Why is my cat crying all the time?

[BigHairyLeggedSpider]

Oldcat (17 Years) sits at the top of the stairs when we are downstairs and YOWLS. Really horrible mournful yowls which panic the crap out of me. She's on meds for early kidney disease but seems to be responding well. She only ever does it when we're downstairs. Is she trying to get us to come upstairs and fuss her, as she likes it up there, or is the poor old thing going doolally, or is there something else? I did think maybe a UTI but she doesn't do it when she wees, only when she's upstairs without us.... anyone got any ideas?

Might she have gone deaf? I remember DH's colleague saying his cat used to meow at full blast after it had gone deaf.

The other possibility is dementia; especially if she doesn't remember having eaten, or seems disorientated.

My cat does this (he's about 15). He wakes up upstairs on the bed and then cries but is ok once you call up or go and see him. I think it is confusion.

We should have a support thread for "Parents of Elderly Cats"

My Old Boy is the same. If he wants something he wants it NOW and will meow loudly until he gets it, I think maybe the thing your Old Girl wants is for you to come upstairs and feed her peeled grapes!

I'm sorry your cat has kidney disease

Panic/confusion/lonely? She is really quite old and obviously not in the best of health. Perhaps she is just wanting some love and reassurance.

Thanks, thinking about it she's always been a wilful beasty, so I think in her aged senility she's shouting for us to come to her, or just checking we are here, because if you say her name she stops it!

The kidneys are looking alright at the moment fingers crossed, she gets a pill in a bit of chicken everyday and is looking in not bad shape for an old lady,

Thanks medears.

My mum's old dude is about 18 now and he does this, the vet said it's dementia.

I was told they can go a bit senile-forgetting that they have been fed etc etc. Mine didthis sort of thing too and 17 is a good old age for a cat.