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

Any advise please for our noisy boy?

50 replies

APotNoodleandaTommy · 18/06/2014 09:09

Apologies if this is long, to avoid drip feeding

We had there rescue cats, which we rescued seperately over a period of three years. Our most recent is a boy. We think he's quite young, maybe 3 or 4? Stupidly handsome. He got neutered at the shelter so this was done late. Vet believes he is half Maine coon and half feral. He gets on fine with the others (well, a bit over exuberant and chasey but nothing too bad). Outside? Total psycho. Taking on any other cat; chased two other neighbourhood cats off.

In the last year, he sustained an injury which means we have to keep him indoors; in addition, I've had a baby, we have moved house and our oldest cat had to be out to sleep.

Now, he just won't shut up. He was always a talker, but he yowls the place down. We have to lock the cats in the living room at night as he was waking us at 4am. He frequently wakes the baby from his daytime naps. We don't understand. He has twice the space of his last home.

We've tried loads of things. Feliway has no effect; we've tried reinforcing good behaviour and petting him when he's quiet. We've tried food rewards; a cat calming collar.

His behaviour genuinely impacts our lives because he raises our stress levels; having a teething baby finally settled then woken by a cat?!?

We love him and don't want to rehome him at all but would really, really appreciate some other ideas on how to get him to settle down better.

If you're still reading, thank you :) ??

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 18/06/2014 09:31

I know that my boys would howl the place down if they were permanently separated from me eg at night. (They've been needy Siamese though and have to 'commune' with their humans for a large part of their day - in fact we use temporary 'exclusion from the presence' as a punishment for deep sins and very effective it is too. To the point where Seniorboy hasn't needed to be excluded for many years because he knows the house rules and fits in with them.)

Is there any chance of having him in to sleep with you ? (Either on your bed or maybe in a cat bed somewhere in your bedroom.) And how much do you talk back to him?

APotNoodleandaTommy · 18/06/2014 09:35

Hi, thanks for your response :)
Weirdly, the time he doesn't yowl is at night, now he's shut in with our other cat. Once we shut him in on his own (he woke us in the middle of the night and we couldn't find the other cat) and he went booloo crazy!
We do talk back but it never seems enough... He comes in miyooping. We talk to him, pet him, he jumps off and goes away after a few mins and after literally three minutes starts it all again...

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 18/06/2014 10:34

Difficult - he sounds exceptionally needy and 'other' loving. I've never lived with Maine Coons (you said that your vet thought he was half Coon?) so I don't know if this is a characteristic of that breed although I do know that it's a Siamese trait. You'd not exactly be drowned out at CozieTowers but you'd certainly notice the running conversations. Bit like having a chatty three year old - I just keep on talking and responding to them so they rarely get to the yowling stage. (If they do, it's usually because they've lost me and panic a bit - as soon as I mouth back at them, they come trotting to me and calm down.)

It sounds as if he's had a heck of a lot to adjust to for such a young cat though. What problems has the injury left him with?

APotNoodleandaTommy · 18/06/2014 11:23

Well, completely outing myself mainly because you seem lovely he lost a fight and had to have an eye removed. 5 days before the baby was born emergency c section so he had three nights in the animal hospital whilst they tried to save it and then was home with my mum who he barely knows.
He can't go out because he's still stupidly aggressive, and in addition his depth perception is ruined (misses window ledges etc)
It's so, so sad. He's very affectionate though tips over to violence very easily! and if we had had him from a kitten he'd be wonderful
It makes me sad because none of us are enjoying life very much and we want him to feel happy and secure

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 18/06/2014 11:31

Achh. That's a big adjustment to have to make for a young and feisty cat - especially the not going out if he was used to it. (And particularly in summer when the weather is fine and there's so much a-doing outside.) Does he show signs of wanting out?

Oh - and what games are you playing with him inside? Any chance of putting some dry food in food foraging toys to keep him occupied and interested for example?

APotNoodleandaTommy · 18/06/2014 11:50

He has a feathery wiggly stick and a ball chasing game he likes and our other cat to chase so yes maybe treat finding toys would be good, thank you!

He doesn't try to escape but sits by the letter box (it's at the bottom of the door) and mopes on the window sill

Poor boy, he has been through a lot :(

OP posts:
RubbishMantra · 18/06/2014 12:42

Would it be possible for you to fit some cat-proof fencing around your garden? Then he'd be able to satisfy his craving to go outside whilst remaining safe?

RubbishMantra · 18/06/2014 12:48

Ooh, Zylkene (sp?) is for calming cats. It's made of some kind of protein, and has a valium type effect. Haven't used it myself, but others on here have, and rate it.

cozietoesie · 18/06/2014 13:02

\link{http://www.apbc.org.uk/system/files/private/advice_sheet_15_-_environmental_enrichments_games_for_cats.pdf\Here's} some advice on environmental enrichment for cats which includes a bit at the end on food foraging toys. You can also google on 'food foraging toys' or - if your Blue Peter skills are a bit rusty - buy a cheapish plastic kibble ball in the interim. (Online, at a supermarket or pet store.)

APotNoodleandaTommy · 18/06/2014 14:21

Thank you, will try Zyklene and also will try to play more with him. It's difficult to make the time with a baby; our other cat is very adaptable and chilled out so doesn't need much interaction but our boy clearly needs more energy spending with him.
He's also having a bit of a dubious stomach and not always covering his poos which I think means he's upset?

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 18/06/2014 14:36

It might - but it might also mean that he's been eating the wrong food or has an additional complaint. Have you mentioned this to the vet?

(All quite a lot for you what with a baby and all. Have you got someone who could come in and 'do' for the animals if you took a few days off? (Maybe too much to ask until you know that he's more settled: he's had a lot to contend with.))

Best of luck.

APotNoodleandaTommy · 18/06/2014 15:29

Thank you - we haven't changed his food
Time for a trip to the vet again, I think! Bless him :-(

Any advise please for our noisy boy?
Any advise please for our noisy boy?
OP posts:
RubbishMantra · 18/06/2014 19:42

He's beautiful - very majestic! Smile

cozietoesie · 18/06/2014 20:01

A handsome boy - but he does look a bit tense. Is that general or because you were taking photos?

Lovethesea · 18/06/2014 22:29

If your area isn't really high risk I'd be tempted to let him out again in the daytime. If he is half feral he might need that space and fresh air to destress.

Most cats are good at adjusting to disability and compensating over time. He might stay closer to home that before.

I had a lovely daft cat once that was in perfect health yet regularly fell off the sofa. Always tried to look nonchalant afterwards but that failed too.

APotNoodleandaTommy · 19/06/2014 11:36

Hi

He's always a bit tense these days tbh... He seems to curl up like a dog but rarely sleeps, just mopes. He used to crash out on his back!

love we really can't let him out; he's still really, really aggressive to other cats for a start. Secondly we now live on a through road (albeit in a quiet area) whereas before we were in a cul-de-sac. And he doesn't know the area now.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 19/06/2014 12:30

Are you absolutely certain that all his injuries were cleared up after his time in hospital? He just looks a bit uncomfortable to me.

APotNoodleandaTommy · 19/06/2014 16:36

Yes, he was in the hospital for 3 days and has been back to our vets several time since
I think that the sad truth, is that underneath his thuggish exterior, he's a very sensitive boy, and still hasn't fully adjusted. It's an awful lot of change to go through in just a few months. My husband thinks that he's still missing our little old cat :(
I'm going to try to get him to the vet for an mot this weekend I think

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 19/06/2014 16:44

I think that would be useful. If he gets his MOT without difficulty, at least you can then tick off physical issues and concentrate on the psychological side. Let us know how he does?

APotNoodleandaTommy · 19/06/2014 16:46

I will do, thank you! He's just having a stomp on me now :)
Thank you for your support

OP posts:
timtam23 · 19/06/2014 20:53

Gorgeous gorgeous cat. He looks a lot like my old girl cat who was longhaired but never classified as any particular breed (she came from a rescue as a very young kitten) but I always wondered if she was part Maine coon as she was absolutely huge!

I hope you can get something sorted out for him as he has been through a lot of changes recently, poor boy. Good luck at the vets.

RubbishMantra · 19/06/2014 21:36

Did you consider the cat- proof fencing? Means you can let him out, because he'll be safely contained in your garden.

Re. interactive toys, these are awesome. My two love it. May help him re-learn his spatial awareness too?

StandsOnGoldenSands · 19/06/2014 21:47

It can take cats years to resettle, it really can, especially if they are a rescue. Sounds like he is very unsettled and needs reassurance.
I'd do everything you can to give him some outdoors time, even if he has to be well fenced in.
But also give him plenty of reassurance and play time - he needs to get used to all the changes but it will take time I'm afraid.

Lovethesea · 19/06/2014 22:11

Wonder if he'd accept a cat in the home? A female given his aggression, she might be able to entertain him, enliven him and put him in his place!

cozietoesie · 19/06/2014 22:18

I think that's a good thought about the spatial awareness. It won't actually improve eg his depth perception but it may help him adjust to it and increase his confidence.