The borderline between a joyful mingling with man and excessive meowing, which can be an expression of discomfort, runs smoothly.
Some people establish with their cats’ regular “conversations” in which both alternately make sounds. A harmless fun.
Especially oriental breeds such as The Thai cat, but also some domestic cats, have a genetic predisposition to meowing and, in principle, are more common than more silent conspecifics.
Basically, it is okay if your cat with a meow announces a need and ask for help. And of course, it’s perfectly okay when she greets you, or “reports” after her return, what she has experienced outside.
It will be critical if your cat is not good-humored and optimistic at meowing, but signs of tension are added.
That would be the case if she is restless, finds it hard to rest, has no need at all, whose fulfillment makes her happy.
If the occasional meow is then a frequent meowing or a permanent meal, then you have to find out urgently, if there is a bigger problem behind it.
These are possible sticking points:
Boredom & learning effects
Cats have multiple needs for response and employment. As a home cat, they are totally dependent on their people. And maybe you know that yourself: Once you’re really bored, it’s hard to come up with good ideas yourself. Your cat will probably turn to you in this situation and jiggle a bit in the hope that you will release her.
At this point, then often uses a special dynamic. Most of the time, we humans react when the cat is “meowing” meowly. But we do not respond to her when she behaves pleasantly calm.
In a very short time you can – inadvertently – get your cat to meow more. She learns that she is fed, recorded, or just gets a little attention when she meows.
If such a thing has crept in you, then you have to take the helm again in the hand. The best way to do that is to make all kinds of offers to your cat at an early stage, so she does not have to ask you anymore. That For example: You notice that your cat wakes up from a nap. Then probably an active phase will follow.
So now is the time to grab the game and invite your cat to a game. Or if you know that your cat is always hungry when she comes in from the outside at night, prepare her food before she starts to whine.
Lonely cat
Your cat meows especially when you are not there or you are behind a closed door? Then your cat may have difficulty coping with this type of separation. Cat lonely Many cats today are very closely related to their humans, thus losing the independent nature they are told. Such cats often feel insecure or even frustrated when they are not allowed to be with their human.
If this applies to your cat: Please check urgently how much time she can really spend with you and other caregivers. Is there at least 10-12 hours of company? And are there enough hours to really play and cuddle with her? Is it really necessary to close the bedroom door at night and refuse to rest together?
Ill cat
But it can also be that the strong meowing of your cat is an expression of a disease. Although cats usually hide pain well, there are several diseases that often manifest in increased meowing.
These include e.g. Thyroid hyperfunction, kidney disease or high blood pressure.
So, if there are other signs of discomfort (such as a shaggy coat, altered appetite or vomiting), or if your cat is over 8 years old, when the severe meow begins, then have your cat thoroughly checked out at your trusted veterinary practice.
In senior cats, the much meow, are almost always (also) based on physical causes.
In addition, strong vocalization can also be a sign of incipient dementia.
Anxious cat
With demented cats, but also with other cats, who suffer from fears, one often encounters a special kind of vocalization: The cat does not meow then directly to her humans, but she squats or sits in a room and meows or cries literally in the room inside.
In healthy cats, this behavior is often experienced after serious changes in the cat’s everyday life that they cannot manage (such as moving). Please try in these cases, necessarily, if addressing and closeness of your cat help, even if she then learns that she does something with the muffle. The meowing is in this case really Au
Cats and Superstition
Especially when a black cat crosses the road, that means bad luck in Germany or the USA. In Ireland, it is only a problem if the black cat crosses the path of people in the moonlight – then those affected die during an epidemic.
English students, on the other hand, face annoyance when they see a white cat.
Unless they spit on the ground or turn around and cross themselves.
The following superstition used to be common among sailors: when a black cat enters the ship and disappears immediately, the ship will sink on its next voyage.
In Italy, it means that you get a cold when you hear a cat sneeze three times in a row.
- Cats at the stake in San Giovanni
The cat became an emissary of Satan who had sent mice to the earth with the purpose of spreading cats, considered evil spirits. It was therefore necessary to hunt the cats and persecute them. The Inquisition in fact punished witches, heretics and cats.
On June 24 during the feast of Saint John in the squares of many countries it was common to burn a certain number of cats on a red-hot grill were thrown alive. They had no other way out than to climb a wooden pole. Even though tall, the cats were equally touched by the fires of San Giovanni among the hysterical shouts of the crowd that saw themselves thus freed by Satan.
- The cat throwing
In the Flemish town of Ypres around the year one thousand there was the habit of launching from the top a certain number of cats which, despite their acrobatic skills, ended up smashed to the ground. This dismal ceremony ended only in the nineteenth century. There were sovereigns and ministers who attended these barbaric festivals with sadistic exaltation and it was necessary to arrive at the wisdom of King Louis XIV so that the ceremonies of the burning of cats in the square were thinned out.
- Cats steal your breath
There are people who believe that cats can steal babies’ breath. There is no reason to consider this probable thing. Obviously, if a cat lies on the face of a child while sleeping, it can take away the air, but not because it is an animal of the devil.
- Cats predict death
It is said that cats predict the death of people by crouching close to those who are sick. In reality this attitude can be justified by the fact that the cat loves the heat and since a person at the end of his life releases heat from his body it is possible that the cat collects near him.
Superstitions about Cats – Meaning and Symbolism
- Friday meows
If you hear cat meows especially on Friday night, they can herald a fight.
- A little hair under the table leg
Once the popular superstition claimed that to get a cat accustomed to the house it was necessary to cut off a bit of fur and put it under the table leg to keep it at home.
- Heal with cat feces
According to folk medicine, using urine, skin, ash and cat faces, some diseases could be cured. The fat of a black cat, however, according to popular medicine, was believed to heal joint pain.
- Black cat that brings good luck
At New Year or early morning seeing a cat is a good omen, especially if it is black.
- Attention to the arm
Another curious popular belief was that beating a cat at night with his right hand could make his arm paralyze.
Other popular beliefs about cats
- Italian belief: you see the cat yawning; the storm wants to burst.
- German belief: to live long, eat like cats and drink like dogs.
- English beliefs: finding a white coat on an all-black kitten brings good luck.
- English belief: if a cat is walking behind its ears while it is being washed it will soon rain.
- Popular belief: butter the paw of your kitty and will never leave the house again
- American belief: seeing a white cat at night brings bad luck.
- American sideboard: when you meet a cat with one eye, spit on your thumb, print it in the palm of your hand and make a wish. It will come true.
- American belief: dreaming of a white cat brings good luck.
- American sideboard: when changing house, you have to let the cat in through the window instead of the door, so it won’t go away.
- Chinese belief: hearing a sneezing cat is a good omen.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if your cat is meowing too much, the reason behind it could be its health or other problems, but there are also superstitions related to the cat meow in the night.
Whatever you choose to believe, the most important thing is to love and take care of your cat no matter what. This is the only way she will be happy, and most probably stop meowing.
These are just some of the different reasons why cats start to meow very intensively. As a cat owner, it’s not always easy to understand what really bothers your own cat because you’re too close.
So please do not be shy to get help from professional cat behavior counseling if you cannot quickly make convincing improvements for yourself and your cat.