It’s 7 a.m., and kitty wakes you up better than any alarm clock could. You feed him and go back to sleep, but 10 minutes later you hear his familiar refrain – a deep, moaning meow. He does this almost every morning – but why?
Satisfaction (or dissatisfaction)
Your cat’s yowling might simply be their way of telling you what they thought of the meal. Did you feed them their favorite cat food or open a can of tuna? In that case, they’re probably delighted and want to say what a great job you’ve done. On the flip side, they might be annoyed that you’ve fed them the same cat food for two weeks in a row and wish to lodge a complaint.
They want more food
We all know cats love their food. Their whole lives revolve around mealtime. When your puss meows audibly after eating, they could be asking you for a second portion. They’re nothing if not persistent, but it’s up to you whether you give them another helping.
Related: How Much Should I Feed My Cat?
They want attention
You might want to go back to bed, but your cat has other ideas. Perhaps they’re lonely and want to play, or want some cuddles before you go to work. If the meowing stops after you pet them, or they jump into bed with you, kitty wants some more quality time with their person.
They’re feeling unwell
Cats are like humans, and can suffer from gas, indigestion and cramp. If your cat has recently started yowling after eating, and it’s accompanied by other symptoms such as distress, bloody urine/poop, vomiting and drinking more water than usual, kitty might be unwell. This could be caused by a stomach bug or a condition like uremic gastritis or even kidney disease. Go to the vet ASAP if you suspect your cat is feeling poorly.
She’s in heat
The yowling may not even be related to eating. If your cat isn’t spayed or neutered, they will yowl a lot during breeding season, especially at night – which is when you’re more likely to notice it. Females make noise to alert males that they’re in the area, and males meow to attract attention.
Related: 4 Signs of a Cat in Heat
They’re confused
Elderly cats tend to be more vocal than younger ones, and if your cat suffers from hearing loss, poor eyesight or a form of cognitive dysfunction (such as dementia), the yowling could be a cry of frustration.
Cats yowl for a plethora of reasons. If the noise bothers you, you can distract kitty with some toys, or try to train them not to meow by refusing to respond to it. Ultimately, though, those strange and indecipherable noises are one of the quirks of owning a cat.
Top photograph: CasPhotography/Getty Images
Read Next: 6 Cat Meow Sounds and What They Mean
5 thoughts on “Why Does My Cat Yowl After Eating?”
I too am having problems. My cat must be at least 15 years old, all of her family have past away but she still looks young and healthy EXCEPT, she has become a fussy ‘what other flavors have you got ‘ , eating perhaps half a meal and leaving the rest and she goes round the house howling if you don’t indulge her . Some nights she is quite impossible , jumping on the bed , scratching. yelling , padding my head, pulling the bedclothes off and so on. I am considering buying a water pistol.
I WISH my cat waited until 7:00 a.m. to wake me; I’d appreciate that! My cat bangs and scratches at my bedroom door around 2:00 a.m., so I now lock her in the bathroom at night.
Linda Andrews: If you play with your cat for about 20-20 minutes, and then feed her, before you go to bed, she will probably leave you alone during the night. It works with our three cats.Good luck. Credit to Jackson Galaxy.
Don’t do that, the cat will feel jailed, instead, lock her in a big room where her food, toys, and bed is at night so she won’t bother you.
Very respectfully, please don’t do that. Leave a little keeble out for her at night to see if that works. Also a little playtime before bedtime will help her sleep better (and you). Locking her in the bathroom will make her more of a rebel and she could develop fobias or trauma. Help her, don’t punish her. If there is a possibility that she could come in the bedroom with you, provide a little bed for her next to your bed or maybe she will sleep at your feet. She probably misses you and wants to be with you. Also, maybe introduce a sister or brother for her, but make sure you do it in a way that will not threaten her territorry.