Meow…meow…mrrrreowwww…..MMMMMMRRRRREEEEOOOOWWWWW!!!! Usually said by your cat at a time when you can’t pay attention, or our favorite, at 3 a.m. while you’re trying to sleep.

Cats meow to communicate. As pet owners, and cat sitters, it is our job to decipher what your cat is trying to say.  If your cat is meowing, in most cases they are trying to tell you something. In fact, cats do not meow between themselves to communicate, they only do this with their people.  They learn to speak the meow language to ‘get what they want’. It’s up to us to figure out what that is.

If your cat is meowing it usually can be addressed by answering one of the following questions:

1) Does your cat want food? Check the food bowl first to see if it’s empty. Many times this will solve the meowing, but don’t allow your cat to train you to fill the bowl on command. Only fill the food bowl if it’s close to meal time.

2) Do they need fresh, cold water?  Sometimes our feline friends would like a *fresh* and *cold* bowl of water. Even if their water bowl looks clean, your cat may not want to drink out of it if they deem it not fresh enough. My cat prefers the bowl of water right after I’ve filled it with fresh from the fridge, super cold water.

3) Would they like to go outside in the sun? If your cat likes to go outside (and you allow it), this may be why they’re meowing. Again don’t let them train you to let them out whenever they meow, otherwise you’re setting yourself up for inevitable long sessions of meowing by the patio door, and sometimes at 3 a.m. Try to shoot for a specific time of the day and stick to it. They’ll learn you won’t give in.

4) Does kitty need to be loved on?  Sometimes our fur babies want to be picked up and held or just given a good love down. Hey, who doesn’t like a good hug?

5) Finally when is the last time you played with them? If you’ve tried all these other answers and kitty is still meowing, chances are they’re asking for your undivided attention for a good five minutes of solid play time and one on one interaction. Take the time to bond with your cat. And enjoy the happy purrs of gratitude (and silence) that follow. 🙂