With cats being such a commonly kept pet, we often see people reaching out and asking a wide range of different questions about keeping a pet cat.
In addition to the questions being asked due to the sheer popularity of keeping cats as pets, we also see people asking about some of their strange behaviors or issues that they have with their cats too.
For today’s article, we are going to be taking a look at why a cat wakes up crying as we have noticed a large number of people think that it is just one of those strange cat behaviors when it can actually be a serious issue.
Our hope is that we will be able to help our readers realize that if their cat does wake up crying then there may be a potentially serious health issue with the cat that needs to be treat as soon as possible.
In some cases, you may actually have to take your cat to a vet to have the cat inspected or scanned with the equipment at the vets to work out exactly what’s wrong though.
Why Your Cat Wakes Up Crying!
We have our short list of the most common reasons that your pet cat may wake up crying below:-
- Pain!
- Stress!
- Fear!
- Joint Or Muscle Issues!
- Neurological Problems!
- Separation Anxiety!
- Cancer!
Some cats can end up having more than one of these problems at the same time causing them to wake up crying but this does tend to be rare and in most cases, you will usually find that your cat only has one of the issues above.
There are some less common causes of a cat waking up crying too but in most cases, you will usually find that it is one of the six causes above.
Pain!
One of the most common reasons that your cat may wake up crying is due to pain.
Cats are very good at hiding their pain as it is a survival instinct that they have so that predators do not see them as being weak and an easy target.
This means that when they are in pain, they will often try and keep it hidden which can make it difficult for us as owners to tell when our cats are in pain.
There are a number of different things that could be causing your cat pain such as an injury, an infection or even something like arthritis.
If you think that your cat may be in pain then the best thing to do would be to take them to the vet for a check-up.
Stress!
Another common reason that your cat may wake up crying is down to stress.
There are a number of different things that could be causing your cat stress such as changes in their environment, being around other animals or even changes in their routine.
If you think that your cat may be stressed then the best thing to do would be to try and identify what is causing the stress and then remove or change it if possible.
You may also want to speak to your vet about some of the products that they sell that can help to reduce stress in cats too.
Fear!
Fear is a more common than people realise in cats, especially if they are new to the home or there has been a major change to their environment.
Moving your cats bed or adding something new to your home that is large can cause an initial bout of fear in your cat when it wakes up and cause it to start crying.
This can be more common in younger cats and kittends but it can happen in cats of all ages.
Usually, this fear will pass in time and your cat will stop crying when it wakes up if this is the problem.
If you have added another pet to your home such as another cat or a dog then your cat may have issues with fear but when your cat gets more comfortable with your new pet, this should be fine.
If you have adopted a rescue cat then your cat may have issues with past trauma from before it was rescued.
This can be difficult to treat as it is a mental health problem and you usually just have to offer the best possible care to the cat and hope that it starts to realise that it is now safe in its new home.
Joint Or Muscle Issues!
Joint and muscle issues is usually more of an issue with senior cats or cats that have prexisting medical conditions but it can be a reason that your cat may wake up crying.
It is usually due to the cats joints or mucles seizing up while the cat is sleeping only to cause pain when the cat wakes up resulting in the cat crying.
In some cases, you may be able to tweak the diet of your cat to reduce the pain caused by joint and muscle issues when they wake to stop them crying when they wake up.
On top of that, a vet may be able to give your cat an opperation to help your cat recover from any potential problems related to joint or muscle issues but you wil have to take your cat for a check up with a vet to find out.
Neurological Problems!
There are a number of different causes of neurological problems in cats but it is usually a more serious issue than some of the others on this list.
One of the most common neurological problems that can cause your cat to wake up crying is seizures.
Seizures can happen for a number of different reasons and they can be very frightening for both you and your cat.
If you think that your cat may be having seizures then the best thing to do would be to take them to the vet as soon as possible so that they can be diagnosed and treated accordingly.
Separation Anxiety!
Separation anxiety is another psychological issue that can cause your cat to wake up crying.
It usually happens when the owner of the cat leaves the house and the cat becomes anxious due to being separated from its owner.
This can be treated by gradually getting your cat used to being left alone for short periods of time and then increasing the time that you are away from your cat until it is comfortable being left alone for longer periods of time.
You may also want to speak to your vet about some of the Medications that they can give your cat to help with separation anxiety if the problem persists.
Cancer!
While cancer is not as common in cats as it is in dogs, it is still a possibility and it can cause your cat a lot of pain.
There are a number of different types of cancer that can affect cats and the symptoms will vary depending on the type of cancer that your cat has.
If you think that your cat may have cancer then the best thing to do would be to take them to the vet as soon as possible so that they can be diagnosed and treated accordingly.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are a number of different reasons why your cat may wake up crying and it is important to try and identify the reason so that you can treat it accordingly.
If you are unsure of what is causing the problem then the best thing to do would be to take your cat to the vet so that they can give you a professional opinion.
