Before anyone jumps down my throat, please read what I’ve written below and keep an open mind. I’m just looking for some feedback from people who have been through this.
I have two cats, and one of them, Dagon, meows at night the second I make even the slightest movement. They sleep in the garage, but Dagon picks up every noise I make—even when I’m just tossing and turning under my duvet; he clearly has very sharp hearing. He is incredibly clingy both day and night, so he’s meowing for my attention, not because he’s hungry, thirsty, wants to play, or has a dirty litter tray, etc.
This has been a total nightmare for seven years now. I can’t even sleep in my own bedroom anymore because it’s too close to the garage (I’ve been sleeping on the sofa in the living room), and I’m constantly on edge dreading the next meow, which stops me from sleeping.
I’m at my wits' end not being able to sleep where or when I want in my own house, or even having a private life because of the stress these meows cause me!
I should also mention they are very well looked after. They have specific dry food suited to their needs (Dagon is a big lad at 7.5kg, which is about 1 stone 2 lbs), mixed with some cooked courgettes. They have a garden to play in, and I give them plenty of cuddles when I can. They don’t sleep with me, and they never will, as I believe a person has the right to their peace and quiet and their own space at times.
So, my question is:
Have any of you tried anti-meow collars? Or perhaps anti-bark collars for small dogs used on cats? If so, which ones, and can you give me some details? I am strictly talking about spray collars; I have no intention of using electric or static shock collars. The goal is simply to put it on him at night so I can finally move back into my bedroom, where I haven’t slept for nearly two years now. I’ll try every possible solution before even thinking about rehoming him!
Thanks for your kindness and for sharing your stories :) If you’re just here to criticise (like calling me a bad owner or telling me to use earplugs, that sort of nonsense), please don't waste your time.
Robrom
Translated from French
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There are ultrasonic torches available that emit sounds humans can't hear, but that cats find very unpleasant (totally safe, of course!). I’ve been having the same issue as you with my overweight cat, who keeps coming to the windows at night (I’ve got a cat flap so she can come and go as she pleases)... and I’m currently testing one out. It’s proving to be really effective; my cat stops acting up immediately (she still tries it now and then for the moment, but less and less often). I usually have my cat sleep with me, but she’d got into such a habit of causing a racket that she doesn't even come by anymore! Good luck.
I don't see why it's not possible to sleep with earplugs? ... Hi everyone, I'm a bit late to the thread, sorry! I hope Robrom has found a solution. Why should the animal have to adapt and not us? Especially since he’s saying something, he’s communicating... And you lot, if you could muzzle him, you would, wouldn't you? It goes both ways!
This person has said over and over that they’ve been going through this nightmare for 7 years, and they’re even sleeping on the sofa to get away from the noise (isn't that pretty much the same idea as earplugs?)... And then you say it's up to the owner to adapt, but if a dog gets into the habit of biting to ask for something (I'm not saying dogs are 'mean', I volunteer at a rescue centre and I've seen plenty of biters or just poorly trained dogs), do you just let it carry on and keep your arms up in the air all the time so it can't get to them? I'm all for humans adapting, but only to a certain extent! For example, if this person slept with their cat and it scratched their hands to wake them up instead of meowing, would it be up to the owner to wear gloves to stop it?
Hi there, I completely understand because I’m having the exact same issue with my cat... I’ve tried the t-shirt trick, but it’s just not enough. I even let him stay in the room with me at night, but it doesn't help at all because he still goes and meows in the lounge as soon as he can. He seems to want to be glued to me all the time, but it’s so draining; he’ll come and lie down next to me and my partner, and as soon as we move, he goes and meows really loudly in the living room... Sometimes he even comes back to meow in the bedroom without even getting into bed, then heads back to the lounge to carry on meowing. My cat wants for nothing. I do everything I can to stop the meowing, but nothing seems to work. I actually came on here to see if anyone had any opinions on spray collars. This has been going on for two and a half years now. I’ve moved house in the meantime, but nothing has changed. It’s so stressful and exhausting... I’m just hoping that being able to go outside after my next move will do him some good.
Alternatively, there are also pet behaviourists who might be able to help you get to the bottom of why your cat is constantly meowing and suggest a plan to try and tackle it gradually.
https://www.numaxes.com/fr/anti-miaulement/193-eyenimal-miaow-control.html
It looks a bit like a torch, but it emits an ultrasonic sound that's unpleasant for cats, so I imagine it stops them meowing. My cat does the same thing and believe me, my partner and I are going absolutely crackers. I haven't tried it yet, but I certainly plan to. The ultrasound has a range of up to 6 metres (about 20 feet), so I reckon it would reach from your bedroom. I've included the link for more info, but I wouldn't recommend ordering from that site; just note the name and go to a trusted site like Amazon or eBay instead...
Hi everyone! I’ve got a three-year-old. And he won’t stop screaming and running all over the place, I’m at my wits' end. He’s doing my head in, bothering the neighbours, waking me up at night... I’ve tried tape over his mouth, smacking, playing the quiet game, locking him in the cupboard, Ritalin... but nothing works. Does anyone have a solution to get him to shut his trap? I’m so fed up that I’m seriously thinking about abandoning him just for some peace and quiet...
Hmm, sorry, I got a bit carried away there. These kinds of questions just get me going... (I’m only joking, by the way, I don’t actually have kids.)
Hi, I’ve got the same problem with my girl who’s 14 now. A real chatterbox! I’m at my wits' end because the neighbours are moaning; every time there’s movement in the house (if she’s not asleep, and she snores so loudly that I don’t think she hears a thing), she goes “meow”. It’s not because of food, stress, or even being possessive. I’ve just got her back after she lived with my daughter for 7 years. Mine weighs about 1st 3lbs (nearly 18lbs) :-0
I was thinking about a calming collar too. Having used Feliway years ago, I know it’s useless in her case. We’re giving her Zylkene at the moment to help her stay calm, but she’s absolutely fine and just carries on “talking” or moaning lol.
Hi Ronbrom,
I know it’s been a while, but I’m having EXACTLY the same problem as you!
My cat is 7 years old, he’s neutered, and he’s always meowed a lot since he was a kitten, but now it’s become non-stop! He’s very well looked after, though: he goes outside, has premium dry food, plenty of cuddles, toys, etc.
He also never seems to feel full and eats anything he can find: biscuits, bread, crisps... despite his dry food and courgettes.
It’s really putting a strain on my relationship because my partner wants to rehome him and I don’t...
Did you ever find a solution?
