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Why Does My Cat Howl In The Morning? (Food Begging?)

If your cat is howling in the morning you may be wondering why it’s happening and what you can do about it…

Why does my cat howl in the morning?

Your cat may howl in the morning for several reasons. Some of the most common reasons are it craves your attention, releasing excess energy, or it’s hungry and begging for food. If it’s the latter, you may have to either get used to being woken up or consider an automated feeder to help you.

Use these to keep your cat happy in the morning

Description Image My Rating
01. Cat Tree with Platform (My Best)
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5 stars
02. Auto cat feeder
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03. Dry cat food
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4 stars

So, now you know. But, how can you prevent this from happening? Is it normal for cats to howl like this? Why do elderly cats howl? Keep reading for these answers, and much more…

What is cat howling?

Why does my cat howl in the morning?

A ginger cat meowing.

Cat howling is similar to meowing but is usually higher-pitched and lingers on for longer. Some say it like a cat’s version of whining. If you have heard howling before you will know that there is a subtle difference, and some would say there is quite a noticeable difference.

If you have ever heard your cat howl and wondered what the difference is, now you have a rough idea of this difference.

3 Reasons why your cat is howling in the morning:

Earlier I briefly talked about some reasons why your cat may be howling in the morning. So, in this section, I will give you more detail on each of them:

01. Attention

Sometimes cats just want more attention when they wake up. And, if they know you are fast asleep they know that this behavior will definitely get your attention. Even if you wake up annoyed at them they feel they won. Why? Because it still got your attention, are you with me?

02. Releasing excess energy

Sometimes cats are restless early in the morning. Maybe they did not get enough exercise the night before, or something else. But, whatever it is, they may react by yowling and waking you up.

03. Hungry

Sometimes your cat is just hungry in the morning and wants to be fed. This could be because they didn’t eat enough the night before, tend to feel more hungry in the morning, or just being greedy.

How can I prevent my cat from howling in the morning?

Now that you understand why this may be happening let me share with you what you can do to prevent this:

01. Play with your cat before bed

One tactic that you can do is to play with your cat more before they go to bed. The reason for this is to make it burn its energy so it is more tired before you sleep. And, the idea is to make it sleep longer to give you a break in the morning.

Another thing you can do is offer it more activities that it can use to entertain itself, such as a cat tree (Click here to see the reviews, on Amazon #Ad).

02. Leave out some dry cat food

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If your cat is constantly yowling for food in the morning one simple thing to do is to offer it dry cat food (Click here to see the reviews, on Amazon #Ad) in the morning. With dry cat food you can leave it out and it can help itself in the morning.

The only issue you may have, depending on your cat, is greed. If it’s greedy and you leave this extra food out, it may go ahead and eat it all before bed.

03. Use an automatic feeder

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Another option, if your cat is greedy, or you like the convenience, is to use an automatic feeder (Click here to see the reviews, on Amazon #Ad). This will free up your morning feeding obligation and allow your cat to feel happy and fulfilled while you sleep.

Why does my cat make a howling noise?

If your cat is making random howling noises at all times of day it could indicate it is in pain. This can be triggered by many health conditions such as kidney problems or thyroid disease. If there is any doubt it is worth getting your cat checked out with your vet.

Howling cats are not usually happy cats so you should get it checked out as soon as you can.

Why does my cat walk around yowling?

A cat meowing.

A cat meowing.

If your cat is walking around yowling it is a sign that it wants to let you know it needs your help. This often indicates it has pain and instead of hiding it wants to let you know so you can help it out. If it is excessive it may mean it is in some serious pain.

If you see anything like this you need to get it checked out as soon as possible with your local vet. Some cats hide when they are unwell, so this yowling is not great to hear but it at least makes you aware of the problem so you can take action.

Is it normal for cats to howl?

It is not normal for cats to howl. When this happens it is a signal to us that they need help. Cats have no way of speaking to you, like a human baby, so they use howling as a way to highlight a problem. If it was a general need it is more likely to meow gently for your attention.

Some people may assume that a cat howl is no different from its meowing, but it is not. When you hear both you should notice the difference right away.

Why do elderly cats yowl?

Elderly cats yowl for several reasons. Some of the most common issues is pain from arthritis, problems with its teeth, hearing problems, or problems with its sight deteriorating. Therefore, there are various potential issues as they age. And, some of them are just due to age and may not have a remedy.

If this is happening you should consult with your vet for some advice. It may even help if they have some distractions to make them move their focus from their pain even if it’s for a short while.

Could a cat start howling if it’s lonely?

A cat could start yowling, along with other noises, if it’s lonely. One of the issues is cats are not fans of changes. So, if you suddenly make a lifestyle change, for example, working in a new location that takes you out of the house for 10 hours a day, your cat may respond in this way.

This reluctance to change can be seen in many different ways such as general anxiety, redirected aggression, etc.

Could fading hearing or vision make a cat yowl?

As cats age, and their hearing and vision fade, they may start to yowl or other noises. This is because they are unhappy and confused with their body’s changes. And, the yowling is a symptom of this. Aging can be hard for a cat to accept, the same as any human as well.

So, if you have witnessed your elderly cat getting more vocal as they age then there is a good chance that they are going through this issue.

Lindsey Browlingdon