How to Make Your Cat Stop Meowing at Your Door at Night
Cats are great, of course, but they can be jerks too. For example, when they step on your face in the middle of the night, you close the bedroom door and they meow and scratch until you let them back in. Here’s how to get them to stop so you can get some sleep.
The first thing you need to do is find out if there are any medical problems that might explain why your cat meows at night. Chicago veterinarian Ken Schwartz cites a few examples:
Thyroid disease, hypertension, kidney disease, pain with urination, and cognitive dysfunction are all problems that can lead to nighttime vocalization. In addition, deterioration in vision or hearing can increase the cat’s anxiety and reluctance to leave alone or in the dark. This can lead to vocals and trying to sneak into the bedroom.
Once your veterinarian has ruled out any potential health problems, there are several other strategies you can try:
- Make them comfortable . If you think your cat might be lonely or bored while you sleep, make sure she is comfortable before going to bed. Schwartz suggests turning on the light or the TV so that they do not sit in the dark. You can also create a cozy space in which they can relax at night and fill their bowl of water, as well as put some of their favorite toys (just don’t leave those that make noise during play).
- Pay attention to them before bed . Play with your cat, focusing on active games in which it chases or jumps to tire it out before bed. You can also cuddle and pet them a bit so that they receive a lot of attention and love before they are alone for the night.
- Add constraints behind the door . Schwartz suggests putting duct tape, aluminum foil, or a tray of stones in front of the bedroom door to make it unpleasant for the cat to scratch it. Of course, if you tend to get up a lot at night, you should remember not to step on rocks or foil.
- Move the cat to a different location . If none of these methods work and you have an extra room, leave your cat there overnight. Make sure they have everything they need (litter box, water, comfy bed, toys).
Whatever you do, don’t give in when they meow or scratch your bedroom door. It just teaches them that making a racket works. All cats are different, so you may have to try several of these strategies before you find one that works.
This article was originally published in 2019 and updated on March 16, 2020 by Elizabeth Yuko. Updates include the following: Validated links for accuracy; function image changed; copied; updated formatting to reflect the current style.