Your cat's howling (or yowling) can have several reasons, often related to communication or a physical or emotional need:
- Hunger or Attention Seeking: Cats may yowl when they are hungry or want attention from their owners
- Mating Behavior: Unspayed or unneutered cats often yowl loudly as a mating call to attract mates
- Pain or Medical Issues: Cats in pain from injury, arthritis, or illnesses such as thyroid or kidney problems may howl or yowl persistently. Older cats might also yowl due to cognitive dysfunction or dementia
- Stress or Anxiety: Changes in the home environment (new pets, babies, moving house) or feeling insecure can cause cats to yowl as a sign of distress
- Territorial Warnings: Cats may yowl to warn off intruders or other animals they see through windows, signaling territorial behavior
- Boredom: Indoor cats sometimes yowl out of boredom or to seek interaction
To determine why your cat is howling, consider their age, spay/neuter status, recent changes in their environment, and whether the yowling coincides with mealtimes or specific triggers. If the howling is excessive, new, or accompanied by other signs of illness or distress, a veterinary examination is recommended to rule out medical causes
. In summary, your cat's howling is a form of communication that may indicate hunger, mating instincts, pain, stress, territoriality, or boredom. Observing their behavior and context can help identify the cause and guide appropriate action.
