Issue with Nutmeg and howling

[Nomilynn]

Hi All,

Lately Nutmeg has been howling non stop. Nothing seems to help.. I give her lots of attention. Usually when I tell her to stop, she will for a few minutes and then start up again. She also does this through the night and because my building is not at all sound proof I'm afraid she's also keeping other tenants up. When I get home from work I do my best to keep her awake, and then I feed them right before I go to bed so she's extra tired and also following the natural routine for cats, which is rest after catching "prey" so I try to give her stimulation before food and then lights out.

Does anyone have any advice? I'm actually beginning to think I should have another reading done on her.. I don't know what else to do..

Thanks!

[Karen]

Has she been to the vet lately? She may be having some discomfort that makes her extra howly right now, nest to be sure! I know I am cranky when I am in pain.

[Nomilynn]

Yup, and she's healthy as can be. It's just a behavioural issue, I'm sure. She's a very demanding cat, which I can only take the blame for because she's spoiled rotten. I just wish I knew what it was she wanted so that I could give it to her so she would shut up! :P

She tends to go where she can hear her own echo as well, like into a corner. I'm wondering if she just likes the sound of her own voice???

[cassiesmom]

I was just thinking about when Medusa's Coco Puff had problems with his hearing, he became more vocal. I wonder if Nutmeg's hearing has changed in some way? Medusa, thoughts?

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry to hear this but I can relate a little. My Pearl will also sometimes howl at night or the early morning hours and she loves to go into my bathroom where it also echoes. She's a siamese mix so I know that they talk a lot any way but I think she's just doing it to get attention because she loves being the center of attention. Hopefully it's only behavioral and nothing more. The only thing that might help would be to give her some kind of a calming pill or maybe even try some feliway spray or plugin. My RB Sunny used to also do this but he just wanted the others to wake up and play with him. I'd find several mice lined up by my door or in the hallway. I hope you'll be able to resolve this problem. Good luck.

[Nomilynn]

Thanks everyone. I don't think her hearing has changed - she's pretty alert and her ears flick back and forth all the time at the slightest sound. Right now she's all curled up and not causing any problems at all.. and I'd bet my next pay that as soon as I'm in bed she'll start in! She's SO BAD!

I will look into the feliway stuff too, thanks for the suggestion!

[Medusa]

I was just thinking about when Medusa's Coco Puff had problems with his hearing, he became more vocal. I wonder if Nutmeg's hearing has changed in some way? Medusa, thoughts?

Yes, I'd check his hearing. Coco Puff's hearing goes in and out; I can always tell when he's having problems hearing b/c he's extraordinarily loud. It all stems from his sinuses.

How old is Nutmeg? My RB Puddy howled, especially at night, and it was b/c she became senile. I certainly don't want to instill fear but if Nutmeg is a senior, it's something to look into as well.

One last thing: Puddy howled like crazy one night and she howled continuously until morning and it continued all the way on the drive to my vet's office. She had an infected colon and she had NO signs of illness beforehand. She had emergency surgery and had peritonitis. It's a wonder that she lived through it.

I know that you feel Nutmeg's howling is behavioral BUT there's always a reason for their behavior. I'm sorry that you both are going through this and I hope I didn't scare the wits out of you. I just know that for every behavior there's a reason behind it. Good luck and please let us know how things develop.

[Abby&Buddy'sMom]

is she spayed? if not , maybe she is in heat ?

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

How old is Nutmeg??

[catmandu]

I know that My Dream Cat Michael has become louder as he has become a Senior Kittyzen.

At about 6AM I can count on the anvil chorus of MEEEEEEEEEEOOOW!
MMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW !!
MMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW!
IM HUNNNGREEEEEEEEE!

Then I put down the food and hes happy!!
My Dream Cat!!!

[Randi]

Nomilynn, I think it might be age related. Older cats often start miawing more - Fister certainly does! He will usually come howling in to my bedroom two, three times a night, like the house is on fire. I can hear he is coming all the way from the kitchen. He does it in daytime too, well rahter late in the day. After 10-15 min. of cuddles, he's OK again. It's like he just wants to be reassured that I love him and haven't forgotten him.

I hope nothing is wrong with Nutmeg, but keep an eye on her in any case!

We're sending purrs and kisses.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Here's an article that I copied from another thread about this in cat behavior. Maybe this will help.

Cats that Talk and Talk...Dealing with Hypervocalization
By: Dr. Nicholas Dodman
Hypervocalization refers to excessive meowing as a means of energy release, attention-getting, and long distance communication.
Overview

All cats have a voice but some are more vocal than others. This is true on an individual basis and breed basis. Orientals are the quintessential loud mouths; they unabashedly voice their concerns in their own unique way using characteristic deep, loud throaty meows. Persians and Maine coons are generally much less vocal.

Whether a cat is hypervocalizing or not, depends to some extent on the breed and on the circumstances. What may be excessive for a Persian may be par-for-the-course for a Siamese. What may be an overreaction to life in the living room may be an appropriate reaction for a cat stuck in a closet. But owners tend not to consider such matters when labeling a cat hypervocal. All they are concerned with is how loud, how long, and how often. When faced with an apparently hypervocalizing cat it is as well to consider why the cat is vocalizing before trying to stop the racket.

Cat Language

Cats make a series of different sounds, some pure sounds and others composite or complex sounds. They all mean slightly different things. Many of the simple sounds signal aggression e.g. the growl, hiss, shriek, and spit. However, there are more pleasant sounds, like the highly versatile murmur, used as a request or greeting, the squeak of pleasure, and the ever-welcome purr. Complex sounds include the mew, meow, and the guttural moan. The term hypervocalization is usually reserved for excessive meowing as a means of energy release, attention-getting mechanism, or long distance communication.

Interpretation

Having determined that a cat is truly hypervocalizing (meowing loudly and excessively to the distraction and perhaps sleeplessness of the owner), the next step is to determine why. One tomcat I described in the lead chapter of my book, The Cat Who Cried For Help, cried all night after she was made an indoor cat. I imagine that her nocturnal crying was an expression of the frustration she felt at having her freedom taken away. Some cats may have learned to hypervocalize to get attention while others have medical causes underlying their hypervocal behavior. Below is a list of possible factors involved:



Motivational conflict (access limited)

Attention-seeking

Pain or hunger

Aggression

Anxiety/Fear

Compulsive behavior

Hyperthyroidism

Estrus

Brain tumor

Feline hyperesthesia

Cognitive dysfunction

Diagnosis

To determine which of the above factors is operating in any particular case, it is important to take into consideration the cat's age, breed, sex, neuter status, it's environment, living circumstances, the history of the problem (recent onset vs. long standing), events coincident with the onset of the problem, the owner's reaction to the cat's vocalization, and possible medical factors.


Motivational conflict is often seen when an outdoor male cat is brought inside and yearns for his former life.


Attention seeking is a learned behavior fueled by the owner's positive reaction to the cat's vocal demands.


Pain or hunger is usually self-evident.


Aggression involves triggering by an adversary.


Anxiety and fear occur situationally (e.g. when cat is left alone, during car travel, etc.).


Compulsive vocalization is repetitive, monotonous, and seemingly without a cause.


Hyperthyroidism occurs in older cats that also show other signs of this disease (ravenous appetite, weight loss, bouts of hyperactivity, etc.). This condition is definitively diagnosed at the vet's office by means of a blood sample for T4 level.


Estrus (heat) can cause intact female cats to hypervocalize. Not all owners recognize heat for what it is. To some it appears unexpectedly and mysteriously as sudden onset displays of rolling, rubbing, and, yes, hypervocalization.


Brain tumors occur most commonly in older cats. The history is one of late onset changes in personality and alterations in behavior. Hypervocalization may be a feature in some cases, perhaps reflecting pain or disorientation.


Feline hyperesthesia usually occurs for the first time in middle age. It is characterized by enlarged pupils, skin rippling, frenetic self-grooming, aggression, and, sometimes, hypervocalization.


Cognitive dysfunction may cause some older cats to wail. Other behavioral changes will be evident to, including disorientation, altered social interactions, sleep disturbances, and perhaps, house soiling.

Treatment

A treatment program depends on the cause. Obviously, pain, hunger, and medical conditions, if involved, should be addressed first. Motivational conflict arising from frustrated wanderlust tendencies can sometimes be addressed by castration. Females that yowl incessantly when in heat can have their temporary displays of hypervocalization eliminated by spaying.

Hypervocalization as an attention-getting behavior should be conscientiously ignored, i.e. treated by attention withdrawal on the part of the owner. Note, however, the problem may get worse before it gets better. To hurry the process of attention withdrawal, the owner can use a "bridging stimulus," a neutral sound used to signal the owner's imminent withdrawal of attention or departure from a room. Duck calls, tuning forks, or sounding a low note on a piano may be used as bridging stimuli. The idea is not to punish but rather to signal to the cat that there is about to be a transition.

Environmentally induced hypervocalization should be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Aggression between cats should be assuaged using whatever means it takes. Separation anxiety should be treated by desensitization and, perhaps, medication. Compulsive disorders usually direct that environmental enrichment strategies and medication are employed. For non-medical causes of hypervocalization, should medication be necessary, it is as well to ask your vet to consider either an anxiety-reducing drug like alprazolam (Xanax®) or buspirone (BuSpar®), or an anti-depressant. The best anti-depressants to try are probably clomipramine (Clomicalm®), fluoxetine (Prozac®), or paroxetine (Paxil®).

Cognitive dysfunction may respond positively to deprenyl (Anipryl®).

There can't be much worse a plight than living in a house with a cat that howls all day and night ... or even just all night. Very often, by the time owners get round to seeking help for this problem, it has escalated to the point where they are necessarily seeking help for themselves. If medical factors are involved and can be addressed, then all is well and good. But make no mistake; hypervocalization from purely behavioral causes is not a piece of cake to treat. Sure, it can be controlled with drugs if need be, but behavioral modification strategies can take a long time and are not often successful.


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[Nomilynn]

Wow, awesome article!

Some things I can rule out right away.

She was spayed at 6 months, so it's not a heat cycle or something like that. It's not hunger, because right before bed (when it's at its worse) is when I feed them and she always eats right away. Our normal food regime is to get food right at bedtime and they freefeed overnight.

Nutmeg will be 9 in June, so she's entering her senior kittycin years. However, this is something she has always done (vocalizing, I mean). I've just always lived in houses where I could lock her out of the bedroom. When I had that option, I just left her to the run of the house with Tilly and she could howl to her heart's content. I now live in a bachelor suite so I'm not even convinced this is a new behaviour, maybe it's just something I'm noticing now?

We just went to the vet for the annual check up in January and she was given a clean bill of health. However, I will watch for any changes, be they subtle or drastic, and of course I would take her in immediately if I had any questions or concerns.

Last night I was able to keep her awake from about 7pm until I went to bed at 11pm and she didn't howl at all - she just curled up on the bed next to me and slept the night through!

Thank you all so much for your suggestions and comments. I will for sure watch for these things and keep them in mind!