There are many reasons why your cat is meowing continually! It is their way of communicating. However, the amount of meowing depends on the breed among other factors.

If you find your cat meowing rather a lot, you need to find out the reason, whether it is an illness or some other cause.

What is excessive meowing? Well, it depends on the normal behavior of your cat. Some cats are more vocal than others, so if you notice a sudden increase in the meowing, the volume, the degree or the frequency, you need to get to the root of the problem. Your cat could just be saying hello or hungry or in pain!

Top Reasons Why Your Cat May Be Meowing Continually

1. Illness – Reasons for Cat Meowing

Cats express their discomfort through meowing when they are sick.

• Your cat could be in pain. The discomfort could be linked with a chronic disease, such as diabetes, excessive thirst, urinating problems, thyroid or other health related issues.

Tip: Excessive meowing combined with a lack of interest in food is a sure sign that you need to make a trip to your vet.

• It is a common problem in middle aged and older cats.
• Your cat may have an overactive thyroid gland. This makes him/her hyperactive, pace up and down and meow continually.
• Vision, hearing or other senses could be dulled, thereby leading to fear and excessive meowing.

Read: Dying Cat Symptoms: Signs That Show a Cat is Dying

2. Seeking Attention

Your cat meowing may not be an illness or even a friendly cry. He/she is just desperately trying to seek attention!

• It could be caused due to boredom or separation anxiety.
• Some cats will whine and throw tantrums as they want us to notice them.
• The reasons could be many. It could be sick, just bored and using you as an entertainment or have too much energy and wants you to engage her in some activity.

Tip: Provide an outlet for your cat’s energy and attention. Make sure that your cat has a decent environmental enrichment. For instance, a cat tree that it can climb and watch birds from.

The attention seeking could also be caused due to an underlying medical problem, as your cat could be seeking attention as a comfort for its pain. Rule out any medical issues first!

Try ignoring the meowing and start rewarding quiet behaviour. You have to teach her that sitting quietly will get her attention from you. Give her a treat while training her to sit and remain quiet. You can also teach her the word ‘Quiet’ in a calm and clear voice and by turning your head away from her.

Read: First Time Cat Owners: Important Things to do Before Bringing a Cat Home

3. Food Needs

Are you giving your cat enough food? Cats are known to meow and cry when they are hungry. How often should you feed your cat?

• Ensure that you are giving your cat enough food at the correct intervals.
• Make sure that the water bowl is always full.

Feed your cat around the same time every day, so that they know meal times and will stop meowing for food at other times. Don’t feed her when she cries. Wait till she becomes quiet before you put down food. Also, don’t give any treats when your cat meows.

If your cat is always hungry but does not seem to gain weight, it could be suffering from some intestinal ailment, diabetes, hyperthyroidism etc.

You are not looking to completely stop your cat from meowing. Meowing is a natural sound made by cats for communicating with humans. Most of the time they wish to tell you something, you just have to listen!

4. Territorial

Some cat’s meow continually if their territorial requirements are not met.

• For instance, if another cat or even any other animal in the house is blocking his entry to a particular area and causing stress.
• Your cat could be experiencing territorial problems with children of the house, with other outdoor cats that it sees through the window or even with inanimate objects in the house.

Tip: Spaying or neutering could reduce the problem.

Also See: Aggression in Cats: How to Effectively Handle an Aggressive Cat

5. Friendliness

Excessive cat meowing could be a way of showing affection!

• Meowing is the only vocalisation available for saying ‘I love you’.
• Your cat could be meowing to show pleasure and contentment.
• It could also be a kind of greeting to show affection when someone walks into the room. If your cat is rushing to the door meowing whenever it is opened, it is likely that it is happy to see people.

6. Loneliness

Cats are hunters and have a high energy level. When this energy is not expelled, it gets lonely and starts expelling the energy by meowing excessively.

• Typically, a lonely cat jumps on people and on things, destroys things etc.
• Have some play sessions with your dog. Tie a toy on a string and allow your pet to release its hunger instinct by stalking, following, jumping and biting the toy. It will release the pent-up energy.

Tip: Provide you cat with some activity.

Must See: Sick Cat Symptoms: How to Know When Your Cat is Sick

7. Stress

Cats are sensitive creatures and could get stressed out!

• Your cat could be frustrated with something or with the way people are interacting with it.

Warning: Stress could result in physical and emotional sickness, if left unattended.

Tip: Look for other signs of stress, such as diarrhoea; vomiting; runny eyes; eating plastic, wool etc; spraying urine on furniture; scratching excessively; aggressive behavior etc.

8. For Breeding/In Heat

If your cat is not able to mate, it is going to be frustrating.

• This is especially so if she is in heat or the fertile period. This is usually during the spring or autumn. Cats yowl during this period as they are trying to attract mates.
• Watch out for signs like rubbing of her hindquarters or displaying the mating position. They also spray urine on walls and furniture, indicating their availability to male cats.

Tip: Unless you’re planning to breed, the best idea would be to get your cat spayed.

Check Out: Understanding the Death Rattle in Cats: Symptoms and Causes

Conclusion – Cat Meowing Repeatedly

If your cat is meowing day in and day out, it could get on your nerves, ruin your sleep or it could be even worse, because your cat could be ill!

However, you are not alone in facing this problem, as many cat owners seek help from cat behaviorists to find a solution. Before finding a solution, you need to analyse the problem and learn the cause of the excessive meowing or continual meowing. Be alert if:

• There is an increase in the meowing or yowling frequency.
• If there is an increase in the volume or character of the meowing.
• If there is continual meowing at night.

Use the previous levels of meowing as a yardstick for measuring the increase. If your cat has always been meowing a lot, it will continue to remain that way. There is cause for concern, if there is a change in its vocal behavior.