Nighttime howling

salsanchips

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I have two cats, a male and female (neutered and spayed) both about a year and a half old.

The female, Moonbat, has recently taken to howling in the very early AM, around 3-4 AM. Sort of like "OowwwW!", repeated over and over. Very loud, enough to wake me up sometimes. Always in the living area. If I wake up and go check on her, she stops immediately, looks at me with one of those "What?" expressions. I'll go back to bed and a few minutes later she starts up again.

Annoying, but I can ignore it. Just wondering if anybody else has this problem. I think she may sense other cats outside the house prowling in the yard and shes calling to them
 

persi & alley

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Originally Posted by SalsaNChips

I have two cats, a male and female (neutered and spayed) both about a year and a half old.

The female, Moonbat, has recently taken to howling in the very early AM, around 3-4 AM. Sort of like "OowwwW!", repeated over and over. Very loud, enough to wake me up sometimes. Always in the living area. If I wake up and go check on her, she stops immediately, looks at me with one of those "What?" expressions. I'll go back to bed and a few minutes later she starts up again.

Annoying, but I can ignore it. Just wondering if anybody else has this problem. I think she may sense other cats outside the house prowling in the yard and shes calling to them
That's a tough one. My male cat will do that if he does not think there is not enough food in his dish! The most obvious reason is dispelled I think since you say your female was nuetered. I just think there are so many reasons cat do this that you cannot say with any certainty.
 

cheylink

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They howl to make contact, attract attention, get a response! I have found that talking to them usually does the job, call them over, reassure them...... Maia rarely does this but we currently live in a one bedroom apartment. When we visit my friends large loft apartment, she will practice this and calling her with reassurance works. Pandi also responded well to this.....
 

sport

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Originally Posted by Persi & Alley

That's a tough one. My male cat will do that if he does not think there is not enough food in his dish!
Sport does the very same thing. If I get up and give him more food, he quiets right down....hence, I really try to remember to keep the dish full...LOL. Funny how we think we're the owners'..huh.

Best of luck,
Rob and Sport
 

cheylink

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Originally Posted by Sport

Sport does the very same thing. If I get up and give him more food, he quiets right down....hence, I really try to remember to keep the dish full...LOL. Funny how we think we're the owners'..huh.

Best of luck,
Rob and Sport
First of all.....Sport is adorable! But more to the topic, the only problem with giving them food when they do this is that it teaches them when they do this, they will get food! So they do this knowing at the very least, they will always get food. It really is all about getting attention, some kind of reaction. So its better to call out, talk to them, encourage interaction or brief play, distract them from this mode, then feeding them. Otherwise, you can create a monster!

The really funny thing about this topic is that a very close friend of mine is house/kitty sitting right now for a friend, and Patrick, the overweight kitty, is a howler! Treats are the most effective calming method for him, but the worst since he is so over weight, he doesn't run around and play like a normal kitty would!
 

meowers

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Im so glad mine have all but stopped that!

Well, its best to call their name first. i swear some times they fall asleep and then wake up and dont know where i am
next, scoop the litter box and feed some good food. if that doesnt work i go back to bed for good baecause im not playing with them at 3am!
 
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