Expert: Kate Tilmouth - 12/2/2008

Question
I have a cat that is 6 years old.  For the past two nights, he has kept me up for hours meowing.  He has never done this before.  When I get up, he comes to me and when I pet him he stops crying.  The moment I stop, he starts meowing again (varied vocalizations--some soft, some loud, some with a really low voice).  Is this attention-seeking behavior (he doesn't do it when I get home from work--just at night) or could he be in pain?

Answer
Hi
if he is only doing it at night then it is behavioural rather than physical pain.

cats use their meow to get our attention and if you respond to it guess what he quickly learns that by doing it more he will get your attention. this is a bad thing.

Cats are naturally more active at night and they can't always understand why we go to sleep then. You will have to try and break this new behaviour by not allowing him to wake you up and by not responding to it.

Make sure that you feed him just before bedtime, play a energetic game with him about half an hour before bedtime and make sure that his bed and sleeping area are warm and comfortable with access to water and litter tray. You may have to close doors on him at first to stop him getting to you. This may sound hard at first and he won't like it at first but he will learn that he does not get attention when he meows at night and will soon settle down to the new routine

best wishes
kate
http://www.our-happy-0cat.com