If your cat meows when it wakes up, this post will show you why and what you can do about it.
So, why does my cat meow when I wake up? Likely reasons why your cat meows when you wake up are that it is responding to a dream, it is calling for attention, it has an injury or is in pain, or that it is hungry.
There are a number of possible reasons why your cat meows when it wakes up and it might be due to a combination of them. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Reasons why your cat meows when it wakes up
Below are a number of likely reasons why your cat does it and what would make them more likely.
It is calling for attention
The reason why your cat does it could be that it is calling for attention and to see where you are and feel safer. This would be more likely if your cat does it during the day after napping and if it immediately looks around to see where you are.
Injury or pain
Another possible cause is that your cat has an injury or it is in pain. This would be more likely if your cat has started doing it suddenly and it has been showing other signs of having an injury such as not moving around as much or limping. In this case, the best option would be to get help from a vet.
Hunger
Another possible cause is that it is hungry. This would be more likely if your cat only does it when it has not yet been able to eat you. It would also be a lot more likely if it does it when it wakes up in the morning.
I have written more about why your cat might meow when it wakes up in the morning here.
It is responding to a dream
Another possible cause is that your cat is responding to a dream. This would be more likely if it was moving while it was sleeping and it does not do it regularly.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main reason why your cat has been doing it.
If your cat has always meowed when it wakes up
If your cat did not always meow, when it wakes up, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it could be due to an injury or pain or because it started sleeping in a different room to the one you are in.
The timing of when your cat meows when it wakes up
It would also help to consider the timing of when your cat tends to do it. If it tends to do it more at a certain time, it would be more likely that the timing has something to do with it. For example, if it only does it in the morning, it would be more likely to be due to hunger or wanting to go outside.
What to do about your cat meowing when it wakes up
Below are some things to consider when figuring out the main reason why your cat has been doing it.
Limit reasons why it might be anxious
If your cat seems to be doing it due to having some separation anxiety, it would help to limit possible reasons why it might get anxious. Ways to do so would be to ensure it can stay in a safe spot where it can get away from other animals that it might not like and to let it stay in a quiet room.
Get help
If your cat has been doing it excessively, it has been behaving unusually or it seems like it might be due to injury, it would help to take it for a checkup. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular cat and to rule out injury or mental issues as a cause.
Let it do it
If it has not been behaving unusually and it does not do it constantly, another option would be to let your cat continue doing it and to let it stay in different locations if it wants to.