One of our cats ALWAYS meows. It's soooooo annoying. We have tried spraying him with water, which no longer works as he just flops over on the floor. We have no idea what to do. He is a healthy cat, was checked by the vet a little over a month ago. How can we make him stop meowing? And why does he always meow?
-
Too many ads? Join our community of cat lovers now to reduce ads by 90%! Click here to join for free!
Excessive Meowing
- Thread starter alliecat
- Start Date
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2001
- Messages
- 34,872
- Purraise
- 77
Hi Allie,
First of all, don't use the squirt bottle by directing it at your cat, instead aim it toward a corner and fake the cat out into thinking there is prey in the corner- or better yet, aim for a potted plant. Then the curious cat goes to investigate and your plant get watered, instead of your cat.
This is a siamese cat, or a cross breed, and talking is just the breed tendencies. Make sure the cat is healthy, when was the last time it was at the vet? Other than that, just ignore the cat when it cries, and when it is silent, rub it with a soft grooming cloth, or groom it out with a zoom groom, or give it pets. The minute it cries, just ignore the cat and walk away. It takes some time, but the cat will learn that crying does not get it what it wants. But again, the primary factor is to find out if it is healthy.
First of all, don't use the squirt bottle by directing it at your cat, instead aim it toward a corner and fake the cat out into thinking there is prey in the corner- or better yet, aim for a potted plant. Then the curious cat goes to investigate and your plant get watered, instead of your cat.
This is a siamese cat, or a cross breed, and talking is just the breed tendencies. Make sure the cat is healthy, when was the last time it was at the vet? Other than that, just ignore the cat when it cries, and when it is silent, rub it with a soft grooming cloth, or groom it out with a zoom groom, or give it pets. The minute it cries, just ignore the cat and walk away. It takes some time, but the cat will learn that crying does not get it what it wants. But again, the primary factor is to find out if it is healthy.
Spraying him because he's talking sounds really mean to me. Some cats like to talk more than others. From your siggie I think one of your cats is a Siamese? These cats are very talkative, social guys. Please do some reading on this breed, they do other things you may consider "annoying". They are very intelligent cats.
My Ginza is only part unknown Oriental cat and he talks sometimes, very loudly. He's also the one who opens doors and cabinets, and flushes the toilet. My Pixie, general mixed cat, is a talker, my husband even has entire conversations with her. She likes to talk about her day, or tell us she's BORED, or tell us to play with her, or tell us she's hungry. Yes, we can tell from the tone of the meow which it is.
Since you've already taken him to the vet, and he's got a clean bill of health, then he's just a talker. There are nicer ways to train him to not chat so much. I've never tried them, so I can't vouch for their effectiveness. The two I remember:
1. Ignore him when he talks. Eventually he won't talk so much.
2. Have a loud noise, i.e. coins in a can, a big jangle of keys, and throw them down on the floor to make a loud sound everytime he starts talking. Reward any silences with a treat.
Others may have better suggestions. I've never tried hushing my cats, and actually think it's adorable when they're talking.
EDIT: OK, I just saw in your pics that Roxy is the Siamese, and the "him" is the black cat. Your description of him as part unknown Oriental could be right, then.
My Ginza is only part unknown Oriental cat and he talks sometimes, very loudly. He's also the one who opens doors and cabinets, and flushes the toilet. My Pixie, general mixed cat, is a talker, my husband even has entire conversations with her. She likes to talk about her day, or tell us she's BORED, or tell us to play with her, or tell us she's hungry. Yes, we can tell from the tone of the meow which it is.
Since you've already taken him to the vet, and he's got a clean bill of health, then he's just a talker. There are nicer ways to train him to not chat so much. I've never tried them, so I can't vouch for their effectiveness. The two I remember:
1. Ignore him when he talks. Eventually he won't talk so much.
2. Have a loud noise, i.e. coins in a can, a big jangle of keys, and throw them down on the floor to make a loud sound everytime he starts talking. Reward any silences with a treat.
Others may have better suggestions. I've never tried hushing my cats, and actually think it's adorable when they're talking.
EDIT: OK, I just saw in your pics that Roxy is the Siamese, and the "him" is the black cat. Your description of him as part unknown Oriental could be right, then.
Well, some cats talk and some don't.
Those with siamese or oriental in them tend to talk more. I even know of a Devon Rex that talks and will hold conversation with you. And if ignored his meow changes to "Talk to me NOW".
You could try ignoring him when he meows. This method will require a large amount of patience if he's persistent.
You could try talking back to him.
Is he trying to show you something? My male cat Russell talks but sometimes he actually wants me to follow him to a particular location of the house to show me something that needs my attention.
Meowing is a means of communication for your cat. Training him not to to meow may lead him to use another form of communication. Without vocal communication he is left with claws, teeth and defecation.
Those with siamese or oriental in them tend to talk more. I even know of a Devon Rex that talks and will hold conversation with you. And if ignored his meow changes to "Talk to me NOW".
You could try ignoring him when he meows. This method will require a large amount of patience if he's persistent.
You could try talking back to him.
Is he trying to show you something? My male cat Russell talks but sometimes he actually wants me to follow him to a particular location of the house to show me something that needs my attention.
Meowing is a means of communication for your cat. Training him not to to meow may lead him to use another form of communication. Without vocal communication he is left with claws, teeth and defecation.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #5
Thanks for your replies everyone. No, the cat is always meowing is not a siamese. We don't really know what breed he is, perhaps part oriental. Anyways, a family friend suggested that we spray the cats when they do things they are not supposed to do. I just wanted to clairfy that we don't spray the cats for meowing, but Sebastian constantly meows...all the time. And that is when we spray him. We don't spray him all the time only occassionaly. Surprisingly enough, my Siamese cat...in my sig never meows, well not never, but hardly ever. Sebastian does so much meowing that he speaks for the both of them. I think that we will just try ignoring when him meows and see how that goes.
Make sure that in addition to ignoring the meowing that you also REWARD SILENCE! This will help him learn what you do and do not want him to do. Please read what I wrote for someone else in your situation:
The secret to stopping constant meowing is to NEVER EVER respond to her in any way when she is meowing. Don't even yell. She meows because she wants attention and when you yell at her (or squirt her)when she is meowing, you are giving her attention.
This behavior usually starts when people think the meowing is really cute. So, when the cat was young and would meow, the people would talk back or would snuggle or pet the cat. Eventually, the cat learned "Hey, if I just meow long enough and loud enough those people will talk to me."
So....now that you know why she is meowing (for attention), what you want to do is pay attention to her every time she is quiet! As soon as she stops meowing, immediately scratch her head and tell her how good she is. If she starts meowing again, then immediately stop paying attention. Just turn your back and act like she doesn't exist. Eventually she will learn that to get your attention she must be quiet.
Please note that if anyone in the house continues to respond to her meowing, it will make it very difficult to break the behavior. However, if EVERYONE gives her lots of attention when she is quiet, you will have much better success.
Good luck!
The secret to stopping constant meowing is to NEVER EVER respond to her in any way when she is meowing. Don't even yell. She meows because she wants attention and when you yell at her (or squirt her)when she is meowing, you are giving her attention.
This behavior usually starts when people think the meowing is really cute. So, when the cat was young and would meow, the people would talk back or would snuggle or pet the cat. Eventually, the cat learned "Hey, if I just meow long enough and loud enough those people will talk to me."
So....now that you know why she is meowing (for attention), what you want to do is pay attention to her every time she is quiet! As soon as she stops meowing, immediately scratch her head and tell her how good she is. If she starts meowing again, then immediately stop paying attention. Just turn your back and act like she doesn't exist. Eventually she will learn that to get your attention she must be quiet.
Please note that if anyone in the house continues to respond to her meowing, it will make it very difficult to break the behavior. However, if EVERYONE gives her lots of attention when she is quiet, you will have much better success.
Good luck!
It's so funny because when I got my youngest cat from the shelter I picked her from the bunch because she was the quietest. But sure enough after the papers were signed and we were in the car, she started chatting away, and she hasn't stopped for the last 3 years!!!
Ok, so what do you do when you are trying to quiet a talkative cat and when you go to praise or pet him when he is quiet, he meows the moment you move toward him or touch him. Currently, if he meows when I start to praise him, I tell him no and turn away, but this means he is never getting any attention.
amanda
You are doing exactly the right thing. This is not a fast process -- you have to give him lots of time to unlearn the years of learning to meow that he has up to now. Keep turning away when he meows and he will eventually realize that when he meows you turn away.
Please make sure that during this training process you never give him attention when he meows. Any attention for meowing during this time will undo any appropriate behavior he may have learned up to that point.
You can also praise him when he has food in his mouth or when he is napping. And, you can let him sit in your lap when he meows, but just don't pet or look at or speak to him while he is meowing.
Good luck and have patience...it will work in the long run!
Please make sure that during this training process you never give him attention when he meows. Any attention for meowing during this time will undo any appropriate behavior he may have learned up to that point.
You can also praise him when he has food in his mouth or when he is napping. And, you can let him sit in your lap when he meows, but just don't pet or look at or speak to him while he is meowing.
Good luck and have patience...it will work in the long run!
I love it when my cats talk. Maybe I'm just weird.
No Sicy, You're not WEIRD!! I think many people like to have cats that talks.
I LOVE to see my cats talking.. I WISH my cats meows more- only Pepper meows and that's only when I bring the wet catfood out. I have RARELY seen my other 3 cats meow.
ONCE in a while Zebra will meow when I look at her and when she does, I IMMEDIATELY pick her up and give her some cuddling. I think she meows only when she feels she's not getting enough attention. Guess that's why she RARELY meows!?
I think it's ADORABLE to see cats meowing. It's their form of communicating...
By the way, Sicycat, I LOVE your new SIGS! CUTE...
I LOVE to see my cats talking.. I WISH my cats meows more- only Pepper meows and that's only when I bring the wet catfood out. I have RARELY seen my other 3 cats meow.
ONCE in a while Zebra will meow when I look at her and when she does, I IMMEDIATELY pick her up and give her some cuddling. I think she meows only when she feels she's not getting enough attention. Guess that's why she RARELY meows!?
I think it's ADORABLE to see cats meowing. It's their form of communicating...
By the way, Sicycat, I LOVE your new SIGS! CUTE...
No Sicy, you are not weird. I love when my cats talk too. In fact, I always encourage them when they talk. Yes, I talk back to them as well
Allie, as Hissy stated, do not use the spray bottle to squirt your cat. If you accidentally get water inside their ears, they can get an ear infection.
Allie, as Hissy stated, do not use the spray bottle to squirt your cat. If you accidentally get water inside their ears, they can get an ear infection.
Our Sadie (Seal Point Siamese)is a talker and it is always at the front door. We know exactly what she wants...outside. And she has never been an outside kitty!
So we have taken her meowing and turned it into a trick. When she starts it we open the door and then pat our chest for her to jump. When she does the "jump" we step out the door and let her smell the outside air and maybe let her sit in the grass (for only a moment mind you). It was a long process until she made the first jump. She knows what we want now and she teases us back by pretending to jump and then sitting down. I swear she is laughing at us. She has us trained! But we never give her the reward of a step outside unless she does the jump. There are times all she does want is some attention. So we both will lavish it on her until she feels pestered and leaves. It works both ways!
So we have taken her meowing and turned it into a trick. When she starts it we open the door and then pat our chest for her to jump. When she does the "jump" we step out the door and let her smell the outside air and maybe let her sit in the grass (for only a moment mind you). It was a long process until she made the first jump. She knows what we want now and she teases us back by pretending to jump and then sitting down. I swear she is laughing at us. She has us trained! But we never give her the reward of a step outside unless she does the jump. There are times all she does want is some attention. So we both will lavish it on her until she feels pestered and leaves. It works both ways!
Amanda, yes, Amber is 100% bobcat. We do need to have a permit for her that has to be renewed every year.
I'm surprised its not the Siamese! Mine is constantly speaking to me. I answer then she stops. Usually our conversations last about two minutes. It has rubbed off onto the other kitties - now they all speak!
I think vocal might be with all the oriental type cats -- tonks, siamese, etc. The good news is now that she is older it happens less. I find she is vocal when she wants food, a window open, or just a hello when I get home. Then she is quiet.
Purr, Dorina
I think vocal might be with all the oriental type cats -- tonks, siamese, etc. The good news is now that she is older it happens less. I find she is vocal when she wants food, a window open, or just a hello when I get home. Then she is quiet.
Purr, Dorina
