Normal For Cat To Start Meowing More?

[war&wisdom]

For perspective, she's almost a year old now. She used to be a quiet kitty outside of rough play with her brother, but in the past month or two, she's gotten a lot more vocal. She "yells at corners," we say, often at flecks of dust or dots on the wall, and sometimes when she's just overexcited in the morning/later at night.

Her favorite game is chasing the little red dot.

She eats like a vacuum cleaner and is drinking, peeing, and pooping well (except for unusually thick poops, according to a vet when she was 5 months old). But I worry a bit.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
She's been spayed?

Just a thought, when you use the laser do you shine it on walls? In other words, is she looking for it now?

 

[war&wisdom]

Yes, she was spayed at 5 months (and her brother was neutered at the same time).

I've wondered if she's sometimes looking for the laser. I do shine it on the walls, because that's what she enjoys most -- chasing it up and down the hallway and jumping for it.

But she does see actual flecks of dust up high on the walls, so that's part of it too. We have unusually high ceilings (in an old Baltimore rowhome) and can't clean every little bit easily.

I'm more concerned that, recently, she meows randomly without looking at anything in particular. It's usually when she's riled up, after she's spent a while attacking the mice hanging off the cat tree or the spots on the wall, but last night, for instance, she was just laying on the cat tree and talking, not going after anything, and her brother wasn't even in the room. I hear her meowing from down the hallway sometimes, and when I look, she's just laying on the ground.

 

[Jem]

A meowing cat is a learned behavior, so it's not that uncommon that a previously quiet cat will start to meow more. They figure out that meowing gets them attention.
Also, I had a cat who seemingly meowed at nothing, and like you it was when he was all riled up. He did what I called his warrior cry. After a good play session, a poop or if he was just "attacked" by one of our other cats, do his loud meow thing, he would sometimes pounce at or stare the wall, sometimes he would hug and bat at the door jams (like he was trying to climb the wall edge), and cry out in excitement.
We would also hear him cry out from somewhere and if I ever went to see what was going on, he was just lying there or sitting, like he KNEW someone would come and see him. When we came upon him he would trill and ask for attention.

I don't think you have anything to worry about if everything else points to a healthy happy cat (eating/drinking/litter habits normal, active and playful...etc.)

 

[war&wisdom]

A meowing cat is a learned behavior, so it's not that uncommon that a previously quiet cat will start to meow more. They figure out that meowing gets them attention.
Also, I had a cat who seemingly meowed at nothing, and like you it was when he was all riled up. He did what I called his warrior cry. After a good play session, a poop or if he was just "attacked" by one of our other cats, do his loud meow thing, he would sometimes pounce at or stare the wall, sometimes he would hug and bat at the door jams (like he was trying to climb the wall edge), and cry out in excitement.
We would also hear him cry out from somewhere and if I ever went to see what was going on, he was just lying there or sitting, like he KNEW someone would come and see him. When we came upon him he would trill and ask for attention.

I don't think you have anything to worry about if everything else points to a healthy happy cat (eating/drinking/litter habits normal, active and playful...etc.)

Okay, yes, that sounds pretty similar to Athena. Thank you for this! It helps ease my mind.

 

[Furballsmom]

cats
LOL

 

[Caspers Human]

While I am 90% sure that your kitten has simply "found her voice" you should also keep in mind to check up on her health.

Our cat, "Casper," recently got sick. He has always been a very quiet cat that rarely meows but just in the few days before we had to take him to the vet, he started to meow a lot more often. That was one of the clues that led us to think that he needed to take a trip to the doctor.

Casper is getting better now and he's doing well but, had we not noticed the change in his behavior, we might not have gotten him to the hospital in time.

Going off their food, not using the litter box (or going outside the litter box when they are normally good about it) and changes in behavior are the main clues that a cat is getting sick.

Just for contrast... My first cat, "K.C." used to walk around the house and, "Meow!...Meow!...Meow!..." in the clear, for no apparent reason other than to say, "I am cat! Hear me roar!" That was just K.C.'s personality.

Since your cat is nigh on a year old, it's probably time to schedule her for a checkup at the vet, anyhow. That would be a good time to bring it up and ask your vet for an opinion.

Like I said, I think it's just your cat developing her personality as she grows up but it's always good to keep one eye open.

 

[war&wisdom]

While I am 90% sure that your kitten has simply "found her voice" you should also keep in mind to check up on her health.

Our cat, "Casper," recently got sick. He has always been a very quiet cat that rarely meows but just in the few days before we had to take him to the vet, he started to meow a lot more often. That was one of the clues that led us to think that he needed to take a trip to the doctor.

Casper is getting better now and he's doing well but, had we not noticed the change in his behavior, we might not have gotten him to the hospital in time.

Going off their food, not using the litter box (or going outside the litter box when they are normally good about it) and changes in behavior are the main clues that a cat is getting sick.

Just for contrast... My first cat, "K.C." used to walk around the house and, "Meow!...Meow!...Meow!..." in the clear, for no apparent reason other than to say, "I am cat! Hear me roar!" That was just K.C.'s personality.

Since your cat is nigh on a year old, it's probably time to schedule her for a checkup at the vet, anyhow. That would be a good time to bring it up and ask your vet for an opinion.

Like I said, I think it's just your cat developing her personality as she grows up but it's always good to keep one eye open.

I already watch her and her brother like a hawk, don't worry. I've brought them both to the vet a couple times in the past year for what turned out to be nothing (and I definitely don't have the money to spare, but I care so much about them, so I make it work). Their checkups and vaccine boosters aren't due until June. I also have all of their paperwork organized in a folder that I bring to the vet each time I go!

I have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, so I tend to overblow little changes in behavior and want to bring them to a vet right away, but I also don't have a flexible income. So I soemtimes post here to check in and see if I'm overreacting to what I'm seeing or if a vet visit actually seems wise.

 

[GaryT]

A meowing cat is a learned behavior, so it's not that uncommon that a previously quiet cat will start to meow more. They figure out that meowing gets them attention.
Also, I had a cat who seemingly meowed at nothing, and like you it was when he was all riled up. He did what I called his warrior cry. After a good play session, a poop or if he was just "attacked" by one of our other cats, do his loud meow thing, he would sometimes pounce at or stare the wall, sometimes he would hug and bat at the door jams (like he was trying to climb the wall edge), and cry out in excitement.
We would also hear him cry out from somewhere and if I ever went to see what was going on, he was just lying there or sitting, like he KNEW someone would come and see him. When we came upon him he would trill and ask for attention.

I don't think you have anything to worry about if everything else points to a healthy happy cat (eating/drinking/litter habits normal, active and playful...etc.)

My Theodore talks my ears off at times and he always has to have the last word. he is 9 months now. His purr was quiet when I first got him and so was he then. Now he purrs LOUD and won't shut up sometimes! LOL

 

[war&wisdom]

I'm bringing Athena to the vet this week, hopefully Wednesday afternoon.

She's gotten a lot more vocal, even when she's just laying on the ground. And it's starting to sound more like whimpering to my ears.

Also, despite a change in diet, her belly is just as round as it's always been, and it worries me. She's been like this since she was 5 months old.

My partner thinks I'm a little crazy, but I just want to get to the bottom of this. I'm going to ask about doing an x-ray and pay for it through Care Credit.

 

[Furballsmom]

Bless you for doing this, let us know

 

[war&wisdom]

Her first birthday is only a couple weeks away, and I just want to know that she's okay, and if not, I want to know if there's something we can do.

I'm so anxious.