Kitty’s incessant night meowing

Category: Cats

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Kitty’s incessant night meowing

Updated Dec 8, 2024

Dear Cathy,

I have a ten-year-old Ragdoll cat. She is very sweet, but since I am a light sleeper, she keeps me up most of the night with her incessant meowing. I don’t recall how long this has been going on, but I don’t think she has any health issues. Do you have any insights as to why she may do this and if there is any way to put an end to it?

– Lori Rosner, Williston Park, New York

Dear Lori,

Felines meow at their owners for different reasons. She could be hungry (give her a little food before bed time), want attention (play with her before bedtime) or like to hear her voice (again, play with her before bedtime). If she is not spayed, she may be meowing because she is in heat.

But because of her age, it sounds like she has a health problem. Kidney and thyroid diseases can cause a cat to meow incessantly. Cats often hide illnesses until it’s too late, so take her to the vet, and if she is healthy, she may just need a little extra food and play before bedtime.

Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to moc.tidnuptepobfsctd-70557d@yhtac. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal

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Cathy Rosenthal (aka The Pet Pundit), CHES, CFE

Animal Welfare Communications Strategist, Writer & Educator

Cathy M. Rosenthal is an award-winning humane educator and author, animal welfare strategist, pet columnist, and speaker who has spent more than 38 years working in animal welfare with local and national humane organizations. She helps people better understand and care for animals through her nationally syndicated My Pet World column and has been the longtime pet columnist for the San Antonio Express-News since 2003.

In addition to her writing, Cathy develops humane education, leadership, customer service, and compassion fatigue training programs for animal welfare organizations nationwide, and has helped raise millions of dollars through grant writing, strategic communications, and program development.

Cathy is the editor and curator of Humane Perspectives: Leadership in Animal Welfare and is the author of several books, including Grant Writing Boot Camp for Animal Advocates, The Lucky Tale of Two Dogs, and The Happy Tale of Two Cats, which was the 2026 winner of the Association of Professional Humane Educators’ (APHE) "Educator’s Choice Award" for Best Humane Education Book for Young Children. She also received the 2026 APHE Nathania Gartman Heroes Award for Impact in Humane Education. Her humane education programs in Texas have reached more than 45,000 elementary school children since 2019.

She resides in Texas with her husband, their cat Sterling, and a former community cat, Maddie, who successfully negotiated an indoor living arrangement but still considers human affection highly negotiable.