If your cat meows, when you approach it, this post will show you likely reasons why and what to do about it.
So, why does my cat meow when I approach it? Likely reasons why your cat meows when you approach it are that it is being affectionate, it feels intimidated, it is trying to tell you something, it has separation anxiety or that it is just glad to see you.
There are actually a number of possible reasons why your cat meows when you approach it and it could be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are a number of things you can consider to help figure out the main cause.
Why does my cat meow when I approach them?
Below are a number of likely causes and what would make each of them more likely.
Your cat is intimidated
The cause might be that it is intimidated. This would be more likely if your cat tries to move away from you, it makes itself appear smaller and if it only does it when you approach it boldy and loudly.
Your cat is being affectionate
The cause could also just be that your cat is being affectionate. This would be more likely if it rubs itself against you, when you approach it, and if it gets you to pet it.
Your cat is trying to tell you something
Another possible cause is that your cat is trying to tell you something such as that it wants you to feed it or that it wants you to let it outside. This would be more likely if your cat does it more before you have fed it such as when you first see it in the morning.
Separation anxiety
The cause could be that it has some separation anxiety. This is where your cat does not like being separated from you and being separated from you causes it to become anxious. This would be more likely if your cat becomes anxious when you are leaving by doing things such as crying and if it does not seem to want anything from you, when it sees you, other than attention.
It is glad to see you
It might also be the case that it felt anxious without you and now it is glad that you are around. This would be more likely if it rubs itself against you and wants to be petted. It would also be more likely if your cat always meows when it sees you, even when you have not been away for long.
Things to consider
Below are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause.
If your cat has always meowed when you approach it
If your cat did not always meow when you approached it, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it. For example, if it started doing it since you stopped letting it sleep in the same room as you, the cause could be that it has some separation anxiety.
What is different when your cat does not meow when you approach it
If your cat does not always meow, when you approach it, it would also help to consider what is different when your cat does not meow. For example, if it only seems to meow in the morning, the cause could be due to being hungry or separation anxiety if it can not sleep in the same room as you.
What to do about my cat meowing when I approach it?
Below are some options you have when dealing with it.
Avoid intimidating it
If it seems like your cat has been doing it due to being intimidated, it would help to approach it calmly, quietly and to pet it gently.
Limit reasons why it might get anxious
If it seems like it has been doing it due to something causing it to be anxious, it would also help to limit reasons why your cat might be anxious. One way to do so would include letting it stay in a cool, quiet room that is away from other pets.
Give it access to food and water
Since your cat might be doing it because it wants food or water, it would help to make sure that your cat has access to food and water while you are away.
Let it do it
If your cat seems like it is doing it because it is just being affectionate, another option would be to just let your cat continue doing it.