My cat is actually driving me insane

[CatTroubles]

My cat is driving me mad. This is not even light-hearted, I am really struggling with her.

She whines and whines and whines and whines constantly. She is so loud all of the time. It's not hunger or anything like that, I've even asked the vet about it in case there is something wrong but she is just vocal apparently. She is never quiet for long unless she's napping which is usually in the day and not at night.

It's stopping me from sleeping as ridiculous as it sounds. I cannot sleep in the same room as her anymore but if I shut her out she will scratch at the door and whine all night and regularly smashes things.

I've had enough. I don't even enjoy having her anymore because of it and I feel horrible for saying that but it's true, I wish I didn't have her.

She is so loud and it's constant. I'm losing my mind with it.

What do I do 😭

How old is she? Has she always been like this or could it be age related?

How old is she? Could she be on heat?

I had a cat that was similar, she would just meow and meow and meow but she was 21, deaf and dying so I don't know if this is similar or if it could be something different.

Have you tried Feliway? It's a plug in cat calmer, worked really well for my cat when she was traumatised by another cat. I've used it recently when another of my cats (I've got 3🙈) started being aggressive and it sorted her out. Worth a look !

She's always been like this. She is nearly 2. I just can't cope with it anymore.

If I leave her she will cause an absolute racket downstairs, climbing on things, knocking stuff off shelves, whining etc... I've just had to get up to clean up a lantern that she's smashed off a shelf with all glass all over the carpet. I just hate it, I am so fed up.

But I also can't have her in my room because she doesn't sleep other than in short bursts so she'll climb all over me and whine and make so much noise.

I have another cat who is a year older and he is so chilled. I'm honestly not a bad pet owner, I just have never known anything like it, she is such hard work.

She'd been spayed so not heat. It's all the time.

I think cats can become more vocal as they get older. My cat is 7 and only whines when she wants something, usually when she goes outside or wants a cuddle. If she’s a house cat, has she got plenty of toys etc to keep her entertained? Just wondering if it could be under stimulation or boredom.

I feel dread at the thought of having her until she's 21 tbh, if she were like this all the way through. I get absolutely no enjoyment from having her, it feels like just duty keeping her because I made the commitment to get her. I don't like feeling like that but I can't help it, she is so difficult.

She's not a house cat but she rarely wants to go outside and if she does she will only do so for short amounts of time and very close by as in garden only.

Aah, just seen your recent post. If she’s only 2 she’s still just a kitten really and she’ll probably grow out of it. Having said that, my aunt has a cat that’s always been hard work and he loves knocking things over, a bit like yours. She loves him to bits though.

@CatTroubles

I feel dread at the thought of having her until she's 21 tbh, if she were like this all the way through. I get absolutely no enjoyment from having her, it feels like just duty keeping her because I made the commitment to get her. I don't like feeling like that but I can't help it, she is so difficult.

I get it, I have 5 cats and 2 are always fighting, screaming and hissing and being jerks but then they'll lie on the bed together or cuddle on the sofa so I don't bother anymore but hearing them go at it at like 3am is annoying. I can imagine if it's affecting your sleep you are bound to feel awful, maybe try the plug ins and hopefully things improve and see if the vet has any more suggestions if not there's no shame in rehoming her to a loving home (not saying you're not loving I just mean in general) some people aren't as bothered by it, I wouldn't be as I've always had cat and like said put up with my old girl and I'm sure there's other people that won't mind as much but hopefully you can sort her out x

I hope she does grow out of it, I really do.

I have had a few cats before (have another now who's only 3) and they've all been a breeze in comparison.

I feel like I just can't bond with her because she's so difficult if that makes sense? We do have cuddles and stuff, I'm definitely not horrible to her, I never would be ever but internally I really regret having her right now

I can imagine if it's affecting your sleep you are bound to feel awful

It does, she makes so much noise it's ridiculous. My mum can't believe it when she comes over how much she actually talks just constantly.

And lying in bed hearing her tearing up the place downstairs is horrible too. Regularly having things smashed, curtains pulled down through the night with a crash etc... It's so annoying.

I've honestly considered getting a heated cat shed outside for her to go in at night so she can whine and run around as much as she likes without breaking anything.

When you said you've spoken to the vet do you mean that your vet has actually seen the cat & done blood tests to see if they indicate anything?

I’ve got a kitten, she is about 6 months old now and she is an utter jerk. If she isn’t hanging off curtains, attacking the (large) dog, getting shut in with the baby at nap times and hanging off my ankle with her claws, she is meowing. Meow this, meow that, meow meow meow. I’ve finally discovered it’s her way of complaining that her litter tray has a tiny speck of urine in it. Turns out she is one of those cats that likes a totally spotless litter tray at all times and complains loudly if it’s not!

If your cat hasn’t always been like this then it does sound like something has changed that has her being so vocal. Maybe see if there is some kind of pattern?

My two year isn’t quite as bad but is certainly more vocal than any cat I have had before.

My last cat only cried if she wanted food. This little monster ‘talks’ as she strolls around the house. It’s worse now I am wfh - people ask if she is okay on zooms because of the crying.

She sleeps in my bed, but will wake up at 5am - howling. She sits out in the stairs where the acoustics work best to her advantage. She isn’t hungry, she has a cat flap, water fountain etc, she just wants attention. If she sees me outside, she climbs to the highest point and wails for attention - the neighbours always think she is trapped!

She is asleep beside me now, and I do love her very much and wouldn’t be without her, but she isn’t quite the affectionate lap cat that I am used to😂.

I would love a cat who cuddles and head buts and sits in my knee. She will enjoy strokes For short bursts and then bite.

Just to clarify, she is regularly vet checked and is in excellent health. She just has the annual check up. He vet just said that some cats are more vocal - she’s not in distress, she is just talking and chirping.

I've honestly considered getting a heated cat shed outside for her to go in at night so she can whine and run around as much as she likes without breaking anything.

I'd do this. Or try and cat-proof a room for her to spend nights in. Needs must.

Do you mean heated cat shed or bed/kennel.

I think the heated kennels are best for feral cats who refuse to come inside, but putting an Almost exclusively indoor cat outside at night with this could be a big shock - particularly in winter.

A heated garage would be fine, or can you close her in the kitchen?

I can’t hear my little monster if I close her in the kitchen, she still has access to he cat flap, food and a sofa to sleep on. And it’s warm.

Has the cat had any tests done by the vet? I’d want her urine and bloods checked.

Oh god one of my cats, Max was like this when I got him about aged 2. He would shout constantly, I thought he wanted feeding/cuddles/to play but no he'd just shout constantly. It was like a crying baby and drove us absolutely insane. He's a ragdoll and I wasn't sure if it was a breed related thing.

We used some Feliway plug ins and after a few months he seemed to grow out of it. He's still loud but now it's only when he wants something. We got him just over a year ago now.

My cat is similar - she is 12!!

What helped, enormously was to set her up a "bedroom". At our bedtime, she is put into the bathroom. We give her a bowl of kitten milk, a cosy bed, clean water & clean tray.

She is fine - settled & quiet, as long as she doesn't hear somebody moving about. If somebody gets up, then she does call out yowl. She is just incredibly smoochy, but we have to sleep, so this works well for us.

What breed is she?

I think you should start looking for a new home for her. Advertise. You can't go on like this. You've tried. But this is not fair on you. And it must be seriously affecting your sleep, emotional state and productivity.

And happiness.

And finances, each time she smashes something.

She may be different in a different environment and with someone else.

Don't feel guilty. So long as you find her a very well-checked, lovely home and explain to them that she is v noisy and active, and keep in contact to make sure she's ok, you've looked after her. Or just talk to a local rescue service.

You need to take action, sort this out for both of you, and do not feel 'guilty'. It's ok to rehome her.

Take her to a different vet and ask for some tests to be done. She may be in pain.

Is she allowed outside? My sister had a house cat who was like yours, an absolute nightmare. In the end she started letting her outside and she was like a different cat. She comes home to sleep and eat, and causes no chaos!

What breed is she? Some are definitely more vocal and needy than others.

I also wonder whether you play with her enough? If she's not keen on going outside, could you play with her indoors each day for while instead to help her burn off some energy? Flirt poles or those interactive cat toys could be a good option. They're mentioned a lot on "My Cat From Hell" and they always seem to have good results.

Overnight I would be locking her in a room where she can't be destructive and ignoring her tbh. There's no way I'd tolerate a cat pulling curtains down and smashing things all over my floor every night - you've been exceptionally tolerant of that!

Bathrooms are normally a good option if possible? Make sure she has dry food, water, a litter tray and a bed and just leave her to it.