Not sure what to do with cat, very noisey.

[Hippykitty]

How are things going, Graham? Has your cat quietened a little?

Please give an update. Thanks.

[Hippykitty]

One of my oldies, Polly, keeps waking me up with insistent little 'wew' sounds. Doesn't bother me though, as I can catch up in the day (she does it then too, think she hates me being asleep!)

So, what's a little lost sleep? That's my attitude, but I don't work (disability).

Try taking your cat back to the vet for tests he/she may not have originally carried out.

Is there any particular trigger, or pattern to your cat's crying. Does it only happen in the dark? (Try a nightlight.) Or when it's very quiet (leave a quiet radio/telly on downstairs). Or when your cat feels lonely (the telly may help with this, just quietly).

Ignore the bloomin neighbours, your cat is more important.

Personally, I wouldn't consider rehoming or pts unless THE CAT is suffering. You'll forever feel guilty if you do it for your convenience (don't mean that harshly).

[JackSpratt]

Yep, how's it going Graham?

[swampmaxmum]

have you tried a vet bed and making one comfy place for him at night? He *may* like that. The soft blue electric ones (seeing as though we don't seem to be having a summer just yet it should be ok, they don't get hot, just nice and cosy) cost £39 or so from a vet. I wouldn't buy the ones that the online shops sell or the hard microwave pads. I put my one under one of those polyester fleece blankets that IKEA do and they love it. Not too high a chair or even in his own bed (assuming it's big enough as the vet bed is plastic but can't be bent - wires inside....) as if he's senile presumably he can't jump up too high??
I think the only chance is just the one room and hoping he settles down after a week or so. Is he on cortisone at all as when that stopped, some of the yowling stopped too in our case.
good luck....at one point I got so desperate that I was trying to keep my little 'un awake more during the day so he'd sleep better at night. It's impossible to keep a cat awake though.
hope you get some sleep Graham.

[Graham]

Yes he has free range of house, we have put him in one room but even then we can still hear him shout. Maybe I need to tape his mouth shut for the nights 

[Millys Mum]

Sorry if you have already said and iv missed it, but where does he sleep? Free range of the house?

[JackSpratt]

Graham, you really do have my sympathies. As I said, the RR helps but it's by no means a cure. We're still woken up by Madam screaming her lungs out from time to time. (My youngest cat has taken to bopping her on the head! Shows what she thinks!)

Definately try it, though.

So he's been cleared of any physical problems? Does he seem to be in distress or unhappy? To be fair, if he is then the decision we all hate making might be one you have to make. I couldn't keep one of my lot around if they were unhappy because of a deterioration that was irreparable. (If that makes sense.) Obviously, it's difficult but when that time comes, you'll know.

Please don't give up on him unless you've tried all the options. (I know what you mean about being tired too. My Old Girl woke me up a coupleof nights ago and I've still not caught up! )

[lilycat]

That's why I mentioned your job Graham; depending on what work you do, 'catching up' on lost sleep may not be an option.  Before I made any decision, I'd have to know I'd looked into [and tried] all possibilities...feliway, rescue remedy [it's worked for Jack].

Also, it's just a suggestion, but could the vet offer any medication that might calm him at night? I'm not suggesting that he be drugged up to the eyeballs by the way, just calmed. I'm not a fan of medicating for anything other than medical problems but in this case, and if Graham's getting to the end of his tether like he said, it might offer a short term reprieve until something else can be tried.

[Graham]

The problem is getting worse, and the worse it is getting the less sleep I’m getting. Even if he was put outside he would just keep the neighbours up and I wouldn’t be very popular with them all which is understandable.

I’m really getting to the end of my tether with him, as it is effecting my job now as Im so tired during the day. 

[JackSpratt]

Both sides of my house are elderly people who are either partially deaf or completely. It's probably to their advantage the noise Old Girl makes!

[DaveD]

I didn't write my first post very well - I meant, if it's not too loud for them, the neighbours could be safely ignored!   

[JackSpratt]

Graham, I'm sorry I've only just read this thread.

My Old Girl was diagnosed with senility at the beginning of this year. (She's currently sat on my knee "cleaning" my arm as I type. )

I've started using Rescue Remedy. She has a few drops behind each ear daily, I'm not saying she's completely noiseless now, but it's definately less often that she makes that awful noise that sounds like she's terrified.

Dave, I agree to an extent. I realise that by responding to her crying every time, I was making a situation even harder for myself. So I had to teach myself not to go and see her every time she cried - that was really difficult. (Even at 4 in the morning when I just wanted to chill her out again so I could go to sleep!)

She really doesn't show any signs of unhappiness other than this sporadic banshee screaming. Wouldn't be without her or any of the others, though.

[Nick (Peanut & Boo)]

you have my every sympathy graham. Its easy to talk about a problem when you are not suffering from it yourself but you can be sure everyone on purrs will do everything possible to help and advise.
I say this because I suffer very badly from noise stress particularly babies crying and animal cries
Last night one of my cats brought in a baby moorhen chick and it hasn't stopped continually cheeping for a solid 6 hours. In the end I had to put it out under a bush in the rain because I couldn't take the stress a moment longer. It was making me so agitated and sick. Its impossible to describe the effect it has on your nerves.

I do hope you find a solution soon for all your sakes

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

although i am NOT suggesting that for one min).

no no neither was I, but better of the two if forced into that situ.

I know you wasnt lynn 

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

I don't have any experience with cats with dementia so can't be much help, but giving him an unwashed item of clothing sounds like a good idea.  If he wakes up feeling disorientated having your scent around him might help.  And definitely try feliway - it's good stuff so might help.

[swampmaxmum]

Dementia or disorientation causing yowling is a tough one. I had a few months of it when my little guy was so ill. What helped in the end was routine - a bedtime routine, which didn't involve letting him sleep in the bedroom but settling him down with a vet heatpad on his 'own' chair in the lounge and shutting the door. You could try soundproofing the wall that worries the neighbours? He is already 17 so to be honest, it's not going to be a huge problem for them for years is it? I know how bad it feels to have your sleep affected every night and it makes you overreact to problems too.
I would def say that relocating him would not be a kind thing to do. Does he shut up a bit if you pay him attention btw as that's a clear sign that it's anxiety related.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Oh Mark 

[Mark]

When a cat is mobile and enjoying life but just suffering from the effects of old age, i do not see this as a reason to PTS

Do I sense a bit of empathy there Gill? 

Sorry - had to say it - I will get shot one day 

[lilycat]

Sorry... , I meant Graham 

[DaveD]

I really do feel for you on this one Dave.

I think this should have been for Graham! The cats I live with now aren't very vocal (Famous lastwords!)

You could also give him an item of clothing [unwashed and belonging to his favourite human] to sleep on.

The cat that was vocal, years ago, used to swipe clothes from the wash basket, so this might be the answer.

[lilycat]

I really do feel for you on this one Dave.

Can I ask what you do for a living? I was just wondering how much of a bearing the noise [and sleeplessness] has on your job?

The idea of seeing if he settles in your bedroom at night is a good one as is the Feliway. You could also give him an item of clothing [unwashed and belonging to his favourite human] to sleep on.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

When a cat is mobile and enjoying life but just suffering from the effects of old age, i do not see this as a reason to PTS

[Lindyloo]

I used to have a very old cat that would "shout" like that sometimes. He was deaf and I think that is why they can be so loud. When he did this one of my other cats would rush to his side and rub up against him as if to say "its okay I'm here". If  your cat is doing it mostly at night perhaps his eyesight is also fading and he becomes disorientated in the dark. Please don't think of rehoming him  - as someone else said he needs you more than ever now, don't put him through the trauma of a new home in his condition. On the other hand I would say do not feel guilty if you feel pts would be the best option. Keeping them alive at all cost is not aways the answer. It is hard to let them go, especially when you have had an animal for many years but I do think sometimes people keep them going too long. 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Kocka was like this at the end of her life and she was also going deaf and had other med problems but I could not consider PTS a cat for that reason.

The noise drives you insane but she was my best friend and its not fair to rehome at that age or PTS just cos of the noise.

If you love and care for your cat you will put up with it cos as far as I know nothing can be done to help when they are like that.

[CurlyCatz]

I think it's not so much the loudness that keeps you awake, but the guilt of trying to ignore a cat

you must be much nicer than me dave..its definately just the noise that gets me 

[DaveD]

Most of us don't like to even think of putting our cats to sleep, so if we have to discuss it we tend to use the initials,
Have the neighbours complained? If it's not too loud for them, they can safely be ignored, in which case it's just your sleep that's being disturbed. Having had a very vocal cat in the past, I think it's not so much the loudness that keeps you awake, but the guilt of trying to ignore a cat that sounds distressed. Hopefully Feliway will work, but if not you'll need to convince yourself that you're doing all you can.
I was always brought up to keep pets out of bedrooms, but I'm overcoming that gradually. Allowing cats in when you're asleep can help calm them, but you may have an extra early alarm clock!

[Gillian Harvey]

Thanks for your answers to this problem.

The cat has been tested and is given a full bill of health apart from dementia and deafness. He just makes this very loud noise that keeps us up all night and is running us down. We are going to try one of these things that you plug into the wall and it is supposed to calm the cat down, so we will have to see if it works.

Not sure what PTS is.

Deaf cats are often vocal, especially at night - my 20 yr old Elsa is deaf and I hear her at night sometimes, although she also has hypertyhroidism which causes some cats to vocalize more - but I presume thats one of the tests that was done?

I agree with others, rehoming a 17 yr old cat would likely cause more distress to him - so trying the feliway diffuser is a good idea, hopefully that will help. Perhaps try a little bit of play with some toys, like fishing rod type gadgets or laser pen before bedtime - maybe tire him out a bit, so's he sleeps through? Just a thought.

PTS is put to sleep.

[CurlyCatz]

although i am NOT suggesting that for one min).

no no neither was I, but better of the two if forced into that situ.

PTS means put to sleep.

I think you are talking about feliway..its really good and helps many animals feel more relaxed, you could get a couple and remember to unplug any "normal" perfume type ones as they will mask the feliway and so it wouldnt work. You also get the feliway spray, i really really recommend that aswell , you could spray it on his bed etc.

Not getting any sleep is a nightmare and i sympathise, where does your boy normally sleep .. perhaps it may be that you have to shut him in the kitchen with all his things over night.  Have you tried his bed in your room..maybe he'd feel more secure closer to you, of course a cat of this age shouldnt have to think or travel too far for his litter tray so maybe it would need to be moved closer to where he's likely to be in the night.

rescue remedy can be used in cats (others will say what type/how much/where to apply etc i dont know too much about that)

does he have food/water over night.

[Graham]

Thanks for your answers to this problem.

The cat has been tested and is given a full bill of health apart from dementia and deafness. He just makes this very loud noise that keeps us up all night and is running us down. We are going to try one of these things that you plug into the wall and it is supposed to calm the cat down, so we will have to see if it works.

Not sure what PTS is.

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

It getting too much now and we are not sure what to do, he is very mobile and active so we don’t want to put him down. Is there any sort of cat charity that we could give money to on a monthly basis to take him on and make him comfortable?

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Hi Graham,
Oh God i really dont want to come across as rude or anything but my first thought was how can you even consider rehoming him at 17yrs old ? He needs you now more than ever - and SOD the neighbours LOL
However, i would have to agree with Lynn that PTS would infact be kinder (although i am NOT suggesting that for one min).

I would say a trip to your vets is in order to see if there is a reason why he has become so noisy.

Whats this old fellas name ?
Do you have any pics of him ?

[CurlyCatz]

i thought it was JS..perhaps she will discuss her puss with you and suggest some of the thing she has tried.

[Millys Mum]

Jack Spratt has the same problem Graham, you two should have chat  

I second third fourth the thyroid test if you havent had that done already.

[Beanie]

I assume that he has regular veterinary care. Like Hippykitty my first thought was that he may have hyperthyroidism hence the increased mobility and activity. Has your vet done any blood tests?
 Do you spend any quality time with him and make a fuss of him?

The veterinary course is the answer to see if there is anything underlying. Please don't abandon him now when he needs you most.

[CurlyCatz]

if he has dementia then rehoming at 17 would probably only aggrevate his condtion, in that instance my feelings are pts would be kinder (if rehoming was what you meant by giving a charity money every month, i do apoligise if thats not what you were meaning)

as hippy says has he had full range of tests etc to make sure there are no other underlying reasons for this vocalisation.

Someone else on here has an elderly cat with the same symptoms and diagnosis..so far i dont think they have found a solution.

[Hippykitty]

Has he been tested for thyroid problems?

[Graham]

Wonder if someone could help with a problem that is increasingly getting worse. We have a cat that has been diagnosed with dementure and is also going deaf, he is getting old at the age of 17. The problem is that he makes a very loud noise which sounds like he is distressed, this can be at anytime and will keep us awake in the night and even the neighbour can hear him through the wall.

It getting too much now and we are not sure what to do, he is very mobile and active so we don’t want to put him down. Is there any sort of cat charity that we could give money to on a monthly basis to take him on and make him comfortable?

Any suggestions would be helpful.