How to Stop a Cat From Constant Meowing

A noisy kitty is a needy kitty.
i cat image by Dwight Davis from

Dealing with a chatterbox cat can be frustrating, especially if this particular verbalization occurs at night. While some breeds are normally very vocal, like the Siamese, other cats become noisy for specific reasons. Discovering what's causing your cat to verbalize can help provide the solution to silencing your caterwauling kitty.

Step 1

Check your cat's food and water dishes and fill them if necessary. Cats will let everyone within earshot know if they want something, and if your cat suddenly starts wandering the house meowing, she could simply be hungry or thirsty. If she runs after you when you head for her dishes, you've discovered the cause of the sudden chattiness. She should quiet down once you refill her bowls.

Step 2

Play with her. Your kitty may simply be bored — kind of along the same lines as kids home on summer vacation whining to their mother that they've got nothing to do. Spend some time playing with your cat every day. Offer new toys occasionally to keep her from getting too bored with the ones she already has. Rotate the toys on a monthly basis to help even older toys seem new.

Step 3

Bring home a playmate. Adding another cat may seem an odd way to keep your current one quiet, but your cat may be lonely. Another cat will keep her company and give her plenty of exercise as they play when you can't.

Step 4

Visit your veterinarian for an exam. Cats can't tell you when they're not feeling well, at least not in so many words, but a sudden increase in vocalization could indicate something amiss health-wise. Female cats also become more verbal when they go into heat, so you may want to consider getting her spayed to silence her.

Step 5

Keep a squirt bottle with water handy and give her a spritz when she's being particularly vocal. If your cat is perfectly healthy and has all her needs taken care of, and frankly no reason to complain, she may just be looking for attention. Increasing your one-on-one time with her during the day may help, but if she still insists on meowing incessantly, you may need to curb the behavior with some watery assistance. Especially if her loudest times are when you're trying to sleep.

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