This post may contain affiliate links which gives us commission at no additional cost to you. We may also feature items we received for review.

How do you deal with a needy cat?

Is your cat being clingy? If you’ve never been cat owners, you may have been led to believe that cats are very independent creatures- constantly off doing their own thing, and only seem to bother you when they want their cat food dish filled.

In many cases, they are. However, there are times when you’ll have a clingy cat, and this can be disruptive to your household, especially if you’re working from home, homeschooling, or your cat seems to be the most needy at night.

A needy cat can show clingy behavior for many reasons such as separation anxiety, getting a new cat, when they are only a few weeks old or months old, or even if they are an old cat.

In most cases, it will get better over time, but you should always rule out other possibilities like needing cat care, health problems, or if there were any large disruptive changes in the home.

Do you have a needy cat, or a demanding cat?

Man, do I wish I had a quarter for every time I called my mom saying, “my cat is so needy!” or “my cat is just demanding ALL my attention right now!”

We have had several cats throughout our lives, about half of them seemed to show needy cat behavior in different ways. Our unspayed female adult cat would meow and scratch at walls & doors incessantly at night, because she didn’t want to be separated from us (we don’t allow pets into the bedrooms due to sleeping babies).

This behavior always increased when she went through a heat cycle- but was persistent throughout the time we had her in our home.

We had another male that also was a needy cat, but in a different way. He was an indoor/outdoor cat that truly preferred to be outdoors. When we brought him in at nights, he would meow and cry so loudly to be let out we either had to let him win, or place him in our garage (he was still incessant out there).

After a few weeks of this behavior (and us catering to it), he started to refuse to use the litter box- but only at night.

With these two situations, we were able to try and find ways to deal with their neediness. Look below to see if any of them will work for you!

Five ways to deal with a clingy cat:

Reward Good Behavior and Ignore the Bad

If your cat meows constantly for your attention, stomp your foot lightly, snap, or another simple movement, and then ignore him. Only pet or reward your cat when they are quiet. You want to encourage the good behavior.

It may take a while, but your cat will soon learn that being quiet gets him a treat or cuddles whereas meowing gets him ignored.

We found that any kind of reaction from us only increased the amount and volume of meowing in both our cats. While it may be hard, try to ignore it or your clingy cat may become even more needy in the long run.

Stimulate His Mind

It’s very important that your cat have mental stimulation. This can come in the form of toys or something simple like a bird feeder hung outside the window. Cats love to watch birds and will do so for hours. Puzzle toys or battery operated interactive ones can also be something super fun and different for them!

Another cost free option is to open the window during a certain part of the day and allow him to watch while you take care of other things.

Letting a clingy cat be near you with boundaries like a window is a great way to start letting them get a little independence while still feeling comforted by your presence.

Provide a Place of His Own

Cats need a place where they can have some time to themselves. Consider purchasing a cat bed or condo and putting a blanket inside so he’s nice and comfortable. He will love having this place when company comes over and he wants to escape. If he can’t cling to you, you’ll want to make sure he has a place where he feels safe.

This is especially important if you have young children at home- we had to make sure our cats (and dogs) has places that were quiet and out of reach of little hands!

Teach Independence

It’s only natural to be tempted to help your kitten do everything. But, it’s important that you teach a cat independence. Otherwise, he’ll rely on you for everything. Allow him to try climbing steps on his own or walking around the house and getting to know it. Follow behind to make sure he’s always safe and never in danger. Soon, he’ll be a confident kitty who is less clingy.

If you’re starting with a very young cat or kitten, try expanding their “designated area” by a bit each day or every few days. For example, start with a small bathroom, then add in the hallway or bedroom, then gate it off at the hall, etc.

Consider Adopting a Friend

If all else fails, consider adopting another cat for your furry friend to play with. Two cats can keep each other company. Chances are your cat will soon be spending most of his time with his new friend and allowing you to get work done.

A clingy cat may seem like a problem to some owners. When you get a cat, you almost expect an animal that is going to be okay doing his own thing. Thankfully, there are things you can do to retrain your cat to be less clingy and less of a needy cat.