Cat lovers - Nighttime problem

[anchor31]

So, we moved my two cats from my parents'' place to our new place in ealry June. They were pretty scared for a couple of days, but then everything was fine. A month later (just over a week ago), I officially moved in.

Ever since, every night, one of them will start mewing in the middle of the night and won''t stop for 2-5 minutes. Sometimes she''ll do it 2 or 3 times a night. Obviously she wakes us up and it''s really annoying!

I don''t know if it''s something she used to do at my parents''. We used to keep them in the basement at night, so even if she mewed we couldn''t hear her. It seems so weird that she didn''t do it before I settle in, and she does it now that I''m here...

I don''t know how to get her to stop for good. She stops when we get up to scold her, and even if we scold her she does it again.

Help?

 

[Miranda]

Squirt her with a squirt bottle. My cat does this from time to time when he feels the need to be pet or have someone watch him eat (um, he loves to have us watch him eat - and, yes, we do it. Just not ever in the night). We squirt him when he does any meowing in the night. I''m not a nice animal mommy when my sleep is disrupted.

 

[rainbowtrout]

Gah. We had this problem except the cat figured out how to open the cabinets and would open and shut them--loudly--at about 4am.

The squirting works most of the time, HOWEVER--with our cat it became a case of "any attention is good attention"--the getting up and squirting was apparently an improvement over no reaction at all! So be aware, you might have to try doing nothing for awhile and see if that helps.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Hey Anchor - RT has a good point about the "any attention being good attention." This is most often the issue, and should go away if you are completely consistent about ignoring it. This website has free handouts to download on excessive meowing (click to download directly) as well as other behavioral issues for kitties - its a great resource, and should have some helpful hints!! Good luck

 

[anchor31]

Thanks all. I had a talk with my cat yesterday (yup, I talk to my cat as I would a child) and she was quiet last night. We''ll see what happens tonight. If she starts doing it again I''ll get a bottle to squirt her with.

Thanks for the link AmberGretchen! I''ll check it out.

 

[AmberGretchen]

You''re welcome anchor - I hope the link is helpful if the problem recurs (or any new ones come up!)

 

[DiamondSeeker7]

Date: 7/3/2007 9:13:00 PM
Author: Miranda
Squirt her with a squirt bottle. My cat does this from time to time when he feels the need to be pet or have someone watch him eat (um, he loves to have us watch him eat - and, yes, we do it. Just not ever in the night). We squirt him when he does any meowing in the night. I''m not a nice animal mommy when my sleep is disrupted.

I thought my cat was the only one that liked to have people watch him eat! Good to know I''m not alone!

 

[Gypsy]

My cats did this when we moved into oiur new place. We just clucked at them the way we do whenever they are afraid or troubled and mew. It comforted them. THey are just letting you know they are distressed. I wouldn't punish them for it. Just make a soothing noise or say something like , "it's okay baby, mommy is here" (which is what I did) and see if that works. It did for mine.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

What naughty little kitties! My cats (I have 2) like to mew in the middle of the night too - except that they''ll come right into our room and sit in the middle of the floor and make the most horrendous noises. They often wake hubby up and get "banished'' to their room. If it''s not the mewing then they try to get behind the window blinds and make them bang against the walls. So obnoxious! They are cuties though, I''ll give them that.

We''ve tried the spray bottle trick and any attention is good attention for them so now they have their own room where we can put them when they''re annoying at night. Good luck with yours!

Jess

 

[charles de gall]

Usually they just want attention. I tell mine to be quiet and they do, most of the time. Sometimes they just want to sleep on my legs.

 

[anchor31]

Yay! My cat has now been quiet three nights in a row! Thanks all!

 

[Aloros]

I think ignoring it might do the trick. I went from letting my cats sleep with me to shutting them out, and it took a few weeks where they made a ruckus (scratching, howling, slamming into the door...), but they''ve finally accepted that they''re not getting in at night.

Depending on the cat, I''d recommend a squirt gun over a squirt bottle. Both my cats don''t care that much about getting soaked with a squirt bottle, but if they hear me pumping the squirt gun, they get off the table, fast!

Good luck!