Why does my cat cry so intensely every day at dawn?
April 10, 2023 3:38 PM Subscribe
Every morning for about 45 minutes, my cat starts yowling like he's having his heart ripped out -- a mix of anguish, despair, and anger. He hardly vocalizes at all during the day -- it's just at pre-dawn hours. He has plenty of food leftover when we rise each morning, has no problems with his litter, and the door to our bedroom is always wide open. So what's this about?? More inside.
We've raised our cat from a young kitten (he was a stray a neighbor found under a porch) and he's been doing this yowling at pre-dawn thing ever since he was a young cat. No matter what we feed him. (He doesn't have any food issues, but if it's relevant we feed him kibble and Fussie Cat wet food -- half of each portion in the morning and the other half in the evening. He grazes.)
He's always been pretty avoidant - he isn't really interested in us, doesn't like to sleep with us or snuggle. He can be aggressive if he's bored or angry. He's healthy, neutered, indoor-only, and has plenty to eat, lots of toys (though now that he's three years old he's not that interested in toys even when we often try to engage him with a wand or ball chasing toy.) There are no kids in the house.
We both work from home so it's not like he's missing us, but since we couldn't think of anything else, we thought maybe it was cries of loneliness while we were sleeping. So we recently adopted another cat -- who's great and sleeps with us. But he still does this crying thing at night -- it might even be worse. Sometimes he even comes into our room and yowls directly at us from the doorway -- but most of the time he yowls from elsewhere in the house.
Again, he's been doing this since he was pretty young -- maybe six months old. I wish I knew what he wanted or needed. :-( Some friends suggested he wants to be an outdoor cat but we don't want him to become a coyote snack, or to decimate the local bird population. We're considering hiring an animal behaviorist, but in the meantime -- any ideas?
We've raised our cat from a young kitten (he was a stray a neighbor found under a porch) and he's been doing this yowling at pre-dawn thing ever since he was a young cat. No matter what we feed him. (He doesn't have any food issues, but if it's relevant we feed him kibble and Fussie Cat wet food -- half of each portion in the morning and the other half in the evening. He grazes.)
He's always been pretty avoidant - he isn't really interested in us, doesn't like to sleep with us or snuggle. He can be aggressive if he's bored or angry. He's healthy, neutered, indoor-only, and has plenty to eat, lots of toys (though now that he's three years old he's not that interested in toys even when we often try to engage him with a wand or ball chasing toy.) There are no kids in the house.
We both work from home so it's not like he's missing us, but since we couldn't think of anything else, we thought maybe it was cries of loneliness while we were sleeping. So we recently adopted another cat -- who's great and sleeps with us. But he still does this crying thing at night -- it might even be worse. Sometimes he even comes into our room and yowls directly at us from the doorway -- but most of the time he yowls from elsewhere in the house.
Again, he's been doing this since he was pretty young -- maybe six months old. I wish I knew what he wanted or needed. :-( Some friends suggested he wants to be an outdoor cat but we don't want him to become a coyote snack, or to decimate the local bird population. We're considering hiring an animal behaviorist, but in the meantime -- any ideas?
Do you feed him in the morning within about an hour of when he starts in? Our cats start yelling about an hour before breakfast, regardless of whether or not there is still food in the bowl, because it will soon be time for me to give them breakfast.
The easy litmus test for this is to think back to the last time Daylight Savings Time rolled around -- did the cat's shouting fits stay at more or less the same time, or migrate to before when he gets fed, more or less? Our cats will take about three days to adjust to DST and then the shouties kick in at breakfast -45 minutes.
posted by Shepherd at 3:49 PM on April 10, 2023 [8 favorites]
The easy litmus test for this is to think back to the last time Daylight Savings Time rolled around -- did the cat's shouting fits stay at more or less the same time, or migrate to before when he gets fed, more or less? Our cats will take about three days to adjust to DST and then the shouties kick in at breakfast -45 minutes.
posted by Shepherd at 3:49 PM on April 10, 2023 [8 favorites]
Has he just used the litter box when he makes the noise? One of my 2 cats does some howling when he's just used the box.
Otherwise, there's an older thread about a night-vocalising cat here. The conclusion was basically "cats just howl", but there might be some anecdotes there that match your experience.
posted by Pallas Athena at 3:54 PM on April 10, 2023
Otherwise, there's an older thread about a night-vocalising cat here. The conclusion was basically "cats just howl", but there might be some anecdotes there that match your experience.
posted by Pallas Athena at 3:54 PM on April 10, 2023
One other thing: he stops yowling if we get out of bed. Which makes my husband think he just wants us to be up and moving around, even if he doesn't want anything from us or want to engage with us in any way.
Yeah, cats are social beings (more than they get credit for) and even if your kitty isn't snuggly, he probably appreciates your company in his own way. One of my cats is similar - we've had to keep our door closed at night, otherwise he'll pitch a fit (mainly by yowling and scratching at our window blinds) when we go to bed.
posted by coffeecat at 3:58 PM on April 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
Yeah, cats are social beings (more than they get credit for) and even if your kitty isn't snuggly, he probably appreciates your company in his own way. One of my cats is similar - we've had to keep our door closed at night, otherwise he'll pitch a fit (mainly by yowling and scratching at our window blinds) when we go to bed.
posted by coffeecat at 3:58 PM on April 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
He doesn't want yesterday's food - he wants today's food.
And sometimes cats are just loud conversationalists, singing the song of their people. Or when in doubt, the old mefi adage applies - cats are weird.
posted by cgg at 4:08 PM on April 10, 2023 [12 favorites]
And sometimes cats are just loud conversationalists, singing the song of their people. Or when in doubt, the old mefi adage applies - cats are weird.
posted by cgg at 4:08 PM on April 10, 2023 [12 favorites]
a mix of anguish, despair, and anger.
This is a lot of anthropomorphization though. Cats use a lot of minor notes because of how their bodies are constructed, and their language really only has vowel sounds and hums, plus some clicks and throat percussion. That's not the same as anguish.
Cats are crepuscular. It is normal for them to be awake and wanting to do cat things at dawn. He is singing the song of his people, and it is probably a country song what weird useless cats y'all are and also where are all the birds around here? He is probably also appreciating how magnificent his own voice is, resonating off all the interesting angles.
There may be some boredom and frustration mixed in there, and he may well want to be an outside cat - in his mind, he may well BE an outside cat living in a strange prey-free land - but we all want a lot of things in life we shouldn't have. You weird two-legged cats getting out of bed probably awakens his hope that today, finally, you're going to do cat things. If you can find a way to provide some enrichment that isn't too social for him, it might improve his mornings and evenings - laser pointer? puzzle feeder or lick mat? mechanical mouse, if you have a tablet see if he likes cat games.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:08 PM on April 10, 2023 [34 favorites]
This is a lot of anthropomorphization though. Cats use a lot of minor notes because of how their bodies are constructed, and their language really only has vowel sounds and hums, plus some clicks and throat percussion. That's not the same as anguish.
Cats are crepuscular. It is normal for them to be awake and wanting to do cat things at dawn. He is singing the song of his people, and it is probably a country song what weird useless cats y'all are and also where are all the birds around here? He is probably also appreciating how magnificent his own voice is, resonating off all the interesting angles.
There may be some boredom and frustration mixed in there, and he may well want to be an outside cat - in his mind, he may well BE an outside cat living in a strange prey-free land - but we all want a lot of things in life we shouldn't have. You weird two-legged cats getting out of bed probably awakens his hope that today, finally, you're going to do cat things. If you can find a way to provide some enrichment that isn't too social for him, it might improve his mornings and evenings - laser pointer? puzzle feeder or lick mat? mechanical mouse, if you have a tablet see if he likes cat games.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:08 PM on April 10, 2023 [34 favorites]
Sometimes our cat yowls at night from somewhere in the apartment. We just call out something like, “Beatrix! We’re in here!” and that seems to calm her down.
She also wants us to get out of bed when it suits her, but employs far jerkier methods of making that happen than merely yowling.
posted by slkinsey at 4:22 PM on April 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
She also wants us to get out of bed when it suits her, but employs far jerkier methods of making that happen than merely yowling.
posted by slkinsey at 4:22 PM on April 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
I've had a couple of cats who do that. One started doing it when he was elderly - used to go out in the back yard (we lived where & when he could go outside) and sit and howl in the year before he died. He was comfortable, well fed, much loved, and reasonably healthy for an old (16) cat until his kidneys finally started to shut down.
My current one does that now too. She is also old (15 and was a backyard rescue in bad shape), happy, and she's pretty profoundly deaf, so (a) she can't even hear herself doing it and (b) can't hear me shouting at her that I'm RIGHT HERE (I just went through this a couple of hours ago - she was at the top of the stairs but looking the wrong direction) and (c) has cataracts so can't see all that well. I swear to god she's echolocating like a bat when she does it. It would be funny if it wasn't so loud.
In neither case did the cat appear to be upset. I agree with the "loud conversationalist" characterization.
My current cat, when she finally discovers that I'm there, continues to talk but in a much different register, generally ordering me to feed her or sit down so she can sit in my lap.
posted by Peach at 5:22 PM on April 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
My current one does that now too. She is also old (15 and was a backyard rescue in bad shape), happy, and she's pretty profoundly deaf, so (a) she can't even hear herself doing it and (b) can't hear me shouting at her that I'm RIGHT HERE (I just went through this a couple of hours ago - she was at the top of the stairs but looking the wrong direction) and (c) has cataracts so can't see all that well. I swear to god she's echolocating like a bat when she does it. It would be funny if it wasn't so loud.
In neither case did the cat appear to be upset. I agree with the "loud conversationalist" characterization.
My current cat, when she finally discovers that I'm there, continues to talk but in a much different register, generally ordering me to feed her or sit down so she can sit in my lap.
posted by Peach at 5:22 PM on April 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
I recently read (on the internet, take w/ grain of salt) that cats naturally sleep very lightly because they are attuned to predators or prey nearby. So after the humans been asleep for a while, some cats think perhaps we have died or at the very least should be paying better attention to what is going on, HELLO!? Basically, cats think we are really bad at being cats.
Or, you know, cats are just weird.
posted by nkknkk at 5:51 PM on April 10, 2023 [4 favorites]
Or, you know, cats are just weird.
posted by nkknkk at 5:51 PM on April 10, 2023 [4 favorites]
A datapoint: around the winter holidays we put up a string of lights in the dining room, and left them up for a while to chase away the winter. Our 16 year old cat, who usually only yowls when she’s caught a mouse or when we sleep in, was yelling 3-5 times a night, and we were worried she was in pain or getting senile.
We took down the lights a week ago and the yowling immediately stopped. So I think the light levels and crepuscular cat nature has something to do with why yelling is fun at dawn.
posted by tchemgrrl at 7:41 PM on April 10, 2023
We took down the lights a week ago and the yowling immediately stopped. So I think the light levels and crepuscular cat nature has something to do with why yelling is fun at dawn.
posted by tchemgrrl at 7:41 PM on April 10, 2023
My cat does this, except she reliably does it mid-morning. It’s hard to tell what she is up to because she also stops if I enter the room she is in. My best guess based on sneaking up on her is that she is very actively playing/hunting her toys—especially since she seems embarrassed to play alone with her toys when we can see her, and will often stop if she is Perceived. If she gets too loud I can usually get her to stop just by calling out her name and reminding her she isn’t alone. (Half the time this means her running to me to play with her instead, so possibly not a great strategy if this was happening before dawn, but at least then she stops yowling.)
posted by CtrlAltDelete at 7:46 PM on April 10, 2023
posted by CtrlAltDelete at 7:46 PM on April 10, 2023
My ex dubbed this the “lonely hunter” call, due to the fact that my two previous weirdos would carry around a toy mouse while yowling. It also seems triggered by being alone—or at least in a room away from the rest of the home’s residents. One of my two current weirdos does it when I’m in the shower. The other does it when I’m in bed.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:51 PM on April 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:51 PM on April 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
Is he crying, or is he roaring?
posted by amtho at 7:52 PM on April 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by amtho at 7:52 PM on April 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
I lived with a cat that desperately wanted attention all the time and soon realized we would ignore regular meows if we were busy, but coming running if they screamed like they were being ripped apart. So eventually they started screaming in terror constantly. Your cat may have shamu'd you.
posted by Dynex at 8:36 PM on April 10, 2023
posted by Dynex at 8:36 PM on April 10, 2023
My cat doesn’t say a peep all day. Then she yowls, in English, “Herro? Mom? Ow?” in the most heart-rending way about 3-4 hours after I go to bed. One night I snuck into the living room while she was doing it to find her killing her stuffed mouse, and when she looked up at me, she didn’t want my attention at all. I was clearly interrupting her. So the hunter theory proved true in my case!
posted by kapers at 8:40 PM on April 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by kapers at 8:40 PM on April 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
Answer a) existential angst.
Answer b) cats are weird.
For example - One of my cats positively yowls at me with great despair while I'm in the shower, until I get out of the shower. Then he's fine.
posted by gingerbeer at 9:05 PM on April 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
Answer b) cats are weird.
For example - One of my cats positively yowls at me with great despair while I'm in the shower, until I get out of the shower. Then he's fine.
posted by gingerbeer at 9:05 PM on April 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
There could habitually be something going on outside at that time, such as an outdoor cat or wildlife coming around. Your cat may sniff or hear outside animals and want to go out and see what's going on or defend its territory.
posted by Flock of Cynthiabirds at 11:58 PM on April 10, 2023
posted by Flock of Cynthiabirds at 11:58 PM on April 10, 2023
How’s his hearing? Our old man kitty started yowling, loudly, and we eventually put it together that it happens when he doesn’t know where we are and can’t figure it out from aural cues. Usually we’re playing music, chatting, watching TV, or otherwise easy to find by sound. So if he comes in from doing his nightly security round, morning patrol, or afternoon reconnaissance and we’re asleep* or in a remote corner of the house, he yowls until we call his name. Then he either stops, because the mystery of our whereabouts has ended, or we play Marco Polo with him until he arrives for pets or simple companionship.
* and not snoring, lol.
posted by carmicha at 5:01 AM on April 11, 2023
* and not snoring, lol.
posted by carmicha at 5:01 AM on April 11, 2023
He's lonely.
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:08 AM on April 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:08 AM on April 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
Our cat is indoor/outdoor - he used to be mostly outdoor, but is now Old and lives indoors 90% of the time. But he still goes outside for toilet business, and will wake us up yelling at sunrise (or before, in the winter) to let us know it's time for him to go and attend to that. We have a litter tray and he will use it, but only after several hours of yelling and complaining about it beforehand. So, as a rescue, maybe he's still got an association with the Outdoors being the place for poopin'?
posted by parm at 5:21 AM on April 11, 2023
posted by parm at 5:21 AM on April 11, 2023
Another vote for "cat being cat" -- ours does this after dinner, goes into the finished basement, where we are not at, and meows loudly, and we say things like "kitty, we're up here!" and "kitty, are you lost?" and eventually he wanders back to us like nothing happened. It's probably just a routine he likes at this point.
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:24 AM on April 11, 2023
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:24 AM on April 11, 2023
Response by poster: This is all very comforting -- thank you! All the answers are best answers. (Though I don't think he's lonely - as he already has another cat and us in the house, with all the doors open all the time. It's a 1 bedroom house. If he's lonely, it's for a creature who doesn't exist in his world.)
I will however get his hearing checked, just to be safe.
posted by egeanin at 8:09 AM on April 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
I will however get his hearing checked, just to be safe.
posted by egeanin at 8:09 AM on April 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
He's lonely for YOU. He wants you awake. This is normal cat behavior I've experienced for years haha
posted by tiny frying pan at 10:48 AM on April 11, 2023
posted by tiny frying pan at 10:48 AM on April 11, 2023
My "roaring" comment probably sounded glib -- it really wasn't. My current foster cat will often play with his toys overnight, captures them, and then "roars" over them. I know he's not lonely -- he deliberately waits for me to be out of his way to "hunt". I think it's part of his excitement.
posted by amtho at 11:10 AM on April 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by amtho at 11:10 AM on April 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
Our cat was yowling like this just this morning. It was because he was looking out the window, and there was a cat JUST LIKE HIM looking back (but backwards!), and when he tried to hit the cat that looked JUST LIKE HIM he hit glass instead. Unfortunately, the only solve would be to pull down the blinds so he couldn't see his reflection, which would remove him of his nighttime entertainment.
posted by rednikki at 11:59 AM on April 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by rednikki at 11:59 AM on April 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: One more thought: our cat is very, very routine-oriented. When it is roughly getting-up time, I need to get up and feed her even if she has plenty of food in her dish and doesn't even take a bite of the new food. When it's quitting time, I need to quit work and if I sit down at my desk again after dinner, there's ructions because it is not staring at the stupid glowing box time.
It may just be that your cat feels like he needs to get you out of bed because it's Time To Get Out Of Bed, and his interpretation of events may be that if he doesn't howl for forty-five minutes you will probably just stay in bed until the entire house falls around your ears.
posted by Frowner at 2:24 PM on April 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
It may just be that your cat feels like he needs to get you out of bed because it's Time To Get Out Of Bed, and his interpretation of events may be that if he doesn't howl for forty-five minutes you will probably just stay in bed until the entire house falls around your ears.
posted by Frowner at 2:24 PM on April 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
Our cat does this in the mornings and sometimes during the night. One thing that has worked pretty well, though not all the time, is to play some white noise or ‘cafe sounds’ throughout the night on a wireless speaker we have in another room. Low volume so that we don’t hear it in the bedroom. Our theory is that she’s missing us in some way and the noise makes it seem like there’s activity around. Who knows, she’s weird.
posted by homesickness at 6:36 PM on April 26, 2023
posted by homesickness at 6:36 PM on April 26, 2023
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posted by egeanin at 3:47 PM on April 10, 2023