Cat meowing loads

[Yayne]

Our 14-year old neutered male cat has started meowing lots more day and night and is driving us insane with it. Wanting food (but then not really eating much - he's gone super picky too), wants in, seconds later wants out, just meowing for the sake of it. Is it just the season or a bad habit we've accidentally encouraged or do you think there's something wrong with him?

[cozietoesie]

I think that it's him getting older I fear. ( Starting to behave a little like the 'Great Uncle Albert' sort that many families have. A bit 'eccentric'. ) is he doing anything that you really can't live with ? How is his pooing and peeing for example?

[ifonly4]

Cats can get more vocal as they get older, they've learnt they can communicate with you or may want reassurance if they can't hear so well. On the other hand, it could be a medical issue, maybe he's hungry but his teeth are hurting or he doesn't feel quite right. From this point of view, I'd get him checked out. If he's not well it's better to start treatment early.

My 17 year old is driving us up the wall too at the moment, there's a fair chance it could be because she's recently lost of her brother, one meow is like she's calling out for him, the other is a high pitched one clearly aimed at me especially concerning food. I took her to the vet and she does need teeth removed, but the vet has suggested a general blood test just to check there's nothing obvious like CKD or a change in her hyperthyroidism causing problems before we look at a dental. Waiting for the results now.

[cozietoesie]

Good luck to her. Teeth can make a huge difference. (My own former old lad had most of them removed when he was 16 and as he aged, my biggest regret was that the vet had tried to save one back one. (Which started to prove troublesome once he'd realistically become too old for a GA.)

I appreciate that you need the results of the bloods though. ( But those would inform the GA decisions so would likely have been needed anyway.)

[Want2beme]

Hyperthyroidism? Any weight loss and manic behaviour? My cats have had this and have taken medication which sorts out the problem. Might be worth a vet visit.

[ifonly4]

cozietoesie, thanks for that. The test has been done out of house as certain parts are more accurate, I know results are due sometime today so waiting on tenderhooks as I have just lost one to fast progressing CKD - he couldn't have a dental for that reason (not saying my girl has that though).

Yayne, sorry to hijack your post. Hyperthyroidism is one thing I'd want to rule out, it's fairly easy to treat so don't put is off.

[cozietoesie]

Stay calm until you hear then. I have 'quasi toothache' this month - pollen allergies irritating my sinuses and presenting as acute pain - and it doesn't half make you weird. The pain that is.

That might just be enough to send them scatty.

[Yayne]

Thanks all of you. Might take him to the vets as he's not eating a huge lot. But could easily just be him being a fusspot or eating the neighbours' cats buffet :). No more manic than usual, want2.

Hard to tell about losing weight as he's quite fluffy, but don't think so.

He's keeping us awake at night with his 'singing' but otherwise he's a happy chap, still very much an outdoors cat hissing at all the other toms and quite fit for his age. So unless vet finds something - hopefully not- we may just have to put the earplugs in!

[cozietoesie]

It's worth a vet trip, probably. When were his last checkup and bloods?

[always2ndbest]

My old boy has just turned 18 and started displaying the same behaviour just over a year ago. A trip to the vet diagnosed cat dementia. He gets more vocal when he's anxious or stressed. If my son is away from any length of time, my cat gets very depressed and will howl in sadness until my son comes home. As this year has progressed sadly he has got worse and if he escapes out the front he gets lost and can't remember his way home. We've just bought a tracking collar so we can find him. We try to keep him only in the back garden as it's enclosed and he can't get lost. His grooming has got worse and he looks old and tatty. Most of the time he is a little old man, sleeping and Pottering around the house, but once in a while he becomes kittenlike again and will go crazy, running round the house and playing with his toys. And then he's back to being a confused old boy. He gets quite scared at night or if doors are closed, then he'll stand and howl until someone picks him up and reassures him. Sadly the decision to put him to sleep is creeping ever nearer but we're just concentrating on keeping him calm and happy for now. He'll let us know when it's time. Here he is.... my boy Grover

[cozietoesie]

A wonderful tail. (Grover ain't too shabby either. )

It's difficult, I know.

[Notmyrealname85]

He's probably looking for reassurance, especially as his senses go a bit. He does sound like a good old eccentric :)

[20nil]

Grover is beautiful.

[ifonly4]

You mentioned you might take him to the vet, seriously do get him checked by the vet. I'm not having a go at you, I've just lost one vocal cat to CKD, stage 2 in March, stage 4 and off the scale with one reading end April, had him pts 2 days later.

My cat girl I was on about earlier in this thread has hyperthyroidism. She's been wanting more food recently and very vocal, was hoping is was stress due to losing her brother. Her hyperthyroidism levels have come back higher and strength of medication needs to be increased. That's fine, but kidney readings are now on the higher range of normal and vet feels she's in the very early stage of this. Again, fine, she's a good age. The only problem is that in the process of getting hyperthyroidsim under control, it progresses kidney disease. Not saying your boy has either (it could just be old age), but if he has these or something else, it really is best to find out now how you can help him and slow things down or get him more comfortable.

[Yayne]

Definitely taking him, he's been sitting with his mouth open strangely tonight. Might be something tooth related? He's otherwise seemed happy in himself and doesn't seem confused or hard of hearing. Hope vet can fit us in tomorrow after work

Thanks all

[Yayne]

Grover is an old cutie! So sad about his sis, always2nd

And ifonly, thanks for sharing, your poor kitty, hope she's going to be ok!

[cozietoesie]

Let us know how he gets on - although you may not have test results very very fast.

[Londonjam]

Hope he's alright OP

growler sounds like a ledge 💙

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

My old boy Harry will be 16 in July and he is a very eccentric shouty cat these days. He has become a very fussy about food, doesn't like being left alone and is deaf as a post. He will howl at night until he 'finds' us as then he will sleep on our bed. I think he is in still in good physical health but is probably suffering from the effects of old age and getting dementia.He likes to find me whenever he wakes up during the day, then he will follow me around and shout at me, it almost sounds like talking - mainly "oh no"! He is basically a deaf grumpy old fart. I am pretty deaf (wear hearing aids) and grumpy myself these days so I understand.

Enjoy your shouty old cats, while keeping an eye out for potential illness. Beautiful pictures Yayne and Always.

[ifonly4]

Good look with the vet's visit, I'm sure they'll fit you in particularly if you point out he's an old cat who hasn't been eating much.

Does he appear to be breathing through his mouth or panting?

[Yayne]

Just an update - vet couldn't find anything wrong and he's not lost any weight. They took some bloods but it's probably just an age thing ...

Thanks all

[Viewofhedges]

My 17 year old lady has been doing this in the last year - very accusatory yells most of which seem to be demands for dreamies but I'm worried too that she's lonely. We lost her mum last year and now she is home alone- mind you if another cat strays into her patch she is not timid in pushing them away . I swear the
Meows get louder every week though!
Glad your cat's vet trip showed nothing ominous, op.

[Ginkypig]

Good luck with the blood results.

I took my old lady in (13 then, 14 now) for very similar reasons. I thought I'd be told she's just getting on a bit but it turner out to be hyperthyroidism. She was behaving fine except for the yowling and not eating as much or being very fussy about food.

Since then she has been quite ill, the hyperthyroidism is under control but they found other organs have been affected including one of her kidneys is non functional due to stones, liver enzymes are not right, we had to put her on a special diet etc

[GertyTheGert]

Another thing just to mention is when my cat (now 19) starting mmmmmmmeOWing R E A L L Y loudly it just so happened I was taking him to the vet a few mths later, so I mentioned it. He explained old cats go fairly deaf and as they can't hear their own meow they think, well, I'd better do this mmmmmmmeOW then so not only I can hear but making sure Ma and Pa can hear too! He said an amusing thing too - have you tried clapping yr hands behind him to see if he reacts? Yes, I said but he DID react! Errrrrrr yes said the vet, a common error, the cat turns around because the clap causes a lil draught to the cat's ears!!! Nowt to do with the sound! Oh yes, and he too got very very fussy with grub, but again the vet explained their tums get a bit sensitive so its less being pedantic but more they know their tums are changing........