Cat won't stop meowing!

[mayoli]

He's always been a bit vocal but the last few days have been brutal. He has discovered the windowsill with the blinds down and sits there for AGES meowing at seemingly nothing. It is driving me round the bend!
Nothing much has changed recently other than me working more than usual, so I'm out quite a bit. No food change, flat (mostly) tidy, litter tray cleaned etc. I'm at a loss of what to do. I'm going to phone the vets on Wednesday morning (left phone at work and not there again until then) but anyone know WHY he might be meowing constantly? -and any ideas
on how to make him be a bit more quiet-
I have two cats so I don't know how it could be loneliness as they get on well and I'm not out that much, plus other cat isn't bothered at all!

[MojoMoon]

Mine has started doing the same this week.

I am tired of it already.

2am this morning saw the start of nearly an hour of yowling. And then an hour this evening of endless noise.

I cat proofed the garden at the weekend and he was allowed out for the first time on Sunday evening so this may have started it. Am wishing I hadn't done it now.

And now it has started again....he has been here six months and never been this vocal before.

So you have my sympathy

[cozietoesie]

You have to answer every miaow - and in fact take the initiative by talking to him when eg he's sleepy. Tire him out of communicating. (You don't need to become all philosophical by the way: 'Unh Huh's'and 'Really's' seem to work just fine - as long as they're timeous.)

[mayoli]

I've tried the talking back thing but I'm worried that me talking to my cats so much is the reason he's started meowing this much in the first place

[cozietoesie]

I doubt it. After umpty years of Siamese, I could 'Unh Huh' at international level!

[starfish4]

How old is he? Being more vocal can be a sign of certain medical conditions, so definitely take him to the vet - a lot of things are easier to get under control the sooner they're caught. Also, he could be in pain of stressed over something.

[mayoli]

He's just turned one. I am moving house soon and there are boxes everywhere- maybe that's it?

[starfish4]

Less likely to be a medical issue at his age which is good. If the start of him being more vocal started after you started packing up that could well be it - cats are sensitive creatures, everything is out of place and he doesn't know why. It might be worth gets a Feliway diffuser and perhaps some calming drops which you can put on his head.

[cozietoesie]

He's neutered is he?

[mayoli]

Oooooh yes calming drops could be a good shout!
Aye he was neutered ages ago :)

[mayoli]

Oh! Maybe that's it! He's not an outdoor cat so maybe the sound of the rain has confused him or something... then again we are in Scotland so surely he would have been annoyed at the rain for quite some time now

[cozietoesie]

I'm wondering if you've seen any sign of a stranger cat or other animal outside? Being neutered may not make them friendly to everybody - and I'm conscious that you said he's been doing it on the windowsill?

[mayoli]

Yes we have had a bit of thunder and lightning actually! Odd that it could be that and it's only made one cat go a bit weird.
Mmmmm I don't think we've seen any odd animals no, I live on a very busy main road and wild animals tend to avoid it! I guess some foxes could be crossing at 3am or something but I don't see how that would make him act odd for the rest of the day and he's usually asleep by then anyway.

[cozietoesie]

If you're moving, see how they react to the new place then. (Once they've got their good routine established.) Cats, like people, are all different and react to many stimuli in different ways.

When are you all moving?

[mayoli]

Hopefully they'll love it- it's a bigger place and they're going to be outdoor cats when we move (fingers crossed)!
Moving mid July. So not long to go! Just hope he calms down a wee bit in the next two weeks.

[cozietoesie]

If he doesn't, just answer him - on autopilot if necessary. Two weeks isn't worth worrying about if he's healthy. (What with the move coming up and all.)

[mayoli]

I think you're right, thanks @cozietoesie. They're both off to the new vets for boosters injections and a checkup the day after we move anyway, so if anything does pop up I'll know then. Will attempt to stop worrying so much in the meantime!

[Broken11Girl]

I talk to Madam BrokenCat, and miaow back if I have nothing to say
I'd say it's the move. BrokenCat hates it if I so much as move furniture slightly.

[mayoli]

Hahahaha brilliant idea! I'm going to start doing this, I always feel a bit guilty when I have no response to his constant miaowing.
He did have a right old grumble when I had one of my mad 'let's move all the furniture around' episodes a few months ago
Cats. Fussy creatures! Luckily one of my two doesn't have a silly over-reaction to everything so it's only big ginger fusspot to deal with.

[Ollivander84]

Mine never shuts up. I can have an entire conversation with him and watch TV now, I have resorted to watching it with subtitles so I can hear over the pleading
He likes to chirrup, howl, shout hello, say "mama" (which is pretty cute) or scream at himself in the mirror

[mayoli]

Hahahaha brilliant.
My cat knocked over a mirror and broke it as presumably he was so excited he could see himself howling.
His little sister just looks bewildered when he starts up!

[cozietoesie]

I worried a lot that The Lodger was so quiet. You do become used to the noise so I guess I just expected it after years of Siamese comment on .....Oh.... the temperature, the food, the economic situation in China, the texture of the carpets, Them, Them, Them, whatever.

I recall a recent vet visit when one of the receptionists said something like 'Oh, I thought Seniorboy was here. I could hear him.' I don't know how I looked but I was certainly taken aback. I genuinely hadn't even noticed.

[Ollivander84]

I must admit I've stopped noticing a lot of the time. Sent my friend a video of him chatting and she said "oh he's purring too!"
I hadn't even noticed because he purrs almost constantly

[Fluffycloudland77]

We don't notice ours until visitors say ooh he's very vocal isn't he? Usually afters he's been what we consider to be quiet.

I think it's the boxes, it's unsettling to them.