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

Original poster

At wit's end, elderly cat won't stop yowling at night. Advice please!

18 replies

DespairingCatOwner · 14/06/2020 03:48

Hi all,

I've NC for this just because I've previously posted about very personal topics and if I post this too, people in real-life know I'm a total cat lover so will make me even more identifiable under my other username.

Anyway, I've had my cat since I was a kid, he's 17 and a half now and has had kidney disease for nearly 3 years. The last blood test at the end of last year indicated he was stage 2 but it may have progressed since then.

He is blind due to previous high-blood pressure which is now stable. In the past month or two he has been quite unwell, it has been one thing after another, he goes from being quiet and lethargic to being more hyper and noisy again. He collapsed suddenly a month ago and was seen by a vet immediately after who couldn't find anything obvious as the cause so asked us to book him in for a blood test another time. It has been a nightmare trying to get him an appointment since then and I keep being fobbed off with phone consultations. Unless he stops eating completely, the vets aren't interested in seeing him unfortunately due to volume of other patients and COVID-19 restrictions.

The latest problem is the last 4 nights he is yowling a lot at night, as a Siamese Colorpoint he is inherently quite vocal but this is out of character for him. I'm not working at the moment, due to start a new job in a few months so I'm not too bothered about losing sleep but it's driving my mum crazy and she is adamant if it continues he should be put down as she reckons he has some kind of feline dementia. I don't think it's dementia, I think it's linked to a medical problem as he has been poorly recently as I said above.

I'm not asking for a medical opinion although if your cat has had similar symptoms I'd be very interested to get your perspective. I'm more wondering what I can do to keep him quiet at night until we can get a vet appointment to see what's going on with him? Also, do you think it would be reasonable for my mum to put him down? He sleeps okay during the daytime but seems agitated at night. He is still a loving, gorgeous cat despite all his problems and putting him down for me would be a total last resort but this is causing a lot of tension between me and my mum at the moment. Sad

OP posts:
Sunnytimesahead · 14/06/2020 04:03

Hi OP,

I’m so sorry to hear this, I am a cat lover too and we had to put our cat to sleep 7 years ago and it brings tears to my eyes even thinking about it. He was a similar age and sadly had a large tumour.

I’m sure you have thought about this but are there any other vets you could consult in your area? Getting a second opinion would be my first thought if you can. There might be other options they can try.
Good luck OP Flowers

Original poster
DespairingCatOwner · 14/06/2020 04:25

@Sunnytimesahead

Hi OP,

I’m so sorry to hear this, I am a cat lover too and we had to put our cat to sleep 7 years ago and it brings tears to my eyes even thinking about it. He was a similar age and sadly had a large tumour.

I’m sure you have thought about this but are there any other vets you could consult in your area? Getting a second opinion would be my first thought if you can. There might be other options they can try.
Good luck OP Flowers

Thank you so much for your kind words and sorry to hear about your cat. Euthanasia is such a painful, difficult process, even thinking about it upsets me so I completely understand. I'm pleased your cat lived a long life and obviously you had no other choice than to put him to sleep as cancer in elderly cats would be difficult (and even possibly cruel) to treat when they have so many other comorbidities by that stage of life.

The difficulty with my cat is although fortunately he doesn't have a tumour (that we know of) he may have dementia or other health issues on top of the kidney disease and blindness. I'm so terrible at making decisions in my own life so I don't know how to make the decision of when his life ends but cats (as with people) rarely die peacefully in their sleep so people have to make these heartbreaking decisions.

I am thinking about taking him to another vet's, I have been trying to get him an appointment the last month with two different vets but unfortunately the current climate is making it very hard. I will keep trying but I'm reluctant to keep switching veterinary practices as he has a complex medical history so it's like starting from scratch again. I may have to consider it though, you're right.

OP posts:
Original poster
DespairingCatOwner · 14/06/2020 04:29

As I was typing this I thought my cat was more settled tonight in my mum's bed but he has started the deep, loud yowling again. I can't tell if he is distressed or just doesn't like the nighttime anymore. I gave him prescribed painkillers the other night from a previous diagnosis that were left over but they didn't make any difference so I don't think it's a pain issue. I really wish the vets would just see him as it feels like I'm getting no help with this and I'm not an expert.

OP posts:
TheoriginalLEM · 14/06/2020 04:44

What is his appetite like? Is he eating more than usual? An old cat, change in behaviour makes me want to consider thyroid issues.

Your vet absolutely should be running bloods so do please insist. They can't diagnose this over the phone. It is totally doable, you can hand kitty over contactless they can take the blood and go from there.

There are products available that can help calm cats down Adaptil is a good range but i am not sure , worth a try.

I can understand where your mum is coming from. If he is distressed and it can't be relieved then quality of life needs to be considered. That doesnt make it any easier for you.

Insist on bloods Flowers

Tadpolesandfroglets · 14/06/2020 04:47

Vets and try calming products like Feliway. Is he indoor cat?

Sunnytimesahead · 14/06/2020 04:53

Thank you for your kind words about my cat. It was such a hard decision and to this day I still go through the whole thing thinking I should have got a second opinion. But I just didn’t want him to suffer and took the advice of the vet at that moment who felt it would be cruel to bring him out of the anaesthetic. I don’t mean to keep taking about my situation, I just want you to know you are not alone and how much I understand what you are going through.
Do you have lots of vets in your local area? I know your cat has a complex history but if they agree to see him could you ask your usual vet to print off or send his records? If you can I would suggest calling round all the other vets in the area because it isn’t fair to be left in this situation. (I know we are in unprecedented times but this is a welfare issue).

I’m glad you don’t think it’s a pain related. I’m not sure what treatments they could offer for the possible dementia symptoms but they might have medications that can keep him calm and settle him hopefully.
Good luck, keep me posted Flowers

Original poster
DespairingCatOwner · 14/06/2020 05:00

Thank you both for your replies.

Yes, he is an indoor cat, has been all his life.

His appetite is on/off, sometimes he is very ravenous and other times it will be difficult to get him to eat most things and he's very picky, will eat but we have to keep changing the type of cat food or switch to regular sliced chicken. He drinks a lot of water but I think this is probably due to the progressive kidney disease.

I was thinking possible thyroid issues too so am desperate to get bloods done for that and diabetes as apparently both conditions can have similar symptoms to what he is experiencing, just from what I've read online.

I will give Feliway a try but often the typical cat solutions don't work for him unfortunately, like EasyPill and when we've got him indoor grass, toys etc., he won't use them. He is just a difficult cat/breed!

OP posts:
AwkwardSquad · 14/06/2020 05:04

Hi OP, we had a cat who, when elderly, began yowling amongst other symptoms - it was her thyroid. As I recall, she had her thyroid gland partially removed (which was a risk due to her age) and then daily medication to manage it.

There was nothing we could do about the yowling but medical intervention sorted it.

She lived for another three years or so after diagnosis and intervention, with other medical issues as well, including (we suspect) dementia. She had a good quality of life then a rapid decline at the end.

Your vet needs to take bloods. If your usual vet won’t see him, I’d find another one.

AwkwardSquad · 14/06/2020 05:05

Just to add, ours had progressive kidney disease as well. Diagnosed with thyroid problems at 17, died when she was nearly 21.

Tadpolesandfroglets · 14/06/2020 08:42

My elderly cat had thyroid and became vocal, or more vocal, didn’t howl all night though but was more noticeable. Medication really helped and he carried on quite happily until he was 18.

Ardnassa · 14/06/2020 08:48

I have a 20 year old cat with multiple issues (diabetes, epilepsy, heart murmur, overactive thyroid - I should point out that he is still happy, purry and energetic. He even still plays with his toys!).

Point 1: mine became yowly until on medication for thyroid.

Point 2) I have taken him to the vet's twice since lockdown, for blood and urine tests. Never been a problem getting seen. I would recommend, as you suggest, going to another vet.

Turangawaewae · 14/06/2020 08:50

Our elderly cat did this when she went deaf. She was a rescue and we were not sure how old she was. But we noticed things like fireworks, which had really upset her didn't bother her anymore. We could clap behind her without any reaction. I think she was confused as well.

I had to start locking her in the basement overnight as I was exhausted. Sadly she passed away a few months later. She had noticeable declined.

helpfulperson · 14/06/2020 08:56

Is she in your bed or even bedroom at night? You mention she is blind, if she is developing dementia she is maybe just scared and would be better in with you.

Want2beme · 14/06/2020 09:04

Keep calling your vet. Tell them you're very worried and that's it's cruel to leave him in this state. He deserves better.

My cats who had hyperthyroidism, both yowled before they were put on medication. One of them used to sometimes still yowl at night and I had to get him and bring him to bed, which seemed to settle him.

madcatladyforever · 14/06/2020 09:10

My 19 year old girl is stone deaf and gets very confused at night. She's fine during the day. I made her a secure cardboard box set up next to my bed with food and water just outside the box. The box makes her feel more secure as she can feel the boundaries and so she doesn't get confused as to where she is. It's a common trick for old cats. She has her bedding in there and a nice soft pillow and I cover the box with a small blanket. She can get out easily. The wailing has now stopped.

Want2beme · 14/06/2020 11:40

madcatladyforever, that's so sweetSmile

Ceara · 14/06/2020 11:51

My cat made it to 21. He started night time howling in his late teens and it was a symptom of hyperthyroidism.

You're probably aware that treating hyperthyroidism can worsen kidney function if there is kidney disease already, so if it is hyperthyroid then treatment will be a delicate balancing act for your cat.
FWIW, my cat had a couple more good years despite the hyperthyroidism and kidney disease.

AnnaMagnani · 14/06/2020 11:54

Is your cat 1. hyperthyroid or 2. demented.

We were ashamed to discover that Annoying Cat was in fact Hyperthyroid Cat and about 4 years Shock of shouting stopped after 2 weeks of thyroid medication.

She went on to have another couple of happy years before dying suddenly in the garden.

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