Why Is My Kitten Meowing All the Time?

A young kitten meows for a variety of reasons, usually because it requires assistance of some kind. Older cats may meow incessantly for attention or play; when a kitten meows, take the crying seriously. Kittens that cry incessantly require veterinary attention and can become ill from the exhaustion caused by the constant meowing, according to the Messy Beast website.

  1. Hypothermia

    • A kitten under 3 to 4 weeks old cannot maintain its body temperature and becomes chilled quickly if not kept near a source of heat, such as its mother or a heating pad. When a kitten cries, it can indicate that its body temperature is falling to a dangerous level. A temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit indicates hypothermia, according to Bretaigne Jones, DVM, of the Royal Canin website. Hypothermia causes the kitten's heartbeat and breathing to slow, and can lead to a coma. You must warm the kitten slowly, with a hot water bottle or heat lamp, to get its temperature back up to between 95 and 97 degrees F to prevent death.

    Hunger

    • A young kitten, under 4 weeks old, relies solely on its mother's milk for nourishment. If you have an orphaned kitten, you need to bottle feed it every two hours, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. A kitten meows when hungry. Without proper feeding and nutrition, the kitten can quickly become hypoglycemic or dehydrated. A kitten cannot fully regulate its blood sugar levels, as an adult cat can, and hypoglycemia can lead to coma or death. Rub corn syrup on the kitten's mouth and gums to bring up its glucose levels, according to the Pet Place. Bottle feed it a warmed human infant electrolyte replacement solution to stabilize and rehydrate it.

    Elimination

    • A kitten under 4 weeks old cannot eliminate on its own and requires the assistance of its mother to stimulate it to go to the bathroom. For orphaned kittens that cry, dampen a paper towel or washcloth with warm water and gently rub the genital and anal area of the kitten to stimulate it to urinate and defecate. This simulates the mother cat's tongue, according to the ASPCA. To prevent your cat from crying, do this after each meal. A kitten also requires you to burp it after bottle feeding to help it eliminate the air it swallows when it suckles, another possible cause of its meowing.

    Illness

    • Incessant meowing from a kitten lasts for an extended period of time indicates a serious medical condition, according to the Pet Place. Kittens can suffer from a variety of health conditions, such as intestinal parasites or fleas, which can cause illness and anemia. Malnourished kittens and those in pain will cry excessively. Take a kitten that cries continuously to a veterinarian for immediate treatment, as an illness or infection can overtake a kitten within 24 to 48 hours, according to Pawprints &Purrs.