Cat help please

[Delphinus]

Good morning, all.

When my Mom died six weeks ago, we took her cat in to live with us. I have known the cat all of her 16-years, since she came to live with Mom, and Co has adjusted well to her new environs. She and Mom were 24/7, whereas hubby and I work.

The big problem we are having is with night howling. We've tried keeping the bedroom door closed, leaving it open and letting her sleep with us, ensuring she has a full bowl of food and water, clean potty, etc. We are running short on sleep and need to find relief. I've tried a few holistic remedies, but nothing seems to stop her late-night wanderings and yowling. At 16, she is not playful so even when we are home, she isn't really engaged. She is healthy, as I have been taking her to the vet on behalf of my Mom for a few years now.

Any ideas? Thank you!

[CurtEastPoint]

1. I hope this helps:

http://www.petful.com/pet-health/my-old-cat-meows-all-the-time/

Also this: (I have noticed my 13 year old lady LOVES being on a heating pad on low all day and night.)

Nighttime comforts> Keeping your older cat comfortable, especially at night, may soothe her anxieties. Because older cats cannot regulate their own body temperatures as efficiently as they once did, they gravitate toward warmth. Be sure her bed is out of the path of any draft, and provide an extra blanket or two, both in her bed and on any other favorite napping spots. If your cat's vision is deteriorating, a nightlight will help her navigate in the dark, and a radio playing on low volume will remind her that she's not alone. Removing obstacles and keeping your home clutter-free will reduce her stress, especially if her sight and hearing are fading. Because older cats are also are extra sensitive to humidity and heat, keep them indoors and away from conditions that could cause heatstroke. Whatever your elderly feline is coping with, giving her comfort is the kindest thing you can do.

AND BLESS YOU ALL for taking care of her.

[Delphinus]

4. Oh my goodness!

The cat in that video could be her! Exactly! To a tee! I'll read what the doctor has said and discuss it the next time we go in.

OK - will try the heating pad. Mom always kept her house a LOT warmer than we keep hers, so I upped ours a degree, still nowhere near what Mom had. Do you worry about the heating pad malfunctioning? We'd have to get one, but that shouldn't be an issue.

The low volume radio - there were times, when Mom was in the hospital for extended periods, that I would turn the TV on in their bedroom, to a relaxing music channel. That's a good idea.

Thanks so much!

[CurtEastPoint]

7. Anything can go wrong but I leave it on low if I'm home. Away, I turn it off. She gets off of it..

when she gets too warm, I think. And the radio on low talk radio (NOT LIMBAUGH!) or nice music may help.

Best wishes to you!

[ginnyinWI]

11. Get this bed!

These are wonderful. Heats the bed to 104 degrees, cat body temperature. We have two, and have had the older one since 2011. Leave them plugged in almost year round and our short haired cats have loved them. It uses as much electricity as a 4 watt night light. Can't overheat like a human type heating pad might. The heating element zips in and out and you can take it out and then wash the bed in your washer. Which I have done several times and they are still looking good.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00403MXBM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[TexasBushwhacker]

13. I set up a heating pad on low

I covered it with a folded towel. I left it on all tje time, no worries. Many heating pads have an auto-off feature which keeps them from overheating.

She could be losing her hearing. My old cat meowed much louder when she got old. I think the radio idea is a good one.

[packman]

2. Breaks your heart when you hear this

She could be suffering from anxiety separation that is just setting in. Perhaps something from your mother's house - a pillow, a blanket, clothing (anything with a scent on it) may help. Even the lotions, perfumes or body powders she used. She could be calling out for your mother.

[Delphinus]

6. I have thought of that.

When she moved in, I kept some of Mom's items, thinking that would help her - it didn't seem to. In fact, I think it disoriented her in a way.

However, that she could be calling out for Mom - that would not surprise me. Big Sis will never replace Mom.

Thank you.

[ginnyinWI]

3. We had an older cat who howled at night.

She was 17 or 18 when it started. Turned out she had two things: hyperthyroidism, which we got under control with a daily pill. But the other thing was that her eyesight and possibly hearing were failing.

Try putting a bunch of night lights around, especially where her litter box and bed are. They lose their night vision and that can be scary. And if they can't hear as well, they are going to call out more loudly so they can hear themselves. She may also still be feeling disoriented from the move--a little "kitty dementia". Humans with dementia have a very difficult time with a change in where they live. Everything seems strange and bewildering.

She would look down the basement stairs, the way to the litter box, and not be able to see the stairs, so the light there helped. In retrospect, I should have put the litter box on the main floor. But walking and climbing stairs was never her problems.

Good luck! Our kitty made it to about 19, and then died rather suddenly due to a bladder tumor which blocked her urine and caused kidney failure.

[Delphinus]

9. Thank you for sharing your story.

That kitty dementia - our dog suffered with that before she died and it's possible Co is having that same problem. I'll check out the nightlights for when she comes upstairs - our first floor, where she usually hangs out, has a lot of light.

Thank you!

[fleur-de-lisa]

5. I have an 18 year old male cat who does this . . .

but probably for a different reason.

When my little old man wanders around the house yowling (he does it in the middle of the night and during the day) he is about to start play-hunting or he has just finished. He has multiple play mice scattered around the house and he carries them around, actually yowling through his teeth with the toy in his mouth, and eventually brings his trophy to me. He will continue to yowl until I praise him and tell him what a good boy he is. If I don't acknowledge his hunting prowess, he just keeps at it.

He has never played with the other cats in the house and he doesn't even like to play with me, so toys on strings or feathers at the end of a stick are of no interest to him. But he does love to play by himself, wrestling his toy mouse around, and after he has 'killed' it, carrying it around and yowling until he brings his 'gift' to me.

This is my solution for my cat: Before I go to bed I douse his toy basket with catnip spray (available at most pet stores) so that he will start his hunting ritual early and get it out of his system. Since I've been doing this, he doesn't wake me up at night as often. On the rare occasions when he does wake me up with the yowling, I have to kick him out of my bedroom, close the door and turn on a fan to block out the noise.

If your Mom's cat is not into hunting, my guess is that she misses your mother. Have you tried Feliway, available as a spray or diffuser? It's good for soothing cats who are experiencing anxiety. I have used it when moving to a new home and it calms them a lot. The diffuser is especially helpful if you are away. Just plug it in near your cats favorite nap spot and it will work continuously.

Good luck! I have chronic insomnia, so I know how horrible it is when you don't get enough sleep.

[CurtEastPoint]

8. I had a male who did the toy-in-mouth-yowling and he was

trying to get me to praise him. That is so funny. Cats are pretty much predictable!

[Delphinus]

10. I've not heard of Feliway

but have tried Quiet Moments Calming Room spray. I'll try the Feliway in a diffuser.

I sure wish Co would go after the catnip - she did at Mom's, but not so much here. Same stuff, as we brought it with us.

Thank you!

[iscooterliberally]

12. I have a bunch of cats and dogs too. I see lots of good ideas here.

My old girl likes to yowl into her water bowl and then starts drinking. I have no idea why she does that, but when I check on her she looks at me like I'm the weirdo. I like the heating pad idea, but I don't do that as it's warm where I live. I'm still running the a/c in January. Most of my cats like catnip as far as the stuff that you buy in the pouch, or in the tub, but they all go nuts for the actual potted plant version if you can find it. They really like when I break it up and rub the sap on their scratching post. If you haven't tried the plant, you can probably find one at your local home improvement store. I found them in Boston as well as in South Florida at Home Depot. Another herb that I have used with success is called Valerian Root. I bought some at GNC and it came in gel caps, so I could break them apart and sprinkle it out. My cats came running for that stuff as soon as they smelled it. It smells like stinky socks, but I don't remember it being super pungent. You also might want to get some of that 'cat grass' that they sell at some of the chain pet stores. Last year our oldest cat was doing some night howling and I would get up and spend a few minutes petting her. She would calm down and I would go back to sleep. We moved her to a different area in the house in that we put her blanket, water bowl and food in a different place in our house. She liked it much better there and now sleeps through the night. I would just keep trying as many different things to do with her before you go to bed and see if you can get her interested in anything for 15-20 minutes. It seemed to me that the night howling was attention seeking on my cat's part. I have 5 cats, all girls. The youngest is about 6 years old and my oldest, the one who yowls into her water bowl, is set to turn 22 years old in May. Good luck to you and I hope you are able to get some sleep.