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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Hi there,
Bumping an old thread just to openly tell a forum full of animal lovers that you "stop your cat from meowing by tying them to a piece of furniture as a punishment" is honestly not the brightest idea you’ve ever had.
I really thought I’d seen it all by now... but some people still manage to surprise me... 😐
I had the exact same issue as you with my youngest one, right from day one. So, I started punishing him every time he got into mischief or meowed for no reason; I’d tether him to a piece of furniture in the lounge for 15 to 30 minutes. I did the same with my older cat. It’s just like a child who doesn't do as they’re told and gets put in the "naughty corner". Since then, he’s realised he’s not allowed to meow, and if he forgets for a second, I just say "Stop it!!!" in a sharp, stern voice and he stops. I should point out that my cats aren't mistreated; they’re in perfect health and are always in my arms giving me kisses and cuddles and purring away. I’ve just trained them, basically.
I’m going through the exact same thing as you @Miaoups. For seven years now, my Emy has been crying non-stop, day and night, regardless of whether the doors are open or shut. Even though rehoming her is completely out of the question, I just don’t know what to do anymore. The lack of sleep is really taking its toll.
As for the pain, I’m not sure what you’re dealing with, but hang in there. I’ve been ill myself for three and a half years, so I know it doesn’t help matters and you definitely lose your patience a lot faster :)
Hi Robrom and Syll28,
I should start by saying I haven't read all the posts, only the first two pages and the last one.
I completely understand where you're coming from, and if you have any solutions for stopping cats from meowing, I’d love to hear them!!!
Here’s my situation: I have a two-year-old cat; we’ve had her since she was 3 months old and we adore her—she’s our baby. It’s just that she meows all the time, constantly, and sometimes I feel like I'm going to lose my mind! She’s spayed, in good health, and we take proper care of her. I’m at home all day because I’m unwell, so she isn’t alone; she doesn’t want for anything and gets plenty of attention and cuddles. But then at certain times of the day, she just starts yowling for no reason. It’s like she’s practising her scales, and I find it really hard to cope with, especially since I’m ill and already have my own pain to deal with. Sometimes I just wish she’d stop because I’m genuinely afraid I might snap one day. I’ve tried everything to calm her down: ignoring her, a little water spray as soon as she meows, saying her name sharply in a deep voice (that’s what works best so far, but not every time, and I can't spend all my time shouting). She meows like this on a loop several times a day, and at night too.
We’ve tried everything for the night-time as well; we let her sleep with us, she has food in her bowl, but then she’ll suddenly start chirping, meowing, and yowling in the middle of the night. When we’ve had enough, we shut her out of the bedroom, but then she just meows behind the door. It’s a nightmare! So it’s not a question of whether she sleeps with us or not. Besides, if she came onto the bed even in the middle of the night for a cuddle, I wouldn’t mind, but no—she even goes under the bed just so she can meow away in peace. Help!!!
We love her to bits, but sometimes she’s just unbearable. If anyone has an effective solution to help us, I’m all ears! I don't want it to come to a drastic solution like having to rehome her—she’s my baby! We even moved over 4,000 miles away from home and brought her with us, so we really do love her. So please, everyone, before judging those of us who are on the verge of losing it, just remember that every cat has its own personality and some are really difficult to live with day-to-day. And yet, she’s so lovely when she isn’t having one of her meowing fits...
And I’d also add that if your cats only eat dry food, just leave them on dry food.
Wet food should be given every day; dry food is far too dry to be fed on its own.
Dry food isn’t good for our cats. If your cats have become fussy, it means you need to look at the dry food you’re giving them, but don’t stop giving them wet food, which is essential.
Hi there,
I also have a cat... she’s unbearable, with zero patience and a total obsession with food. I completely understand why @robrom is at their wits’ end, especially as they’re being lectured instead of getting any actual solutions...
Personally, @robrom, I’d say you should just forget about your privacy, because I think he couldn’t care less, and just let him roam everywhere at night, even if it’s just once to see what happens.
In my case, my cat sleeps wherever she likes, which doesn’t stop her from making a right racket, mind you, but for different reasons (“I want to go out... I want to come in... hi, I’m back and I’m hungry, I’m hungry, wake up... I’M HUNGRYYYY!”). Anyway, if anti-meow collars existed, I wouldn't hesitate for a second. I trained my two dogs with them; they only had three or four pulses in their lives and that was enough for them to get it, but then again, they were dogs.
Good luck with everything; I’m going to see a vet to see if there’s some kind of trick for the meowing.
I completely agree with you on that! It’ll no doubt be the only thing we have in common, though! Anyway, I’ll leave you to it, I’ve got to go and torment my cat...
angeline56, I completely hear what you’re saying. Being in the same boat as this person, I found some of the comments so shocking and judgemental that it explains why I was defending them so fiercely. As for Sevv, I agree, the debate is over. I don’t think you’ll ever be able to understand the daily struggle this person has to live through. Let’s just leave it there.
Amande184: Evening all, someone might come across as aggressive, but does that mean they actually are? Or that they aren't giving good advice? Personally, I always stay calm and neutral in my messages (as you’ve probably noticed on this thread), but I can tell you that I've had members think I was being aggressive before, when that couldn't be further from the truth... The way people write and put things across doesn't always sit right with everyone, but there's not much you can do about that. Some people are just more direct than others, but you’ve just got to deal with different personalities; it’s important not to get your back up too quickly, especially on a public forum, otherwise loads of messages can end up sounding aggressive! Anyway, this topic has been closed for a while now :/
