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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

Operation:Go To Sleep Cat

16 replies

OhYouBadBadKitten · 29/10/2013 22:15

My old girl has taken to howling at night. Midnight and 4am on good nights, through the night on others. Last night I tried earplugs but could hear her through them. She and the other cats sleep downstairs at night. I tried taking her to bed with me for one night to see if that helped. But no, it meant she could shout REALLY LOUDLY at me and poke me with her claws all night long.

She also howls for me if I'm in a different room in the day and she thinks I should be right there with her constantly cuddling her.

She's been to the vets and has advanced renal failure, being treated with diet and lots of water.

If I don't get a full nights sleep soon in think I might lose the plot. I've told her I'm selling her if she carries on but she snuggles in and purrs.

So, tonight I'm thinking of leaving a radio on for her or the light. Or maybe both. what do you think?

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cozietoesie · 29/10/2013 22:40

Just how old is she? (It sounds as if she's old, ill and very very needy. It can take them that way sometimes.)

OhYouBadBadKitten · 29/10/2013 22:42

She's 17. Ironically she has far more energy now than she did when she was middle aged but all of her energy is put into chasing me down.

I do love her very much and she's very sweet, I just need my sleep!

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OhYouBadBadKitten · 29/10/2013 22:44

I'm going to try the radio first. She could come in with me if it actually settled her but she can't bare the thought of me being asleep. I need to nap when my arthritis is bad and she won't let me day time nap either,

Which is frankly unfair given the amount of sleep she's had in her life!

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cozietoesie · 29/10/2013 22:50

Try the radio and the light then. If that doesn't work, then it's likely cutting the claws and letting her in with you in the hope that she'll get used to it and start to settle. Maybe try some grooming of her as well if she'll permit that - the concentrated attention seems to soothe them oftentimes.

By the way - is she on anything from the vet that could be causing excitability?

OhYouBadBadKitten · 29/10/2013 23:00

Sounds like a plan. She's not on any medication as the stuff we tried for kidneys made her really sick. Grooming her might be a good idea. At the moment she's busy trying to stop me typing!

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OhYouBadBadKitten · 29/10/2013 23:01

I'm going to leave her my dressing gown as well to see if the smell of me settles her. She likes sleeping on my clothes.

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cozietoesie · 29/10/2013 23:04

Difficult one for you what with your needing to nap. Does lying down help you or does it have to be sleep?

Oh - and I guess with advanced renal failure (which I've had a cat with) the vet is concentrating on that. But is there anything else which is up and which the vet might have given a low priority in the circumstances? (I'm thinking of something which might be causing her discomfort or confusion.)

OhYouBadBadKitten · 29/10/2013 23:08

Lying down helps, but a nap is better.
You are right, the vet has only looked at the renal failure cos we took her with inappropriate peeing (which seems to be sorted) and weight loss. Perhaps we should take her back.

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OhYouBadBadKitten · 30/10/2013 07:47

it only went and bloody worked. First sleeping through the night since August!

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MissMarplesBloomers · 30/10/2013 08:03

Yaaay!!

cozietoesie · 30/10/2013 09:06

It's like having a car which won't start and calling the AA. Starts every ruddy time as soon as they turn up!

OhYouBadBadKitten · 30/10/2013 09:10

Exactly! I couldnt believe it. I woke up just before 7am thinking 'wow!'

Lets see if it works this evening.

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MissMarplesBloomers · 30/10/2013 09:12

aww bless her she just needed comforting by your smell & the background noise of the radio. I leave mine on for the same reason when I go out as I have it on all the time as wallpaper dduring the day so the animals know teh routine!

cozietoesie · 30/10/2013 09:12

Best of luck. A few solid nights cuddling with Mum will be good for her with that illness.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 30/10/2013 09:15

Cozie -she cuddled with my dressing gown instead. Poor deluded cat!
In fact it was my other geriatric who called for breakfast - at breakfast time, she lives for sleep and food.

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cozietoesie · 30/10/2013 09:17

She's old and ill - humans and animals alike, they get confused and needy at such times. Hopefully, she'll now be calmer and more contented of a night.

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