Do you have a vocal cat? Some cats “speak” more than others, using various meows, cries, and even clicks. If you’re wondering, “why won’t my cat shut up?” chances are it’s a breed that likes to communicate with you.
This post looks at the different cat breeds and which are more active speakers than others. We’ll also look at the reasons why your cat speaks and if you can curb this behavior.
Some Cat Breeds Are More Vocal Than Others
Cat owners need to understand that some cat breeds like to get more vocal with their owners than others. With some breeds, it feels like they’re actually trying to speak to you.
You can sit there and have a conversation with them, and they speak back to you in the cat language of chirps, clicks, and mews.
Some breeds like the Orientals are chatty, while Persians don’t like to speak at all.
Cats With Plenty of Vocals
- Abyssinian
- Balinese
- Bombay
- Burmese
- Colorpoint Shorthairs
- Cornish Rex and Devon Rex
- Egyptian Mau
- Javanese
- Oriental Longhair and Shorthair
- Russian Blues
- Siamese
- Somali
Less Active Speakers
- American Wirehair
- Birman
- Exotic and British Shorthairs
- Himalayan
- Persian
- Ragdoll
- Turkish Van
Vocal And Opinionated
- Balinese
- Color-point Shorthair
- Japanese Bobtail
- Javanese
- Oriental Longhair and Shorthair
- Siamese
- Tonkinese
Quiet Cats That Prefer Watching You
- American Wirehair
- Birman
- British and Exotic Shorthair
- Chartreux
- Egyptian Mau
- Exotic Shorthair
- Havana Brown
- Korat
- Scottish Fold
Why Does My Cat Meow?
Cats hardly ever meow and speak with each other; they let their scent glands do the talking instead. However, cats learn that getting vocal with you can lead you to take actions they want you to do, like feed them.
Is Your Cat Spayed Or Neutered?
If you don’t “fix” your cat within the first 12-weeks, they may start to get vocal when they enter “heat.” An indoor female cat goes into heat 13 to 15-times a year, which can cause some noise around the house during this time.
Cats in heat also attract other male cats looking to mate. If they can’t get inside your apartment or home, they’ll sit growling and meowing at the window.
Cat’s in heat sound like your old grade school teacher grinding nails on her chalkboard when the class gets out of hand. It’s a terrible sound, and you can forget about getting to sleep.
Ensuring you spay female cats and neuter males reduce their vocal tendencies when females go into heat.
Is Your Cat Trying To Talk To You?
Kittens will meow at their mom when they want to feed. It’s a way they catch their parent’s attention, and they rely less on it as they get older.
After your cat is a few months old, he’ll stop meowing at other cats and just do it with you. If your cat approaches you and starts meowing, they’re trying to communicate with you.
They could be hungry, or they need attention. In some cases, they might be curious about a task you’re doing around your home.
Whatever the reason for the meowing, there is typically an intent behind the action.
Do Cats Have A Language?
Some cats have different meows than others. It’s like each breed has a specific language. How your cats vocalize their feelings also depends on the environment. Your cat might growl and hiss if they come across another cat they don’t know, but around you, they have a soft mew.
Some cats also use chirps and clicking to communicate with you. When a cat starts making these sounds, it seems strange to many owners, but it’s just another way of your cat “speaking” with you.
Do Cats Call To You To Let Them Inside?
Yes, it’s common for cats to call to you to let them inside. They’ll do this in the daytime or nighttime. Some owners prefer to keep their cats inside at night. If your cat feels restless or sees another cat it wants to go and play with, it will start meowing at the window.
Once they finish playing, they’ll sit by the window and meow until you let them inside. You’ll find that each cat has a unique voice, just like us humans. After a while, you’ll recognize your cat’s “voice.”
What Do I Do to Stop My Cat Talking?
There’s not much you can do to get cats to calm down on the vocals. If your cat decides it wants to be a Rockstar and meow all day and night, it’s what they are going to do.
Never punish your cat for this behavior. Slapping, screaming, or kicking are all displays of aggression, producing a fear response in your cat. As a result, your cat will start fearing you, and they’ll hide away from you most of the time.
It’s also important to note that some cats become more vocal when they start to experience elevated blood pressure. If your cat recently adopted this behavior, take them to the vet for a checkup. Blood pressure changes could be a sign of issues with their kidneys.
As cats age, some might get louder because they start to lose their hearing. They may also stop responding to you unless you talk loudly. Excessive meowing could also be a sign of Alzheimer’s disease in cats.
Top Tips To Stop Your Cat Meowing At Night
If you want your kitty to stop meowing at all hours of the night, try these tips to get them to shut up.
Change Your Cats Internal Clock
Cats are natural nighttime predators. They have “crepuscular” and “Nocturnal” behavior, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk and during the night.
While all cats come with this instinctual programming, cat owners can reset their cat’s biological clock to daytime hours. It takes you plenty of time and patience, but changing your cat’s behavior is worth the effort.
The last thing you need is your cat flying around the living room at night, smashing over the coffee table vase as it chases something around the house.
Make sure you play with them during the day when you see them sleeping. They hate you for it at first, but they’ll eventually start spending more time awake during the day.
Top Up Their Food And Water
Some cats start meowing at you at night because they’re hungry. The cat comes to your bedside, demanding a midnight snack, and they don’t stop until you give them what they want.
To prevent this behavior, start feeding your cat later in the evening. When you go to bed, make sure their water and kibble bowls have a little food and water in them for your kitty.
If they feel hungry at night, they don’t need to disturb you to get a midnight snack.
Clean The Litter Box Before You Retire
Cat owners need to keep their cat’s litter box always clean. Leaving it to accumulate will frustrate your cat. If they can’t find a clean area to poop, they’ll come to you to complain.
It’s like being the concierge at the hotel, and the guest (your cat) arrives to complain at 3 AM. Stop the midnight madness with your cat, and keep the litter box clean.
Avoid Playing With Your Kitty Before Bedtime
Some cat owners make the mistake of playing with their kitty before bedtime. Unless you intend on spending an hour or so with them, it’s a bad idea.
When you start playing with your cat, you turn on all its senses into overdrive. While that’s great for burning calories, it takes them some time to come down for this heightened state after playing with you.
Therefore, if you don’t play enough, and your cat still has energy, it’s going to want to keep the game going while you want to sleep. Expect your cat to start protesting or licking and biting you to keep playing with them.
Don’t Respond
If your cat starts meowing at you at night, don’t respond. When you get up and give them what they want, you’re giving in to terrorist demands.
Like any good terrorist, your cat will keep leveraging this behavior to get you up in the middle of the night.
As long as you’re sure the litter box is clean and your kitty has food and water, there’s no reason to get up and respond to them. If your cat is making it hard for you to fall asleep, consider getting some comfy foam earplugs to drown out their cries at night.
