Semi-Feral Cat in Bathroom Meowing at Night - How to Respond

Tonight my kitty has been meowing!! In fact, waking us all up meowing. She is hungry and scared. First, I waited to see if she would stop, I didn't know what to do. Is she meowing because I've waited too long to give her a lot of social attention? Is she meowing because she is acclimated to her environment and feeling more comfortable? Out of shock stage?

Then I went in and said hello. She stopped meowing when I went in. It looked like she had locked herself out of the cat carrier she had been hiding in, so I fixed it for her so it would stay open and talked to her. Then went back to sleep. A few hours later I heard more meowing, I listened, then I heard drinking (yay). A few hours later more meowing, I went in (she's made a mess of her little cage), everything is moved around a bit and she is sitting in the litter box again. I renewed her water, she hasn't eaten the dry food yet, so I gave her some smelly fancy feast.

A quick search on the internet showed me that she is probably not a feral because she is meowing. This made me happy, but sad. Glad that the chance of socialization is higher, sad that someone abandoned her and she might be craving human contact.

QUESTION: What do I do when she meows at night?

**I'll let you know in the morning if she ate the fancy feast. Tomorrow is vet and socialization day #1. I think she is ready for the socialization piece.

** I hear her meowing again, as I write this.

Originally Posted by luv2laugh

QUESTION: What do I do when she meows at night?

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Ah, welcome to the gang!


Cats are in thruths a wonderful Gods gift to the humanity.

But frankly speaking, who am I to complain on Gods ah so precious gifts, but the meowing at the nights is something we really dont insist upon. So to speak, dear God.

Im perhaps a little extra touchy. Our boys, father and son, were both studs. And thus during three years, no interrrupted night sleep. If I say so. They still meows at night from old habit, but nowadys being harmonic neuters, they do it less and dont do it so loudly....


Two practical observations:
it usually gets better with time. Whey they are a little older and used to you, they do sleep with their Ma or Dad during most of the night.

Second, dont spoil them too much.
When Im alone with our cats, they dont disturb me as much as they disturb Mom or us both. Usually only once or twice every night. And they dont get sour at me, they cuddle in the morning as usual.

So the advice for now: Be very friendly to her now, as you would be to a kitten or any new, a little unsure, bought cat. Being her Mom now you willl get it richly repaid later.
But a little later on, when she is one of the residents, try to not to spoil her with giving her attention at every whim of hers during nights...


ps. I agree with your analysis: the worst shock is over. Now she is remembering she was a homecat once, and thus the recovery is going on in full.