Yowling

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Ok, so you all know Tubby is old, and most of you might know that yowling is sort of common in older cats, but he's driving me crazy lately! He used to do it only right before/at bedtime. Now he does it in the morning, in the evening, in the afternoon, at 2:00 am, you name the time and he now yowls then! Is there anything I can do to make him stop? Or at least go back to before/at bedtime?

He sounds so mournful and pitiful. Terry always thinks he's in pain or something because it really sounds like he is. But I've been trying to get a video of him doing it so you guys could experience it with me and everytime I hear him, I go look and he's always at the bottom of the stairs in the basement, looking up at me and licking his chops. It's like he goes over to take a few bites of food, then moves back over to the rug and yowls. He knows perfectly well where we are because he just left my side minutes before to go down and eat.

I know some have said it's like kitty alzheimers and he can't remember where we are. So I've tried calling to him but that doesn't work anymore. He'll just continue on a few more times, then come upstairs. Then I thought I was enabling the behavior so I stopped calling to him and he goes on forever and it sounds like he's going to die! Really! I go look and sure enough, there he is at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at me and licking his chops.

And it's not because his tummy is upset because he hasn't thrown up in awhile now. And that I could understand - he eats a bit, it upsets his tummy so he yowls, then his tummy calms down so he stops - I can see that, but I don't think that's what's happening.

Anyway, it's really driving us up the wall, so if anyone has any suggestions on how to get him to stop......

And don't get me wrong, you know he's my baby and I'd do anything for him if he is in pain, but I really don't think that's what it is. Thanks for any suggestions!

[Edwina's Secretary]

Eddie is also a yowler. He yowls at about 4:30 in the morning and if anyone gets up during the night it is good for some yowling.

Maybe if you put a dish of kibbles near your bedroom he can have his snack without getting "lost?"

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by Tubby & Peanut's Mom
... he's always at the bottom of the stairs in the basement,
looking up at me and licking his chops...
...he just left my side minutes before to go down and eat...

A thought...

Possibly he's getting tired of the trip up/down the stairs for
a *byte* to eat ??

Could you try placing his food on the main floor?
And maybe he just wants *company* at meal time?

Also - a snack tray - possibly under the BigBed?
Might reduce the before-bed time fuss if he didn't have to march
ALL The Way Down to the basement to satisfy that mid-nite
craving for a *snack*!



Then again - there's always EAR Plugs!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by Cinder & Smoke
Also - a snack tray - possibly under the BigBed?
Then again - there's always EAR Plugs!

Ok, so now we have food in the basement, some in the kitchen (logical place) some in the bedroom, some upstairs in the loft so he can have company....geeze....

Although, seriously, I had thought about the up/down the stairs thing. I think he has a touch of arthritis in his back legs, and it might be the thought of climbing up the stairs that makes him yowl - but he never does it when he has to climb the stairs to the loft....

And we have a saying in our house. TV gets shut off, computer shut down, light gets turned off, we all head downstairs and "Who wants treats before bed? Everybody gets treats before bedtime!" Terry gets a treat out of the fridge for himself and each snotty kitty gets a treat too. Debbie is the only one who usually passes on the before bed treat. And ear plugs are already in full use.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be bringing some food upstairs in the near future....so anybody know how to get him to not spill his food all over the floor when he eats?

[Edwina's Secretary]

As I am writing this Mr. Ed is yowling for me....and it is the middle of the afternoon. He's been napping ...

Anyway...I use a tray under his bowl (tpyed one-handed as he stands between me and the screen....)....the things we do...he's messy with his food....

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by Edwina's Secretary
As I am writing this Mr. Ed is yowling for me....and it is the middle of the afternoon. He's been napping ...

Anyway...I use a tray under his bowl (tpyed one-handed as he stands between me and the screen....)....the things we do...he's messy with his food....

See, I don't know why, but when Eddie does it, it's cute. Obviously that has to be because he's there and I'm here.

Yes, a tray under the bowl! I remember when I used to do that....guess I've been so spoiled having everything in the basement for the last couple of years. I never have to worry how messy anything is down there.

Thanks for the suggestions and give the Eddie boy a hug and smooch for me please.

[catcrazylady]

I certainly hope he is not in pain but you don't seem to think so and you know him well. We have gone through similar situations with different cats at different times. It is my personal opinion that it might start out innocent but once they have you jumping they continue to do it for their own amusement!!! Of all the things I have tried in the past absolutely nothing worked until they were ready to quit! Leroy used to get in the mini blinds every night (morning) around 2:00am. They were metal mini blinds in the bedroom. You want to talk about jerking you awake!! I know he pulled them back as far as he could before he let them go to slam into the window!!! My husband would yell and make me jump again! We tried the water bottle (Leroy loves water) that didn't work, we tried raising the blinds and he would jump as far up the window as he could and scratch and yell on the way down!!! I tried getting up and swatting his behind, then I tried getting up and putting him in the bed with me and loving him. (reward for bad behavior!!) The last thing was my husband (furious) jumping out of the bed and going after Leroy!! He never connected because Leroy was onto the spanking thing! We tried ignoring, you know grin and bear it, and it still went on for weeks. Then one day he just stopped! Who knows why. I guess the game was over because he moved on to other irritating things. I really believe that for some it is a game and they enjoy tormenting because they know they can. Leroy is my biggest lap kitty and loves on me all the time. I think because of that he knows he can get away with murder!! I adore him and he knows it! Although I thought at one time my husband might just ablige his little furry butt and choke him!! j/k I hope your kitty is not sick but don't be surprised if it is just a game and will end soon. You just haven't jumped through enough hoops yet!!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by catcrazylady
You just haven't jumped through enough hoops yet!!

LOL CatCrazyLady. I know what you mean and I was hoping it was just a phase too, but it's been about two years now since he first started, and it's only getting worse. I have to admit that this latest bout seems to have started after we got back from a week's vacation recently, so I was thinking that was the problem, but it's been two weeks now with no let up.

Terry laughed when I told him Tubby wants his food upstairs and that's why he's yowling. He said if that will stop him get the food our right now.

[Lacy]

Frisky does this also! Actually...He's doing it right now!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Almost got it on video last night....

Tubby was being very isistent with Terry, which usually means his dish is empty, but Terry said he had already done the ol' switcheroo (dumping food from bowl back into bag and refilling bowl) once, so he couldn't figure out what Tubby wanted. By the way Tubby was acting, he definitely had no food, so we both followed him downstairs. Sure enough, he had plenty of food in each bowl (there are two of them) so Terry does the switcheroo again and Tubby settles down to eat. The funny thing is he eats out of the bowl that was NOT switched! So I was ready to go back upstairs and get the camera ready, but Terry stayed while Tubby ate. I warned him that is not a good thing to do because then Tubby will demand his presence everytime he eats, but Terry stayed anyway. Tubby got done eating, went for a drink then came and bumped on Terry's leg and they both headed back upstairs. No yowling! I told Terry I'm going to have to bring the food upstairs into the loft so Tubby can have company all day if he wants a bite to eat since when Terry is home he is usually in the loft either working or on the computer.

If Tubby continues to demand company while eating, I'm going to make Terry go with him every time since he's the one that started it.

However, later on, Tubby did yowl a little. Not as much as usual though... Please don't tell me he needs company while eating every meal!

[Barbara]

Hmmmm here are 2 kitties who wake you up in the night just to ask for company at the food bowl.

And Filou from time to time yowls in the hall just because he's playing "I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood...."

Do you think the cats need a psychiatrist or do I need one??????

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by Barbara
Do you think the cats need a psychiatrist or do I need one??????

You and me both, Barbara. Maybe we can find one in one of those big tents they have up over there this time of year.....