How to Stop Your Cat from Howling at Night – Proven Solutions for Quiet Nights

I’m sure many cat parents are wondering, “Why does my cat keep meowing at night?” I know I used to wonder the same thing. I had an orange and white cat named Ozzie, named after the great Ozzie Smith baseball player. And I wondered quiet a few times what it would take to stop my cat from howling at night.

Wow, he could really let loose at night. And I am not talking about the baseball player. Anyway, I had no idea what the problem was. From what I could tell, he slept, ate, slept, pooped, stared at the wall, slept, groomed himself and then more sleeping. Why couldn’t he arrange his busy schedule to do that all that howling during the day? I could not understand why my cat was howling at 2:30 in the morning? It drove me nuts and kept me awake until I figured out what the problem was. More about that later.

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So why does your cat meow at night?

Heath problems – Cats meow at night for different health reasons.

• kidney disease
• overactive thyroid
• CDS (Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome)
• hypertension
• diabetes
• urinary tract problems.
• Mating season

According to Animal Planet, it could be the beginning of dementia if your cat is quite up in their years. Whatever the reason is, it is a good idea to understand, your cat is not just meowing for no reason. Here are some other reasons for your cat keeping you up at night.

• Your cat is bored – Not having enough mental and physical stimulation can lead to your cat howling all night. A bored kitty can easily lead to an unwanted night of a cat howling concert.

• Your cat is just following his instincts – Cats are distant relatives of lions and tigers, so it is in their DNA to be up from 2am – 5am. They don’t really have a watch, much less understand the concept of time or that your sleep is important. They are up and it is time for a cat howling concert.

• It’s territorial – Yep, cats are territorial by nature. I’m sure you’ve seen your cat walking around the house, rubbing things with the side of its face. Your couch, a dining room table leg and even your leg. You might think they are being affectionate, and naturally they are, but they are also marking what is theirs. And yes, that includes your leg. So, if you have just brought in another cat or pet, you may be kept awake because your cat is stressed.

You may also have a howling cat at night if you have recently moved. Being creatures of habit, cats hate change.

• Your cat is hungry – You know that feeling you have when you go to bed with an empty stomach? It keeps you awake and you eventually raid the fridge, right? Well, this might be the problem for your cat as well. You may be feeding your cat, its dinner way too early. Cats will howl when they are hungry.

• Your cat is being free fed – Your cat most likely is feeding when he/she wants to. That means they can get burst of energy from their food, at all hours of the night.

• Your cat does not like the idea that you have moved – Cats do NOT like change. Not one bit. Therefore, a cat meowing the first night in new home, is not that uncommon.

Now that we know why, let’s look at how to stop your cat from meowing at night.

How to stop your cat from meowing at night?

• Play a hunting game with your cat – Your cat’s internal clock is set to wake him/her up from 2am to 5am for hunting. So to offset that, get a string and attach a fake mouse to it and have your cat chase it around the house for 20 or 30 minutes before bed. This will provide them with the natural mental and physical stimulation their DNA is asking them for, discourage them from hunting at night and you and kitty will sleep a lot better.

• Give them more activity in the daytime – If you have the time during the day, play a lot more with your cat. It is a great idea to give them interactive stimulation in order to stop your cat from howling at night

• Stop free feeding – Cats who free feed can get sudden burst of energy, and that energy can be any time after eating, so if your cat is eating at night, it is going to get a little wild at times.
• Feed them more often and before bed – Try to distance your feeding times throughout the day so that your cats needs to wake up more often to eat. And make sure you feed them before bed so they do not go to bed hungry but have time to digest their meals properly. Just like you, your cat does not really like to go to bed on an empty stomach, but if you feed him a little before bed, you may be able to stop your cat from giving an unwanted cat howling concert all night.

• Give them their own space, maybe with just you – Back to the territorial issue. Some cats may respond by howling all night in protest if you bring another cat into the house. So, try to give them their own space in your room at night and keep the other feline out.

• Use diffusers – If you want to get your cat to stop meowing at night, a good way might be to get a cat diffuser. It’s also recommended to use one when moving into a new house. Here is a good one I highly recommend to calm your nervous or territorial cat which might prevent your cat from meowing all night.

As for my cat, Ozzie, I learned that it was better for me to feed him before I went to bed after him chasing a fake mouse tied to a string or sitting on the couch with a red pointer. I gave him a lot of time before bed and by the time he was done, my sides hurt from laughing and he was tired out and stayed asleep until morning.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Why does my cat howl while walking around the house?