Suggestions re: Cat Vocalizing

[FergieTCat]

Fergie vocalizes in the middle of the night and will not shut up. She is a tabby with a very loud voice. I will get up and give her food and water (I cannot leave the food out because of bugs) but she will continue to meow, increasing to volume. I live in a small apartment, so I can't lock her in a far away room and if I close my door, I can still hear her (plus she starts to cry because she locked out of my room). She's been disturbing my sleep to the point that I can't function during the day.

I understand I've raised a spoiled animal, but there must be someway to get her to stop. Also, I know she's nocturnal, but I'm not and she needs to knock it off.

Anyone have any experience? Ideas?? Would a squirt bottle help?

 

[horseshowmom]

Fergie vocalizes in the middle of the night and will not shut up. She is a tabby with a very loud voice. I will get up and give her food and water (I cannot leave the food out because of bugs) but she will continue to meow, increasing to volume. I live in a small apartment, so I can't lock her in a far away room and if I close my door, I can still hear her (plus she starts to cry because she locked out of my room). She's been disturbing my sleep to the point that I can't function during the day.

I understand I've raised a spoiled animal, but there must be someway to get her to stop. Also, I know she's nocturnal, but I'm not and she needs to knock it off.

Anyone have any experience? Ideas?? Would a squirt bottle help?

I've never had this particular problem before, but I would certainly try the spray bottle. I don't think it would hurt and might solve the problem fairly easily. I definitely would not be getting up and preparing food and water for her in the middle of the night.

 

[themarquis]

Lol -- we have a LOUD, LOUD, LOUD cat who loves to yowl at us all night long, so we have tried a lot of things.

The best advice I can give you is that you need to stop getting up and feeding/petting her. I know it seems like a good idea, but it's really what got you into this situation to begin with ... believe me ... that's why our little Opera Singer developed the issue in the first place.

Cats are very very smart and very manipulative. If they figured out that they cried once and you got up, then they try it a few more times and see what happens. If you get up every time, then they take advantage of the situation and start doing it constantly

For our guy, we realized after a while that it wasn't really the food or anything concrete that he needed -- it was the company. Most cats are very social and they get bored being by themselves all night when you sleep -- they figure it'll be fun if they wake you up! Makes sense ... lol.

Basically, there are two things we started doing that (mostly) got rid of his problem. First, we feed him a big, delicious meal right before we go to bed -- the fancy kind of wet cat food. He gobbles it up and stays happier and more satisfied during the night. Even if you only feed dry now, I'd consider starting some wet food at night because a) it's better for them than dry food and b) they are such pigs that they will gobble it all up and get full vs. dry cat food which is not so delicious and which they just nibble on.

Second, squirt guns ... get a bunch and fill 'em up. Every time she yowls during the night, squirt her. Every single time. Consistency is really important. I'm not sure what you should do if you shut her out of the room. You could just get up and squirt her each time -- don't worry, it should only take a week or two if you're consistent.

A final suggestion -- make sure she has some toys she can play with by herself like "doorway jumpers", catnip mice, those round thingamagigs with a ball that goes around and around in a circle, etc. That will hlep keep her busy and less bored during the night.

Our kitty is much better now, but he still has his moments. We find that if we go away on a trip, the yowling will start up again for a while when we come back. I think it's because he has been so bored and lonely and gets a bit anxious at night because he's not getting attention.

 

[SusanWasHere]

I have a Siamese that does the same thing! I spray her with the spray bottle. The only way to get her to stop is when she finally comes on the bed and falls asleep! She's 10 and has been doing it forever - it makes me crazy! I just grab the spray bottle on my headboard and she takes off. After a couple of times she runs in and jumps on the bed and settles down. No idea why this happens! Good luck!!

 

[FergieTCat]

Yes!!!!! That's Fergie in a nutshell.

I only get up to feed her because I assume she's hungry. Maybe she's just entertaining herself. And it definitely gets worse when I get back from vacation (I was gone for a week about 2 weeks ago. I guess she's still recovering.) I will try the big meal, maybe cat food with turkey (hey, if it works for me on Thanksgiving, why not Fergie??)

Just want to say that my Diana is the world's best girl. And she's hard of hearing, so once she falls asleep, I don't hear a word out of her until morning. Lucky cat!!

Lol -- we have a LOUD, LOUD, LOUD cat who loves to yowl at us all night long, so we have tried a lot of things.

The best advice I can give you is that you need to stop getting up and feeding/petting her. I know it seems like a good idea, but it's really what got you into this situation to begin with ... believe me ... that's why our little Opera Singer developed the issue in the first place.

Cats are very very smart and very manipulative. If they figured out that they cried once and you got up, then they try it a few more times and see what happens. If you get up every time, then they take advantage of the situation and start doing it constantly

For our guy, we realized after a while that it wasn't really the food or anything concrete that he needed -- it was the company. Most cats are very social and they get bored being by themselves all night when you sleep -- they figure it'll be fun if they wake you up! Makes sense ... lol.

Basically, there are two things we started doing that (mostly) got rid of his problem. First, we feed him a big, delicious meal right before we go to bed -- the fancy kind of wet cat food. He gobbles it up and stays happier and more satisfied during the night. Even if you only feed dry now, I'd consider starting some wet food at night because a) it's better for them than dry food and b) they are such pigs that they will gobble it all up and get full vs. dry cat food which is not so delicious and which they just nibble on.

Second, squirt guns ... get a bunch and fill 'em up. Every time she yowls during the night, squirt her. Every single time. Consistency is really important. I'm not sure what you should do if you shut her out of the room. You could just get up and squirt her each time -- don't worry, it should only take a week or two if you're consistent.

A final suggestion -- make sure she has some toys she can play with by herself like "doorway jumpers", catnip mice, those round thingamagigs with a ball that goes around and around in a circle, etc. That will hlep keep her busy and less bored during the night.

Our kitty is much better now, but he still has his moments. We find that if we go away on a trip, the yowling will start up again for a while when we come back. I think it's because he has been so bored and lonely and gets a bit anxious at night because he's not getting attention.

 

[nuke]

If it is a recent thing I wuold have her thyroid checked. Being more vocal is one of the symptoms of thyroid trouble.

Otherwise the squirt bottle is your friend!

 

[jwhtewolfd]

I agree with nuke that if this is a recent problem to have her checked out by your vet for thyroid or any other issues.

Otherwise, a nice, vigorous 15 minute play session right before bed to wear her out and a tasty meal. Is there anywhere you can leave some food out that the dog can't reach? Also, some novel toys that only come out at night that she can entertain herself with, but nothing noisy! I learned that one the hard way. Jezzie loves to play with plastic drinking straws, but they are really loud when they are batted across the hardwood floor in the middle of the night.

I've found squirt bottles to be ineffective in most situations. In this case, even if it is negative attention, you are still rewarding the behavior. It will be hard, but the most important thing to do is to CONSISTANTLY ignore the yowling. Don't get up at all to feed or play, don't throw pillows or yell or talk to her; try not to respond AT ALL. She has already learned that you will respond, so for a while she will be even more insistant, talking longer and louder, but you must be consistant.