Random night mewling

[Nature9000]

So Google was not much help here, because it isn't a constant happening. I've noticed with Prince over the years that I've had him, that at night after I've gone to bed he will sometimes wonder around the apartment and meow as if looking for something. Every few months or so I noticed this happening so it isn't as if it's everyday or every week or frequently at most, but someone once told me that it was attributed to his yearning for somebody to play with.

He did this when younger, before I got Nikita, he's done it a couple times when I would go to bed and Nikita would curl up on the bed. And I've heard him do it once or twice in the day, though rarer than night.

The thing that made me extra curious to post this question now was last night it went from more of an inquisitive meow to more of a yowling, I got out of bed thinking he was hurt or something. I looked on my wyze cameras at the living room and it was odd, he ran for the middle of the room, stopped, and started yowling for a few seconds before hearing me call out from the bedroom, at which point he laid down.


One thing I think I've noticed each time is there's a moment of hyperactivity before, whether I've engaged him in play or he was running around with Nikita. Last night, we had what seemed an extra long play session before bed, but he's so active I'm not sure if he's worn out before I am. Maybe he was still wanting to play when went to bed? Yet this was more than half an hour after I went to bed

I can't apparently upload the brief video but it almost seems like he's talking. It's like "yeow. Yeoww. Yeow, yeowww yeow. Yeow."


Here, YouTube link to his meowing

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. How old is Prince? Does he sleep with you at all? Is Nikita still around? Some more details might help. Yowling at night can mean so many things.

If you think it will help members here on this site, you can download the video to YouTube and then post here with the link.

 

[Nature9000]

I'm hoping that I've converted properly but here's the video from my camera. It's the first time he's mowed like this

Hi. How old is Prince? Does he sleep with you at all? Is Nikita still around? Some more details might help. Yowling at night can mean so many things.

If you think it will help members here on this site, you can download the video to YouTube and then post here with the link.

I'm trying to figure out what bloody format this site accepts. I've put a converter app on my phone but so far mpv4, mpeg, avi do not work as acceptable.


I got Prince as a kitten in 2017, Nikita a few months later. Both tend to sleep in the bed with me, always have. 5 years old on both of em.

 

[Tobermory]

I was writing pretty much the same thing as FeebysOwner when her post popped up. In addition to her questions, does he carry anything around in his mouth when he does this? Does he vocalize in the litter box? If he’s older, it’s possible it could be age related, but you’d want to have him checked over by a vet to rule out anything physical.

 

[Nature9000]

I was writing pretty much the same thing as FeebysOwner when her post popped up. In addition to her questions, does he carry anything around in his mouth when he does this? Does he vocalize in the litter box? If he’s older, it’s possible it could be age related, but you’d want to have him checked over by a vet to rule out anything physical.

He's 5 years old, but it's not a frequent thing. Literally a once in a blue moon thing he's done over the years I've had him. I think I've heard him do it once before I got Nikita, and that would be a few months old. Though last night is the first I've heard the intensity he gave. If I can figure out video formatting.....but in the past it was always like a slow, curious meow as if searching for something. This time was quick, rapid and I honestly thought he was in pain

 

[Nature9000]

Ive got the link on my YouTube. This is Prince just randomly meowing

 

[Nature9000]

He's not normally vocal either. At the very least, not unless I'm in the room and he knows I'm acknowledging him when he wants something such as food. The only times I've heard him do this in the past was at night when I was in bed and he sounded more like he was looking for something. Not the intensity that is in the video there. Last night was the first time it sounded more like just yowling and less like the drawn out meow. We had a play session for quite some time before I went to bed last night, so I don't know if it was him wanting to play or not but again, this was half an hour after I'd already gone to bed....

 

[FeebysOwner]

You got the upload - it worked!! That is not really 'yowling' (IMO), but it is a very persistent call. Since this is something that he does not do nightly, I would suggest you start charting/logging evening events to see if you can find a pattern. He is telling you something, and since none of us know 'cat speak' you can only try to isolate possibilities by homing in on what goes on each night - both the nights he does it AND the nights he doesn't. It might take a while, but you will find a pattern.

Just curious, are you feeding him a good meal after play time so that perhaps that might help settle him down?

 

[Nature9000]

You got the upload - it worked!! That is not really 'yowling' (IMO), but it is a very persistent call. Since this is something that he does not do nightly, I would suggest you start charting/logging evening events to see if you can find a pattern. He is telling you something, and since none of us know 'cat speak' you can only try to isolate possibilities by homing in on what goes on each night - both the nights he does it AND the nights he doesn't. It might take a while, but you will find a pattern.

Just curious, are you feeding him a good meal after play time so that perhaps that might help settle him down?

It's definitely the first I've heard this in a year (we moved apartments last summer) he did his slow "curious" meow once since moving when he was in play mode and Nikita was with me at the computer desk. Even at my old apartment, he did that curious meow maybe four times in the short years I had him, each at night after I went to bed possibly with him in play mode


Usually I give treats after playtime. Sometimes have food out, I try to feed two or three times a day but I forget to put the food away at times. Typically when I go to bed I put the food up, so I'm not sure that's it. I know I've heard it said to feed after playtime

 

[LTS3]

Could just one of those cat quirks. One of my cats will carry a toy ball around at night and "talk" to it. Sometimes she will just talk to her "invisible friends"

 

[Nature9000]

I wonder though.i know I've been so busy that play sessions haven't been common for a while, not as much as I'd like or as should, so lately I've been trying to ensure play is as frequent as possible especially because Prince is a hyperactive cat (and there are plenty of times he'll chase Nikita when she is in no mood for play). Last night was pretty vigorous play, every few hours when I could, I'd break out the toy for 10 to 20 minutes. At some point he lays on his side and watches the toy, it's hard to tell if he's tired or not because he'll not chase it and Nikita starts to play (I've tried separating them in play sessions but they get distracted by the other cat). So I wonder if maybe he just wasn't done with play mode...

 

[game misconduct]

is your place haunted? spirits or ghosts? years ago when i was a lil kid one of my old relatives from the country used to say cats were good to keep cause they protect the family/house from spirits/ghost and the like. chinese superstition probably that aside it just sounds like he is looking for you graycie does that to now and then usually i just respond back and she just finds me to sleep meafter walking across/ontop of gf

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

... The thing that made me extra curious to post this question now was last night it went from more of an inquisitive meow to more of a yowling, I got out of bed thinking he was hurt or something. ...

... last night is the first I've heard the intensity he gave. If I can figure out video formatting.....but in the past it was always like a slow, curious meow as if searching for something. This time was quick, rapid and I honestly thought he was in pain ...

I'm not sure if there is really a 'universal' cat language, but I've heard sounds eerily similar to that yeowling part in your video from my previous cat, and it usually signaled physical discomfort for her, prior to vomiting. That is, she wasn't feeling good physically. I've also, years ago, heard something similar from my current cat when her knees hurt her and she was in pain (she had luxating patellas... and would often just lay down if her knees hurt her). So, it's possible you had good instincts when listening to him last night, in thinking he was hurt or in pain? I don't know if he is or not. Part of his meow in your video sounds like he's doing normal social vocalizing, like looking for someone to play with?? But that one bit where it's a distinctive yeow-yeow-ing sound... I've heard that 'intonation' before.

Don't know if pain or discomfort per se applies in your kitty's case, but I'd definitely pay attention to your instincts and if he does that particular sound again, make sure he's doing okay.