The cure for constant Meowing!

Ever since Milo got out for a night his inner voice has seem to be absent. He would walk around the house at night MEOWing loudly. Window to window. He would get us up early in the morning and would not let us sleep at night.

At first we would try to calm him by cuddling and so forth - WRONG!!!! Don't do that. It only teach's him that his behavior was a good thing.

We decided to go the tough love option.

Squirt guns.

I do not believe in punishing a cat with water - water terrifies them. However, drastic options were needed. He has now learned that if he comes into our room at night and makes noise - he somehow gets wet.

For instance - this morning - he was crying at 4:00 in the morning on our dresser. SQUIRT! he runs out of the room, we fall asleep and wake up with him sleeping at our feet.

So far so good.

Squirting the cat is not a good option. Finding out why he is meowing is a better option. If you have to use a squirt gun, squirt away from the cat- fake him out, put a big potted plant in the corner and water the plant- he will think that there is a mouse in the corner and run over to investigate. But shooting water directly at a cat is not a nice thing to do.

Please don't squirt him with water He is just doin' what comes natural. I have cats that would keep me up at night too if I didn't play with them for a mad session before bed..Try that instead. Or how about a playmate for him?? He sounds lonely and without stimulation.

Originally Posted by Loveysmummy

Please don't squirt him with water

He is just doin' what comes natural. I have cats that would keep me up at night too if I didn't play with them for a mad session before bed..Try that instead. Or how about a playmate for him?? He sounds lonely and without stimulation.

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I do that with Napoleon...he would launch off onto the bed in the middle of night, harass Cassie, bite our feet, etc...because he was nocturnal. I spritzed him or around him b/c 1.) I didn't know any better and 2.) that's what the ASPCA told me to do (shocking, I know!). Given what I know now, I do what Loveysmummy does and play with him so that he's tuckered out when we go to bed...or what Hissy suggested...I found that even tho' I don't agree with "spray bottle therapy" LOL, that now he has enough knowledge to see that a "fake-out" will get him running and being an angel!

I'm having a huge problem with this now.

Gremlin is howling at night time. He is howling for the kitten and it's driving me insane. Is there anyway I can help deter this?

If the kitten isn't with him, he starts up - or i will catch him howling at me. I don't know what to do.

you guys say don't squirt him but the alternative was taking him the the human shelter and getting rid of him. Having 2 hours a night sleep is not a good thing.

After a few days of squirts he now has learned that his behavior is not acceptable. It has worked GREAT. Now he get's faked out and is wonderful.

"But shooting water directly at a cat is not a nice thing to do." Of course it's not a nice thing - I'm not trying to be nice.

We trie the "playing" thing but that worked ONCE.

This has always worked and it only took 3 nights before he learned that he had to be quiet in the bedroom at night.

Meh, it doesn't work with my cat, Spike. He thinks he can befriend the spray bottle if he tries hard enough. He also can't tell the difference between positive and negative attention, so sometimes spraying him with water becomes a reward for him. But then, Spike is a special cat.

Originally Posted by Grinder_7

"But shooting water directly at a cat is not a nice thing to do." Of course it's not a nice thing - I'm not trying to be nice.

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ok so squirting it and getting it in it's ear, possibly causing an infection is what you are trying to do, inadvertantly?

Grinder_7... I would probablly do the same thing as you did. I think that the water didnt hurt your kitty and now your kitty has learned. I use a water bottle with our dog and I know how quick they learn.

Is he an only cat? If so, he may be meowing because he is lonely.

Honestly, I just joined but I don't do any kind of squirting or noise making. I ignore it. It works the best!! My cat is a former outdoor tom and it took a while for him to understand inside is king but whenver he made a fuss I would simply ignore it. It's possible. If it really starts to bother you turn on the music.

Personally I'd take a water bottle squirting over a beating, which is what most people that DON'T use online cat forums do. But punishing vocal activity is kind of iffy.

I have to agree that his is probably just bored and he should not really be punished for that!!

How about a good play session before bedtime? Throwing a toy mouse, a laser pointer... Tire him out and you should get a better nights sleep.

It depends on your cat though. We tried to do the "Lets tire him out before bed" thing but after 3 solid hours of playing we were exhausted and he wasn't!! He spent the next two hours running and bouncing on the bed.

Personally, if the squirt bottle works and you make sure that you squirt near the back end and not at the head, and the squirt is not too hard, then go for it! Chances of you getting the water in the cats ear and it getting an infection would be pretty rare.

When my cat used to get in the shower or sink, we would turn the water on. Cat soon learned to not go in the sink or shower!

Squirting your cats are not the same as smacking or beating, so stop scolding people like they are two year olds! It is an effective way of telling a cat quickly that he/she has done something wrong and its not acceptable. Most cats if you ignore them, will simply continue to do what they are doing until they get your attention!!

Well, thats my two cents.

I gotta put my worth in.
When being kept up night after night after night by a cat who just won't stop bugging you, yowling and stratching and jumping on and off the bed, sometimes, honestly, it's hard to restrain myself from throwing something at him. It's hard to remember that he's just a cat and has a reason for meowing and isn't just trying to p*** you off! Really, sleep deprevation can bring out the worst in humans.
So, IMHO, if a squirt bottle works, then it's better than losing one's temper. I don't see how it can really harm a cat. We have them situated around the apartment and just have to pick one up and shake it for the cats to get the message. We set them to spray in a mist rather than a hard jet of water, and that works well.
We've tried various tactics too, it's not like we're being lazy or taking the easy but cruel way out.

My boyfriend has one talky kitty. she stays in our room, but rules the top 2 floors while the dogs have only the bottom floor. She talks almost constantly. and I'm allergic to her. and she throws up everywhere. and she doesn't like to play, she's 13 and "above" that. I really don't know what she wants. I do know that it is really hard for me to not to ... throw things at her, among other things. I'll try the spray bottle again, maybe it will work this time. I'll also try to convince my boyfriend to take her to see a vet in case she's trying to tell us something is wrong with her.

Oliver talks allll day long, and he and Emma like to have long conversations in the middle of the night. I've just gotten used to it--if you ignore him, he figures it out and shuts up eventually! Plus, he likes water, so a water gun would never have worked on him.

Is there no way you can shut the door of your bedroom to keep your kitty out? If you're light sleepers, and his meowing will still wake you up thru a closed door, could put on some music I guess...