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Tip
43 - Meowing cat - excessive meowing
Although usually quiet when left alone, cats can
be quite vocal when they need to be. Hissing, growling and screaming
are all vocalizations that cats make usually when they feel scared
or threatened. Other familiar noises include purring and of course
the meow.
Cats meow to get human attention. Except from mother
to kitten cats rarely meow to one another. Occasional meowing is
cute and adorable but excessive
meowing can be a problem. As with most behavioral problems there
is always the underlying possibility that it stems from some physical
ailment. It is important to rule this out before treating any behavioral
problem.
Treating excessive meowing
Excessive
meowing can be most annoying when we are trying to sleep. Some
cats have the habit of meowing and/or scratching in front
of the bedroom door until we let them in. The first rule of thumb
is do not respond directly to the cat’s meowing. The cat
is doing this to get your attention. Getting up to see what the
cat wants, shushing or yelling at the cat is the worst thing to
do because you are reinforcing the undesirable behaviour by giving
the cat attention. Your attention is its reward. The easiest solution
is to get a pair of earplugs. If you do not respond to the cat’s
meowing it will probably stop within a few days.
If that does not
work, you can try some of the following tips:
·
Keep your cat extra busy during your waking hours and especially
in the evening with toys, extra play etc. This will help it sleep
when you sleep.
· Squirting – Have a spray bottle ready and when your cat wakes
you with its meowing wait behind your closed door. At the very
next meow, spray the cat’s paws from under the door. The
cat will learn to associate this behaviour with a squirting.
· Alarms and compressed air devices – These are products available
in most pet stores that either make a loud noise or shoot compressed
air when the cat passes by an area it’s not supposed to.
It is important to know that some cat breeds are just naturally
more vocal than others. These breeds include the Balinese, Burmese,
Cornish rex, Japanese Bobtail, Korat, Siamese, and Tonkinese.
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