cat suddenly meowing persistently at night...?

hi everyone,

i need some advice/input!!! i got my calico cat 2 weeks ago now and she's been a dream cat for me... up until 2 nights ago. here's a bit about her background, first:

she's a 6 yr old calico. declawed (she came that way - i would never do that, ever!!!). she's missing some teeth. she lived at a vet hospital for over a year, having been surrendered by a family who indicated that the children were being too rough with her. apparently at the hospital she bonded with a male ginger cat around her age who was adopted out before her, and apparently she actually got along with dogs! BTW, i actually posted here on the forum before as 'crispyhair' under the thread 'new cat bringing up big time anxiety for me'. i tried logging in but it wouldn't accept my password so created this new account...

ANYWAY, here's the latest... things settled down nicely for both of us. seems we both became relaxed with each other and it felt like she was adjusting nicely to my routine. i'm a 9 - 5'er and she was sleeping during the day and i'd be home in the eve where we consistently play each night, i give her a brush, lots of attention and pets and talks. she likes to talk at me - mostly grunts. she's a big grunter. :-P she has been respectfully quiet at night, no issues of waking me up, (except once when she got me up 45 mins before alarm - no biggie).

here's the issue: as of 2 nights ago, as soon as i turn out the lights she starts meowing REALLY LOUD and persistently. nothing has changed in terms of my bed habits - the door is open for her, she has a bed beside my bed and she usually would lie beside me on my bed anyway. but instead of settling down beside me at night for the past 2 nights she's been doing quite the opposite. it literally sounds like she's crying. the meows are bellows. it's like she's yelling at me: don't sleep!!! you will not sleep now!!! screw you!! nooo sleeeeeep for youuuuuuuu!!!!

it's maddening!

now, two things: i do understand that y'day was a full moon. could it be that?? is this just a flukey full moon thing??

2) i did switch her food to another dental brand (that's marginally more healthy than its predecessor) and i did notice when i gave her that food (switched to it 3 days ago...!?) it seems to make her a bit crazy in that she seems to REALLY like it - the way a kid may take to mcdonalds. should i switch her back to her other food?? is it the food change that's making her mental? yesterday when i came home i noticed a furball/puke up for the first time too - maybe this food isn't agreeing with her - both mentally and physically...?

OR ---

is she trying to tell me that she needs/wants a mate? am i not enough for her in terms of being her litter mate, given that i'm away all day???

HELP! i'm not one to suffer lack of sleep gladly so really want to get this resolved ASAP. i plan to buy a spray/water bottle to spray her with if she does start acting out tonight. AND i will make her sure her food bowl is topped up before i go to bed as that could potentially have been an issue... i may have been underfeeding a bit and given how wild she is about that food maybe she was actually screaming: "i neeeeed my foooooooood!!!

any tips/suggestions/advice would be most appreciated!!!

thanks,
CH

Some cats are really just creatures of the night. Maybe wait until a bit later at night to give her supper - that way she's eating later and thus a bit sleepier around the time you head to bed? I'd also make sure you give her lots and lots of play time to tire her out. We went through a spell like this with Mr Miyagi.. and it's really only been the last few months that he's settled down at night (he's now 4 and we brought him home around 6-7 weeks). I feel your pain!

Good luck!

dear Crispyhair3,

my cat dose the same thing in the morning,afternoon and evening he dose that until i play with him. how long do u play with your cat?? maybe that's the problem. usaly my cat starts being really annoying when comob comes in to play, when he's hungry, lonely, thirsty, wants to be babyed or he need his litter changed. i hope this helped

from crazycatlover :)

hi everyone,

thanks for all the responses, much appreciated. i cleaned her litter today (meaning a total clean - dumped out litter - cleaned box - added fresh), just in case. otherwise i clean her litter daily. twice daily seems unnecessary, imo.

i'm not sure the reason for her caterwauling at night but i have to say that it's left me feeling a bit down today. i feel like she's not happy and i feel like i'm doing everything i can to make her happy. i do play with her plenty at night, i clean her water bowl and food bowl everyday, i brush her, i talk to her, i give her treats every other day or so (greenies - catnip maybe twice a week).

i'm starting to wonder if she and i are a bad fit and/or if she needs the company of another cat which i feel mixed about. ideally i just wanted to have the one cat which is why i chose a female because i understood that girl cats are generally happier as only cats. i'm also a bit of an anxious person so frankly, not sure i could deal with having another cat - wondering if i can even deal with one.

i realize i've only had her for literally two weeks but i guess i'm just wondering if/how/when we'll feel bonded. because while initially i was feeling some bonding i feel like now there's nothing. except the feeling that she's not happy.

:cry:

hi everyone,

thanks for all the responses, much appreciated. i cleaned her litter today (meaning a total clean - dumped out litter - cleaned box - added fresh), just in case. otherwise i clean her litter daily. twice daily seems unnecessary, imo.

i'm not sure the reason for her caterwauling at night but i have to say that it's left me feeling a bit down today. i feel like she's not happy and i feel like i'm doing everything i can to make her happy. i do play with her plenty at night, i clean her water bowl and food bowl everyday, i brush her, i talk to her, i give her treats every other day or so (greenies - catnip maybe twice a week).

i'm starting to wonder if she and i are a bad fit and/or if she needs the company of another cat which i feel mixed about. ideally i just wanted to have the one cat which is why i chose a female because i understood that girl cats are generally happier as only cats. i'm also a bit of an anxious person so frankly, not sure i could deal with having another cat - wondering if i can even deal with one.

i realize i've only had her for literally two weeks but i guess i'm just wondering if/how/when we'll feel bonded. because while initially i was feeling some bonding i feel like now there's nothing. except the feeling that she's not happy.

:cry:

I think you need to give her more time to get use to her new home and you, 2 weeks is not that long. I rescue a female cat that was living outside my condo and she never really bonded with me, she did get along with my male
cat. It is best to keep a new cat in one part of the house and let them get use it before letting them in have the run of the whole house.



http://www.paws.org/help-new-cat-adjust.html

this web site tell people how to help a new cat feel at home.

Mulder gallops, howls like CRAZY, slides on rugs, howls again. TOTALLY BONKERS every day at some point in between 5 and 7 AM :laughing:
It worries me because I have neighbors downstairs and I really like to avoid disturbances but so far so good and nothing can change her. I always ask her: "Loco" (her nickname) you have aaaaaaalll day to do it but it has to be at an inconvenient time :laughing:
Responds with MEOW AOOOOH ARGGh PRRRMEOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW MAOOOOOO!
They're just things kitties do

Some ideas. Yes, if she's not spayed she could be coming into season.

She could be reacting to sounds and sights outside. Try a closed window room at night for her.

Rather opposite to the above, try containing her in a room with the light on.

She could be deaf or going deaf (any age) and the deaf cat howl is well known. We have one who does this at night, she is not completely deaf.

You say she gets lots of brushing, pets, attention and talks but you don't mention PLAY. Try playing her out in the daytime so she will sleep at night. I mean active physical pplay like chasing a string around all the rooms in your house to get the energy out. NOt just before bed, play revs them up and will keep her from relaxing, do it during the day.

Good luck. We know that howl, it's awful.

Some ideas. Yes, if she's not spayed she could be coming into season.

She could be reacting to sounds and sights outside. Try a closed window room at night for her.

Rather opposite to the above, try containing her in a room with the light on.

She could be deaf or going deaf (any age) and the deaf cat howl is well known. We have one who does this at night, she is not completely deaf.

You say she gets lots of brushing, pets, attention and talks but you don't mention PLAY. Try playing her out in the daytime so she will sleep at night. I mean active physical pplay like chasing a string around all the rooms in your house to get the energy out. NOt just before bed, play revs them up and will keep her from relaxing, do it during the day.

Good luck. We know that howl, it's awful.

Cats are nocturnal and I was wondering if the cat was allowed out at night to hunt. I knew a cat that would not stop howling when she was heat and her owner would let her outside to shut the cat up. That would interesting if the cat was going deaf, she would have no idea how loud she was. I know if I am not wearing my HA I will talk louder . Get the cat a HA and see if that help! LOL!

hi everyone,

thanks for the replies!! i think i figured out the issue last night, just in time, and indeed, there was no meowing last night! :thumbs up

i had picked her up a new toy earlier in the week (a crinkly ball) and she loves it big time. it would keep getting lost under the couch and tv stand, where she couldn't reach it and i think she was letting me know... + i believe she was "mousing" with it and was letting me know that she caught a "mouse."

last night, i took the balls (there are two, one bigger, one smaller with the smaller one being her fave) and stashed them away for the night in a kitchen drawer. so, since there were no out-of-reach "mice" or "mice" in general to play with, no yowling! i'm thinking too that it could've been impacted by the full moon. my partner says that her tabby boy goes wild a few days before the full moon and on the day of, with increased vocalization.

so far so good! today's another (and better!) day. thanks for all the input and tips everyone!!

CH