Why does my cat meow for me when I sleep?

Cats aren't usually as noisy as dogs, but that doesn't mean they don't vocalize. Cats will meow, scream, yowl, cry, and make other noises. Sometimes these noises are during the day in response to various stimuli, but many times they are at night when you are trying to sleep.

Cats are naturally active and awake at night while you are trying to sleep. They might want to play, explore, eat, scratch, or get your attention and sometimes these actions are quite noisy and we wake up. Some cats are also especially lazy during the day. These cats will have a lot of energy to burn at night since they didn't expend much of it at all while you were awake.

If your cat is active, curious, and loves to play, then they may be waking you up at night with their meows seeking your attention. Cats will do many things to get attention, including scratching at your bedroom door, pawing at you, bumping into you, flopping down on the floor in front of you and, of course, meowing. If your cat is crying for your attention while you're trying to sleep, the best thing you can do in the moment is to ignore them. This is of course hard for some people, but if you give your cat attention while they are meowing for it, you will only be reinforcing the unwanted behavior. Even if you give your cat negative attention by yelling at it, you are still giving it attention. Earplugs may be your only solution until you can prevent the nightly meowing.

The next day, make sure you are wearing your cat out during the day by giving it toys to play with. Puzzle toys, feather wands, laser pointers, and battery powered chase toys are great solutions. There are even laser pointers on some pet cameras that can be controlled by you when you are away at work, so you can play with your cat even when you aren't home. By exhausting your cat and giving it all the attention it needs during the day, it will be less likely to want to meow at night.

Did you forget to feed your cat? Cats often cry for food or treats and a hungry cat at night is not a quiet cat. You won't get much sleep if your cat is hungry, so make sure you feed it before going to bed. Do not get up in response to its cries at night, as this will only teach your cat that you will feed it when it meows at you. If you have a difficult work schedule or are concerned about forgetting to feed your cat, consider an automatic cat feeder that controls the meal time and amount of food your cat will get. This will guarantee a regular feeding schedule and your cat is less likely to associate you with getting fed. Also make sure that your cat always has access to clean water to eliminate thirst as a reason for nighttime activity and noise.

Similar to people with dementia, cats can develop cognitive dysfunction that affects their ability to understand what's going on around them. It is not fully understood in cats, but we do know that elderly cats who appear confused and meow for no apparent reason often get worse at night. If you suspect your cat has some sort of cognitive dysfunction, get a definitive diagnosis and discuss treatment options with your veterinarian. Special foods and nutritional supplements may be recommended to help keep your cat's brain functioning as best as it can.

Any health condition or situation that leads to anxiety, stress, discomfort or pain can make pet restless and more vocal than normal. Talk to your veterinarian if your cat develops behavioral changes or physical symptoms of illness that appear during the day or night.

If a cat cannot see or hear well, they may be scared or confused. At night your house is usually darker and quieter than it is during the day, and if your cat's eye sight is failing or they are deaf and can't see you, they may meow to receive help or comfort. Your cat may also not be aware that they are meowing loudly because they cannot hear themselves well. Eye sight can deteriorate with age and disease, as can hearing, so if your previously well-sighted and hearing-capable cat seems to be losing its senses, get it checked out by your veterinarian. 

If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. For health-related questions, always consult your veterinarian, as they have examined your pet, know the pet's health history, and can make the best recommendations for your pet.

Meow! During the day, this sweet greeting is a welcome hello. But at 4:30 in the morning, it’s a loud, demanding alarm clock. If your cat wants attention and shows it by meowing or laying on your head when you’d rather be sleeping – we understand the frustration.

Why does my cat meow in the middle of the night?

There are many reasons that your cat may be expressing themselves vocally at night, but it’s typically one of two reasons: boredom or hunger.

Why does my cat wake me up in the morning?

Cats are masters at training us. In this case, your cat is likely waking you up early in the morning because they woke you up once before and you either fed them or gave them attention. So they continue to wake you up to keep getting that food or attention.

To stop your cat from waking you up at inopportune times, you’ll have to give them something else to do — a distraction that’s more rewarding than waking you up. You may need to try a few different options before finding a solution that works for you and your cat, such as:

Positive reinforcement training. Training your cat not to wake you up in the middle of the night may be the most difficult item on this list, but if your cat has responded well to training before, it might just be your best solution to a full night’s sleep. Learn how to use positive reinforcement training to keep your cat from waking you up.

Automatic feeder. If your cat is waking you up because they truly are hungry, an automatic feeder can be a lifesaver. Simply set the feeder to dispense a small amount of food in the timeframe when they typically wake you up. You can use the feeder to encourage your cat to sleep in by delaying the timing feature by a few minutes every couple of days. If they start meowing loudly again early in the morning, set the feeder to the last successful feeding time and try slowly extending the time again.

Toys and puzzles. Toys and puzzles can provide your cat with mental stimulation that will help tire them out so they aren’t waking you up. You can leave the toy or puzzle out at night to keep them busy while you get some sleep. This solution works especially well if your cat is bored.

Play with your cat before bed. Lastly, try playing with your cat before bed to tire them out. Properly tired kitties are more likely to sleep through the night, allowing you to get some much-needed shut-eye.

If you have a senior cat that won’t stop meowing and yowling after following the suggestions above, it might be time for a trip to the veterinarian. There may be a medical reason why your cat is meowing and waking you up in the morning – like an overactive thyroid, high blood pressure, or even diabetes.

With some patience and training, you’ll hopefully be able to get some much-needed sleep!

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Waking in the wee hours to sound of meows or a tap on the face is a part of many cat owners’ world. But have you ever thought about why your cat is awake at these odd hours and why he feels that you should be too?

People who live with cats know that their natural schedules are not exactly like ours. Of course, there is individual variation, even among humans, but most cats are naturally inclined to be more active in the early morning (and at dusk). This tendency is called being crepuscular. Scientists believe crepuscular behavior is an adaption from their wild feline ancestors who instinctively choose to be most active when other dangerous nocturnal predators are less likely to be.

Crepuscular inclinations might explain why your cat is awake when you are sleeping, but possibly not why she feels that you should be too. To explain this part, we have to look at other feline predilections.

Your cat is a tiny hunter. She is not naturally adapted to expect her resources to be provided to her by a human. (That handy arrangement came later in her evolution) Since your hunter is now left at home with resources provided effortlessly and little to do, there is likely some pent up energy. Cats are naturally hard wired to stalk, so their brains and bodies are built for more activity than our domestic lifestyle may afford them. Your cat might wake you because she is bored and you are a stimulus for her.

Because our cats have a relationship with us, they may also crave communication. Meowing and interacting with us are forms of communication. Animal experts agree that cats are attempting to convey physical, emotional, or social needs when they meow and rub on us. It is bemusing that adult felines rarely communicate with each other through meows and meowing seems to be a communication adapted to interface with human beings. I know what my cat is “saying” to me from his sounds and behaviors and you probably know your own cat’s meanings. No one can say if my cat has trained me to understand his meaning or if he has adapted his behavior to accommodate what I seem to understand!

Some of the time, your cat may actually be hungry when he wakes you, but not always, so make sure that you are not feeding your cat at times when he is not really seeking food. Feeding attention-seeking behaviors can lead to obesity for cats.

Just because it is a natural cat tendency, however, does not mean cat owners can never sleep a full night. Even natural tendencies can be adapted. Think of those people who classify themselves as “morning people”, but need to work a night shift.  Before you attempt to retrain your cat, make sure that she is healthy and normal. She might be attempting to communicate a medical need. Restlessness and pain can be symptoms of important and common feline disorders. If there is a medical reason, trying to retrain her will be a source of frustration for you both.

To start to modify your cat’s tendencies, be sure to meet your cat’s need to think and move. Make a daily habit of active and interactive play that involves stalking and apprehending. You can tire him out a little more to help encourage quality sleep for you both, all while meeting his emotional needs if you devote some time to one on one play.

On those days when you don’t have time to play, you might have to accept that you will get an early wake-up call!

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