms. Visit the vet for a proper diagnosis and medication.
As cats get older, they may also start meowing more, but this is most commonly due to pain.
Feline Depression
Meowing can also signal that your cat is depressed. Depression in cats can occur for various reasons, including the loss of an owner or a companion, a medical condition or lack of affection. Depression can be treated with medication or pheromone therapy.
If your cat’s meowing is just a behavior issue, you can try a few simple tricks to stop the meowing:
- Spray your cat with water when he starts meowing
- Make a loud noise
- Keep your cat busy and make him tired, so he's less likely to meow excessively
Remember that some cats are more vocal than others, depending on breed and personality.