Cat - Vocalisation (Unwanted)

Why is my cat persistently crying?

Most owner complaints about feline vocalisation are either to do with the intensity and persistence of the vocalisation, or the fact that it occurs at night, when family members or neighbours are trying to sleep. Some breeds, such as the Siamese, are much more likely to be vocal than others and since some cats are quite active at night, it is not surprising that many owners are concerned about their cat’s night time vocalisation and activity. The most common reasons for unwanted feline vocalisation include: attention seeking behaviour, hormonally mediated sexual behaviour (male or female), play behaviour, medical problems including pain and cognitive dysfunction (a problem in old cats).

What can be done to prevent undesirable vocalisation?

Providing sufficient play and exercise during the daytime and evening from an early age may help to schedule your cat so that it sleeps through the night. It is very important to never reward vocalisation by providing food, attention, or play, when your cat vocalises. Mild outbursts of vocalisation should be ignored and should never be dealt with through physical punishment. When cats come into new homes, either as kittens or adults, it can help to improve the security of that new environment by providing pheromone support. A Feliway diffuser may be beneficial.

If a vocalisation problem begins to develop accurate history taking is essential to determine the motivation for the vocalisation.

How can excessive vocalisation problems be treated?

Understanding the problem

Before beginning to offer advice about how to treat a problem of unwanted vocalisation it is essential to understand the cause of the behaviour. It will be important to identify those stimuli that are associated with the onset of the behaviour as well as all factors that might be reinforcing the behaviour. For some cats, especially those that are middle-aged or elderly, veterinary examination is recommended to rule out potential medical causes of vocalisation such as pain, endocrine dysfunction (problems with hormones) and senile changes.

Modify the environment

If your cat can be denied exposure to the stimuli for the vocalisation (e.g. the sight or sounds of other cats), or prevented from performing the behaviour (e.g. keeping your cat out of your bedroom at night), this can be very beneficial as a means of preventing unintentional reinforcement of the response.

Remove reinforcement

The most important aspect of a correction programme is to identify what may be serving to reinforce (reward) the behaviour. Many owners inadvertently encourage the behaviour by giving the cat something it values when it makes a noise and reinforcement of even a few of the vocalisation outbursts perpetuates the behaviour. Attention, affection, play, a treat, allowing the cat access to a desirable area (outdoors, indoors) are all forms of reinforcement. Although removal of reinforcement (known as extinction) ultimately reduces or eliminates excessive vocalisation, the behaviour at first becomes more intense before it starts to fade. Owners must be prepared for this if the technique is to work. The last thing they should do is give in at this time of intensified vocalisation as this encourages the cat to be even more vocal than before.

Punishment

Physical punishment should never be used in cats. Not only is it ineffective at correcting most behaviour problems, it can also lead to fear and anxiety either of the owner or people in general. Although ignoring the vocalisation, so that the cat receives no reward for the behaviour, is the best solution, in the long run it can be difficult to do. Interruption techniques that are not associated with the owner have been advocated but it is still very important to make sure that these are not traceable to the owner and do not instill any fear. A spray of water is not advisable as it is very difficult to deliver without the cat being aware of its source. Auditory stimuli may be helpful but it is important to remember that the sound does not need to be loud and that it should merely serve to interrupt the behaviour and not to punish it. If any form of interruption technique is used then it is essential that the cat is rewarded immediately the vocalisation ceases, however temporary that cessation may be. Over time longer periods of ‘silence’ can be trained. Please speak to us if you need help drawing up a programme to achieve this.

What can be done for cats that vocalise through the night?

For those cats that vocalise through the night, it is first necessary to try and reschedule the cat so that he stays awake and active throughout the daytime and evening. Food, play, affection and attention should be provided during the morning and evening hours, and as many activities as possible must be provided for the cat during the day (cat scratch posts, activity centres and rewarding predatory style games).  See handout on Playing effectively.

Older cats with sensory dysfunction and feline cognitive dysfunction may begin to wake more through the night and vocalise more frequently. These cases will need to be dealt with individually depending on your cat’s physical health and you should seek professional help from your veterinary surgeon.

If your cat continues to remain awake through the night, there are two options that might be considered. The first is to lock your cat out of the bedroom by either shutting the bedroom door, or confining him to a room with bedding and a litter tray for elimination. If your cat is ignored he may learn to sleep through the night, or he may be able to keep himself occupied if there are sufficient toys or activities in the alternative location. Under no circumstance should you go to your cat if he vocalises (even to try and quieten him down) as this will reward the behaviour.

If your cat must be allowed access to the bedroom, lack of attention can be used to decrease or eliminate your cat’s desire to vocalise but it is essential that quiet and calm behaviour within the bedroom is also rewarded.

Will neutering help?

If your cat is an adult male or female and not yet neutered, then some forms of vocalisation may be associated with sexual communication, especially with regard to oestrous cycles ('season') and mating. Cats in oestrus are particularly vocal when 'calling'. Neutering should help to reduce this form of vocalisation so please contact your veterinary practice to discuss this.