Cat Yowling: What is Your Cat Trying to Say?

Has your cat been meowing at you a lot lately? Are you worried that her meows may be yowls? Do you want to know more about what could be causing her to make noises like these? If you’re wanting to learn more information about cat yowling, then you’ve come to the right place.

5 Common Reasons for Cat Yowling

Cats yowl for a variety of reasons. In the article below, you’ll find out more about the most common causes of cat yowling and what you should do about each one of them. With the help of this information, you can better understand when it’s time to go to the veterinarian with your feline friend.

5 reasons for cat yowling include, but aren’t necessarily limited to:

Pain

The most common cause of yowling in cats is pain. Cats who are truly yowling or howling are probably in pain from an injury or condition such as arthritis. You can sometimes tell if your cat is in pain by looking at her other symptoms, including hiding behaviors, hunched posture, and guarding herself. However, many cats are very good at hiding their pain.

If you suspect your cat may be in pain but you aren’t sure, or if you know she’s been injured, take her to the vet or emergency vet right away.

Illness

Like pain, illness is another common cause of yowling in cats. If your cat is sick and yowling, she may be in pain from her illness or she may be suffering considerably from it in other ways. A cat who is very sick with a chronic health condition and who is yowling may be getting sicker, or could be nearing death.

However, just because your cat is sick and yowling, that doesn’t necessarily mean she is going to die soon. She could simply need vet care to help her get back to normal, so take her to the vet to find out what’s going on.

Normal Meowing

It’s hard to believe that yowling can be part of normal meowing for some cats, but it’s true. There are some cats and cat breeds that naturally just meow, howl, and yowl a lot more than others, and for them, this is perfectly normal.

If you have ruled out the possibility that your cat is in pain or sick with something but she is still yowling, consider when she’s performing this behavior. If her yowling is happening when she wants food or is asking for attention, you can probably assume it is normal behavior for her.

Playing and Hunting

Some cats may engage in yowling behaviors while they are playing. This is more common when cats play with each other, and the yowling may be mistaken for a growl depending on the individual cat. It is not impossible, however, for cats to yowl while playing with human family members or on their own.

Cats who are hunting—or who are practicing hunting with their toys—may also yowl. This type of cat yowling is likely to be a quieter sound than the others on this list, simply because the cat is trying to sneak up on prey at the same time.

Heat

Finally, female cats who are still intact (meaning they have not been spayed) may yowl when they go into heat. They may show other signs of being in heat as well, such as behavioral changes, attempts to escape the house, pacing through the home, and more.

If you think your cat may be in heat, you can take her to the vet to be sure. If she is yowling because she’s in heat, this is normal and there isn’t anything you can really do to stop her. However, you may want to talk with your vet about having your cat spayed in the near future, too.

Go to the Vet if You’re Concerned About Cat Yowling

As you can see, there are many different reasons why your cat may be yowling. If you think the problem could be related to pain or illness, however, it’s important to take her to the vet as soon as possible. The quicker you get your cat to the vet, the more likely she will be to recover from whatever is causing her yowling.

Of course, if you think your cat is dealing with an emergency, don’t wait—take her to the emergency vet instead. Let the emergency vet know about her symptoms and anything else that might help them get to the bottom of the issue.

Cat yowling can be a way for your cat to tell you that she’s in pain, that she may be getting sick, or she could simply be doing this while she’s playing. No matter the cause, if you’re concerned about your cat’s behavior, contact our team at The Village Vets right away. We have teams that specialize in general cat care as well as emergency, so you can be rest assured that your cat will always get the care she needs, no matter what the problem is. So don’t wait, bring your cat in to see us now.