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Why Does My Cat Meow Outside My Bedroom Door?

If your cat is meowing at your door and driving you crazy at night, you may be wondering why it is doing this and what can be done to stop it.

Why does my cat meow outside my bedroom door?

There are three main reasons why your cat is meowing outside your bedroom door: It believes it owns your house and is demanding access to your room, it has a medical issue and needs your assistance, or it simply wants to be let out and has no way to get out.

So, now you know why this is happening. But, what medical issues could cause this behavior? Should you be encouraging your cat to sleep in your bed? So cats prefer their bed? Keep reading for these answers, and so much more.

The 7 Main Reasons your cat is Meowing outside your bedroom

As discussed earlier, there are several reasons why your cat will meow (what if it’s a calico? click here) outside your bedroom door. But, let me give you some more detail on each of the main reasons for this:

01. You are blocking their territory

Believe it or not, your cat feels that your home and your bedroom are their territories. Therefore, closing the door and blocking access will aggravate them deeply. It is demanding access to “their” room. Are you with me?

02. Could have a medical issue

Another, more serious problem, could be a medical issue. Admittedly, this is more likely if it’s not happening every night. Your cat may have hurt itself in the night or developed a medical problem (more on this later).

03. Wants to be let out

Another, more simple issue, is the fact that your cat just wants to be let out. If you are in a house without a cat flap (Click here for my best one), then your cat needs to beg for your attention, hence the meowing (but, what about an empty room? click here).

04. They want to spend some quality time with you

Cats love spending time with their owners, so it’s not uncommon for them to show up at the door and demand a little time together. While it can be a ‘surprise visit’, it’s often something that your cat has ‘scheduled’ in advance, as your ‘mysterious’ kitty is secretly a ‘stickler’ for schedules!

Start taking note of the time when your cat does this and you’ll find that you can almost set your watch by it.

In most cases, if you keep a fairly regular schedule, then your cat will as well, and you can expect visits at certain times of the day that your cat has scheduled as ‘quality time’ for both of you.

05. Want some food

Your cat knows that if they remind you about their food bowl is empty, you will be kind enough to take care of the problem. As such, sometimes your cat is at the door simply because they are feeling puckish.

Just be sure to watch their calories, however, as some cats will take advantage of you if you let them.

06. Pure curiosity

Sometimes your cat just wants to know what you are doing ‘back there’, behind that sturdy and opaque door that you’ve just recently closed. Cats are very territorial and during their ‘surveillance’ missions around the house, they’ll quickly notice a closed-door and want to know exactly what you are up to in ‘their’ territory.

07. They are just bored

Cats get bored, just like humans do, and if you’ve closed the door to your bedroom and they’ve got nothing to do, then don’t be surprised if your cat comes to see if you are doing something fun. Cats are naturally curious, and your chances of a boredom-inspired visit are pretty high, especially if they hear some noise from inside!

What medical issues could cause this behavior?

There are a few medical issues that could cause your cat to disrupt your sleep, such as the following:

01. Urinary issues

These issues include infections, in particular, Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). This could be causing your cat some pain and it may need your assistance. Or, just for your comfort.

02. Kidney problems

Another problem could be kidney problems such as Kidney disease. This may not always be easy to detect and will need your vet’s assistance to diagnose.

03. Hearing Problems

Another medical issue is hearing problems. These can manifest as your cat gets older. And, their hearing can naturally deteriorate.

04. Vision Problem

Again, as your cat ages, they may also notice their vision getting worse. This can confuse or make them feel anxious at night. This means they may seek your assistance if this is the case.

Should you let your cat sleep in your bed?

Deciding if you should allow your cat to sleep with you will require some pros and cons. Once you know both arguments, you can decide what matters more to you. So, here are some for you to digest:

Pros:

• Nice to cuddle: Some cat owners just love cuddling their cats, especially if they are big cats, like main coons.
• Build a deep connection with your cat: As well as the cuddling, you can build a deeper connection with your cat. The physical connection will help to build more love and trust.
• Help you sleep better (For some people): For some people, who have a cat that keeps sleep the night, it can help them to sleep better (More on this later, from a negative perspective).

Cons:

• Stepping on you: Some cats have a habit f using their cat owner as a piece of carpet. This means they walk all over them, which is not ideal.
• Soiling your blankets: When cats use the litter tray or walk outside, they will inevitably pick up some debris. This can get all over your bed linen. And, in some cases, smell bad.
• May sniff you: Some cats sniff you while you sleep, which sounds weird, but they do. Problem is, it can wake you up.

Do cats like their cat bed?

Most cats do like their cat bed (is your cat following you? click here). But, the reality is, that cats will sleep anywhere they feel comfortable. So, if you get a good cat bed (Click here to see my best one), then the chances are they will use it.

If you have a cat bed you may have wondered if it prefers this or your bed (will it damage the frame? click here). This could be because you have seen them walk right past their cat bed to yours. Hopefully, now, you have a better understanding of this.

Why do cats hate closed doors?

Cats hate closed doors because, in their mind, they see your house as their own. And, they want to have access to all rooms (but, could they be kept in just one room? click here), in fact, they will demand it by meowing outside of it.

If you have seen the frustration that a cat displays with a closed-door you may have wondered what makes them so stressed about it, right? Well, this should have clarified why they do this.

How to prevent your cat from Meowing outside your door

If you are keen on finding a solution to stop your cat meowing (what if it sounds deep? click here) outside your bedroom door at night, in this section, I will share with you a few strategies that you can use:

01. Adjust their sleep schedule

One problem you may have is your cat is active when you are sleeping. Therefore, one tactic you can try is to change their sleeping schedule. This can be as simple as keeping them active before you sleep to make them more tired when you head off to sleep.

The reality is, that it’s not an exact science, and all cats are different. Therefore, you will need to try and see what works with your cat.

02. Clean their litter box before bed

Sometimes the biggest issue is they have a dirty litter box and no access to the outside. So, they have no choice to bother you, or they will just poop in your house, right? Therefore, you can make an effort to clean the litter box, before bed.

If this sounds like too much hard work for you, then you can consider getting a self-cleaning litter box (Click here to see my best one). This can help to automate your commitment.

03. Reward it

Another smart tactic is to reward your cat when it is being good. So, if it doesn’t bother you at night, you could easily give it some treats (Click here to see the reviews, on Amazon #Ad) to make it learn that being good is beneficial.

04. Spend some time with your cat before bed

Sometimes you’ll find that when you go into your bedroom and prepare for bed that your cat gets quite vocally insistent about you letting them in. This is normal, as cats have their schedules and also quickly become aware of yours, so your cat knows that you’re about to go to sleep.

This puts them in a panic if they wanted some evening attention, and so your cat becomes more insistent and ‘cranks up the volume’ to ensure that they get your attention. A great compromise to stop this is to schedule a little quality time every day before bed.

Once your cat knows that you won’t simply go to sleep without spending time with them, then they will give you a ‘grace period’ of time before they start meowing because they know that you won’t forget your daily ‘appointment’.

05. Feed your cat closer to bedtime

Sometimes your cat is meowing at your bedroom door in the evening because they are hungry and planning a long night. This is quite normal, as cats are nocturnal by nature, and since your kitty knows you well then they know that, once you are asleep, it’s unlikely that you’ll be getting up to feed them until morning.

You can minimize or even stop this behavior by simply adjusting one of the feedings to be a little later in the day. That way your cat will feel fuller during their nighttime prowls and you’ll be able to get a little more ‘shuteye’ in the bargain!

Why you shouldn’t use negative reinforcement on your cat

Negative reinforcement is not ideal because it will not clear to your cat why they have been punished. This can result in confusion and resentment from your cat. And, it could cause long-term issues, such as your cat losing trust and getting aggressive.

If your cat is keeping you up it is easy to get frustrated. And, it may seem like the obvious choice is to lash out at your cat, right? Well, hopefully, you have learned the reason why this is not the right choice to make.

Should you just open the door and let your cat in?

You should never just open the door and let your cat in. This is because the moment you open the door it tells your cat that their noise and bad behavior have paid off. It sends the wrong signal.

If your cat is outside your door going nuts it is tempting to give in and open the door, right? But, you should now understand why this is not the correct decision to make.

Why water spray is not a good idea

Spraying your cat with water when it outside meowing is not ideal. Firstly, you will need to open the door first to spray it, which will make it get what it wants, the door open. Also, it’s cruel and ineffective.

Some cat owners try to use water sprays to try and train their cat not to act up, or meow outside their bedroom door (click here if your cat keeps waiting for you for bedtime). But, by now you should have learned why this is not the right thing to do.