meow meow meow all night

My kitty is 9 years old and I've had her for 7 years. In almost all that time, she has been great about being quiet through the night. She used to curl up at my feet once the lights went out and stayed there until it was time for breakfast.

Lately, she has started a meow-fest when the lights go out. It's not a sudden change, but a gradual one. She got a clean bill of health at the vet, but he suspects she's a little anxious. I know I'm supposed to ignore her when she meows during the night and retrain her that way, but I also want to give her reassurance. I do play with her throughout the day and at bedtime.

It seems like turning off the light triggers the meowing. Should I leave a light on for her? Anything else I can try? We've had hit or miss luck with Feliway. There isn't anything different about our home or her routine. We moved about 3 years ago, but she adjusted well.


Thanks!

A gradual onset of nighttime anxieties could indicate a gradual loss of sight. It's good that you took her to the vet. I assume he/she ruled out any eye issue?

With a clean bill of health, stress is indeed the next possible culprit. Sounds like you started reviewing potential issues, but maybe this list could help you come up with something else?

Potential Stressors in Cats - The Ultimate Checklist

If you can identify what might be causing this then you should try and address the cause first. Next - or if you could find no clear cause for the stress - you can try lower her stress level with any of these strategies - 

Six Surefire Strategies to Reduce Stress in Cats

For now, I would leave a light on for her if it comforts her, though I have to say once again, it really sounds like there may be something going on with her eyesight.

Thank you, Anne. Those are helpful links! She seems to see fine during the day, but maybe there's something going on with her night vision. I'll ask the vet about that. Last night I kep a light on for her, but it didn't seem to help. I'll try a different one tonight.

In case she's getting bored with her usual play routine, I mixed it up a little and we played a game we call Mouseball, where she sits on top of her cat tree and swats back the toy mice I pitch to her. She seemed to have fun.

I also bought her a new toy today that we're going to make our 10 pm playtime ritual. I read that if she associates a certain toy with bedtime, that might help.

Hoping for better sleep tonight!

we have the same thing going on.... nothing seemed to trigger it either... she would wait til we go to bed... then she'd sit out in the other room and cry. However, if hubby would just call her name, she'd toddle right up the steps and go to bed with him. A couple months ago she lost her sister/littermate and it got really bad during the night...and nothing would get her to quit..we'd scoop her up and take her to bed, but she'd go back down maybe an hour later and start in again. At first we consoled her but after a few weeks we began ignoring her as we didn't want it to become habit, like you said. Finally the last week she has gone back to crying once in the night... but shortly thereafter stops and gets in bed with one of us. Will all that being said, I do believe it is all stress related in her case.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your other kitty.

I'm not sure what's causing my cat's anxiety. Last night was brutal, even after leaving the light on for her. I know I need to ignore her but that's so hard to do.

I know. Before Minnie died, she always got me up for a FEEDING... (poked my mouth) ....I felt I had babies all over again with a 2am feeding LOL, and yes of COURSE I fed her lol