Isn’t that weird to stare at something continuously without any major reason? Many cat owners including me have noticed that why does my cat meow at the ceiling or wall, keeps staring and we can’t understand why.
There could have been multiple reasons like:
- Cats can see at an extra wavelength, like ultraviolet, and as we already know it is invisible to humans.
- Similarly, the Cats are very curious, and it likes to focus on a particular thing for a long time. It seems like the cat is trying to figure out something such as trying to find the exact source of noise, light that is coming in. Or to sense incoming signs of danger.
- It could be a sign of feline hyperesthesia too i.e., a maniac behavior.
- Sometimes, maybe because of being bored, anxious, and hyper-responsive.
In this article, we’ll discuss why cats meow at walls and ceilings. What does it reflect when they do it and how to deal with this behavior.
5 Reasons why does my Cat Meow at the Ceiling
Here are the sought-after reasons why cats meow while looking at the ceiling:
1. Pests may have been a vital Reason
If you may already have multiple pets at your home like dogs, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, etc., then a greater probability of having pests lies there.
Cats have a greater sense of predicting and judging than you whenever any species make a home somewhere inside your home. This god-gifted ability is known as supersonic sense, which helps identify even the tiniest movements of mice, rats, or any small species. So, maybe they would be staring at those mini-creatures, and you don’t know about their existence.
The space inside your ceilings or walls may not be of much use to you, but it is one of the coziest places for pests. Sometimes you don’t even see the pests around your house, but they are still somewhere at the nooks and corners of the ceilings and the walls. And it must be pissing off your cat.
The cat’s sense of hearing is 20 times more powerful than that of an ordinary human being, that’s why it’s instincts work in this way. In that process, the cat’s frustration starts building up so much that sometimes it results in abnormal behavior, crying, or constant meowing.
2. It may have been because of another Cat
If you live in a colony or an apartment, there is a greater chance of sharing a wall or a portion with a fellow neighbor. Plus there might be a greater chance that they have a pet, and you don’t know about it. If your cat meows at the ceiling or a wall in this kind of situation, it’s just a way of saying hello to the other fellow and maintaining a cordial relationship.
3. It can happen due to dust & dirt present on the ceiling
Flickers of dust, light, dirt and tiny insects are a common part of any ordinary household’s ceiling. And mostly your cat’s sense of smell isn’t that good to smell so far. In that case if you’re unable to answer the question why does my cat meow at the ceiling, hold on. It stimulates the cat for sure, but the poor creature can’t help itself apart from meowing.
4. It may want an extra Attention from you.
Cats are pretty smart and it knows how to get what it wants at a certain time. Ask yourself, are you giving enough attention to your cat. Are the cat’s essentials clean? Are you giving it food on time?
So, for all these probable reasons a cat knows that it may meow and will distract your attention from everything else and get it. You have to asses it keenly and take the possible relevant steps according to it.
5. The Cat is trying to be Fun around
The practice of meowing stimulates the cat’s senses. It works in the same way as good music, a scented candle, or a soft blanket would work on someone’s mood. So, it may have been a simple source of entertainment or joy which is fun to be around and nothing else.
6. It may have been because of the time & surroundings
As research suggests, Cats are quite nocturnal by nature. They are active, friendly, and more awake at night, which sometimes creates a little trouble for other humans. Moreover, the cat’s vocalizations seem to be heightened at night time too.
7. It may get scared because of Reflections
Whenever your cat is staring at the ceiling and there are no apparent reasons for it, it may cause due to reflections at the wall. Not only this, but it can be a reflective light, and the cat may want to touch it. It causes anxiety and hyperactive behavior in cats.
8. It may have been because of a Medical Condition
When your cat behaves strangely, you can’t ignore the medical reasoning lying behind it. Maybe it’s just because of anxiety, coming to a new place, any other cat upsetting the former cat, etc.
To identify if it’s because of a medical condition, watch its activities carefully. Is the cat leaning its head on the wall continuously? Or is it itching, licking, or scratching itself? Is your cat running around the entire house nervously? It may have been because something is going on in its head.
· Hyperesthesia
A most common medical condition related to constant meowing is known as ‘hyperesthesia’. It may cause greater adverse effects of over-stimulation and vocalization problems. In this medical condition, it may meow at things, which aren’t even present there. It’s better to see your vet in this particular case.
· Cognitive Disorder
There’s a widely spread disease in cats i.e. Cognitive Disorder, mainly common in elderly
Cats. Whenever something starts to & fro motion like something is hanging on the wall or
the wind is blowing, the cat starts meowing. It senses this phenomenon easily but due to old age, its vision starts blurring.
What should you do to deal with this situation?
Cat’s meowing at the ceiling isn’t such a big deal but on a continuous basis, it’s disruptive for many people. Here we will be discussing methods to rectify all of the above-mentioned reasons related to why does my cat meow at the ceiling:
· Setting traps for pests in the ceiling
You can set hidden traps for pests in the ceiling (making a hole somewhere in the ceiling and placing a trap inside it i.e., tubes, spring-loaded door, etc.), installing bright lights, doing dusting off the ceiling regularly, regular spraying to remove the bug, etc. to avoid such situations which may trigger the cat as mentioned in Reason #1.
After debugging, you can fill in the ceiling portion with fiberglass insulation as a precautionary step for the future.
· Distract the cat with an effective approach
You may have to come up with a strategically approach with some different tactics. For example, you can install something in your attic area like a bright light to distract the kitty. Not only it will help here but would beware any other species like bats, squirrels, etc. to have an exit.
Pro Tip:
The laser pointer from old times is a classic favorite item for cats. Nowadays these are replaced by automated laser options or being installed in the toys. It makes your cat occupied and hustle-free.
· Proper medications & dietary supplements may help
If the cat is feeling too nervous by another cat next door sensing a cat nearby, it may hurt its territorial nature. For that reason, it’s recommended to use some calming tools like diffusers, etc. to treat it.
You may also take help from the pet to prescribe you some good medicines and dietary supplements in this respect.
· You can set up a proper routine for the cat
If your cat continuously meows at night, you may play with it at that time since the evening to make tired so, it may sleep as the night comes by.
Establishing a routine will help in this purpose, and most importantly keeping a sleep schedule. It takes time but slowly and gradually it would work.
Key Points to Remember:
- Always remember no matter what you have to make a strong bond with your cat. Look for the solutions to its problems. Don’t ever beat or misbehave with your cat due to constant meowing.
- If you get annoyed by the cat’s yowling, remember it is a way of cat-to-cat communication. It generally means the cat wants to mate or the cat doesn’t want to share its place.
- It’s always important to see a vet if some serious symptoms are shown like mentioned in the reasons. It is because it may result in thyroid or kidney disease in the future.
- Sometimes the reason behind the constant meowing of the cat is it may predict evil around itself especially in humans. Cats are sharp at sensing feelings.
- Cats constantly meow due to different reasons like to show hunger, thirsty, need keen attention, any chronic illness, anxiety/ stress, show emotional response, etc.
Final Words
Remember, if you get pissed off with why does my cat meow at the ceiling – remember meowing continuously is not bad but after some time it becomes annoying. The best approach to deal with it is to see a vet immediately. The vet is the best person who will help you to know the reason behind it before the matter goes out of hand. And most importantly, make the cat as much as comfortable you can. Many times silent treatment will aid to deal with the stubborn kitty.
