1
I have a 19 year old cat that goes through the house "hollering" in a deep tone. There does not seem to be anything wrong with him, as far as I can tell, but he does this several times a day. He does this in different areas of the house each time. Is there anything I can do for him? It is getting more frequent the older he gets.
2
We just adopted a 10 year old cat 3 days ago and he hasn't ventured out from underneath the bed, we are starting to get worried, is this normal?
3
I have a 17 yr old tortie who walks around the house crying and at times howls. No other symptoms of pain or illness. Then she'll just settle down quietly. We had a Siamese that was very vocal and wonder if she's just "talking".
4
My elderly cat (15 yrs) has been urinating throughout the house and not using the easily accessible, clean litter box, what's up?
5
What causes my 15 year old cat to no longer use the litter box?
6
My cat has become more vocal than she was before.. She is 13 yrs old. She is constantly crying and has to be near one of the family members all of the time. She use to never be like this. What is going on? And how can I get it to stop or quiet her down?
7
About a year ago, my 17 year oldcat gradually started meowing more and more and now it's pretty constant and is keeping everyone awake. He meows when he jumps off the bed and leaves the room, he meows when he comes back into the room and again when he jumps back on to the bed, as well as whenever he changes position on the bed, etc. etc. We've tried locking him out of the bedroom but he howls at the door and our place isn't big enough to put him where he cannot be heard. We're at our wits end.
1
I have a 19 year old cat that goes through the house "hollering" in a deep tone. There does not seem to be anything wrong with him, as far as I can tell, but he does this several times a day. He does this in different areas of the house each time. Is there anything I can do for him? It is getting more frequent the older he gets.
There could be several reasons your elderly cat vocalizes during the day. Cats may vocalize if they are uncomfortable or in pain. Common causes of discomfort in older cats include hypertension, loss of senses such as vision and hearing, medical problems, hormonal imbalances and more. In other cases older cats may vocalize as part of cognitive decline. As cats are living longer we are beginning to recognize that some cats lose some cognitive abilities as they age and these changes in the brain may result in changes in behavior including vocalization. A visit to your veterinarian may help sort out the various possibilities and find the best treatment for your senior cat.
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2
We just adopted a 10 year old cat 3 days ago and he hasn't ventured out from underneath the bed, we are starting to get worried, is this normal?
Actually, yes his hiding behavior might well be normal. Make sure he has access to food, water and a litter box in the room where he is hiding. It is likely that he comes out when it is calm and quiet to eat and eliminate. Do not force him to come out at this time. You may want to sit quietly in that room reading and see if he will venture out to smell you. Resist the urge to move quickly and allow him to set the pace. It might take him a week or more to become familiar with you and your household and venture out on a regular basis. Be patient, these senior cats can often be loving, wonderful pets if given the time to adjust.
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3
I have a 17 yr old tortie who walks around the house crying and at times howls. No other symptoms of pain or illness. Then she'll just settle down quietly. We had a Siamese that was very vocal and wonder if she's just "talking".
If your 17 year old cat did not vocalize before, you should be concerned. Elderly cats will vocalize for a variety of reasons. Cats that are in pain from arthritis or some other illness will often vocalize. A cat that is suffering from a hormonal imbalance such as hyperthyroidism may also cry excessively. Finally, cats that are suffering from hypertension or senility have been known to vocalize. If this is a new behavior for your cat a veterinary visit may help determine the underlying cause.
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4
My elderly cat (15 yrs) has been urinating throughout the house and not using the easily accessible, clean litter box, what's up?
When an elderly cat that previously had good litter box habits begins to make mistakes, the first question should be "why now"? And in this case, I would search for a possible medical explanation for her behavioral change. An elderly cat might not use their litter box if they had urinary tract disease, an endocrine disorder such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism or severe arthritis. So I would suggest the first step in determining what to do would be a veterinary examination and possibly some blood work to check her overall health.
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5
What causes my 15 year old cat to no longer use the litter box?
When an elderly cat stops using the litter box several possibilities should be investigated. If a cat is ill, she may drink more and eliminate more often. Older cats are at a greater risk for metabolic and endocrine problems that can alter their metabolism and elimination patterns. So the first stop should be a veterinary visit to make sure no medical problems are present. In other situations the cat may not be able to get to the litter box due to arthritis or some other painful condition. Finally, if the litter box is not kept very clean, the cat may choose to eliminate elsewhere.
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6
My cat has become more vocal than she was before.. She is 13 yrs old. She is constantly crying and has to be near one of the family members all of the time. She use to never be like this. What is going on? And how can I get it to stop or quiet her down?
When an older cat shows a sudden change in behavior, it is prudent to look for medical causes. Cats may vocalize and seek out people if they do not feel well. Endocrine and metabolic changes such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes, hypertension and kidney disease are common problems in older cats. Many older cats also suffer from arthritis and may cry due to pain. A veterinary visit and laboratory tests are needed to find the source of an older cat’s distress.
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7
About a year ago, my 17 year oldcat gradually started meowing more and more and now it's pretty constant and is keeping everyone awake. He meows when he jumps off the bed and leaves the room, he meows when he comes back into the room and again when he jumps back on to the bed, as well as whenever he changes position on the bed, etc. etc. We've tried locking him out of the bedroom but he howls at the door and our place isn't big enough to put him where he cannot be heard. We're at our wits end.
There are many reasons that an elderly cat may vocalize all the time. Several medical problems such as hypertension, hyperthyroidism, arthritis/pain and cognitive changes are a few of the things that may cause a cat to vocalize excessively. A veterinary examination and medical work up is essential to determine why your cat is howling all the time.
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