PDA

View Full Version : Cat trouble



ElizabethJane
23-08-13, 12:12
I having a few problems with my older cat at the moment. She sleeps on my bed and the wakes me between 3am - 4am to go out. She could go into the kitchen except that my younger cat is in there and they dislike each other. They can't go in the living room as it is newly decorated and I'm worried that the older cat will make a mess if left in the hall. I thought about a trial with them both allowed in the kitchen and hall. The older cat will probably miaow anyway. Both have been in the cattery and we are just getting over that with the older cat more clingy and the younger cat with an upset tummy. Older cat has also had an accident which is probably a result of being in the cattery.EJ

Speranza
23-08-13, 14:18
My older cat (18) has begun waking me at 4, 5 and 6 every morning - I am exhausted! She has become pretty deaf and I think she can only hear herself yow if it is loud.

Often she just wants comfort and snugs. They do apparently get a form of dementia sometimes. She is content in the day and wanders around at night - she's also begun going out and fighting other cats after not doing this for a few years!

Could you put her in the kitchen and move the younger cat?

Edie
23-08-13, 17:30
Does she want the toilet, or does she just want to go out and play? Does she have a litter tray indoors, somewhere she can get to without encountering the other cat? When you say older, do you mean she is elderly, or just older than the other one?

They can get dementia, but are normally settled with a cuddle and reassurance in this case. Sounds like that may be the issue with your cat, Speranza, but EJ, if she wants to gobout it doesn't sound like dementia.

Daisy Sue
23-08-13, 17:43
Our cat sleeps in a downstairs room with the door locked (he has a cat loo in there), otherwise he'd prowl & meow all night & we'd never get any sleep.

Apparently, once they're through kittenhood, they only meow for human attention, so if you ignore it (unless you think they're poorly/hungry/thirsty) then they do learn not to meow all the time.

There are things you can buy to calm their mood too.. like catnip sprays and plug-in things.

I would say that if your two cats don't get on, then probably keeping their sleeping arrangements separate is a good idea.

BobbyDog
23-08-13, 20:12
If it was me, I think I would switch them around and have the older cat in the kitchen - everyone deserves a bit of sleep. Animals can be very controlling, I am speaking from personal experience.x

ElizabethJane
23-08-13, 20:47
Thank you for your replies. Phoebe is eight and Bertie is ten months. Phoebe is a one person cat - me and since we had Bertie has been sleeping on my bed. Phoebe will mew if she is left out at night. Not sure about having two litter trays. I will let you know how I get on. EJ

Speranza
23-08-13, 22:12
I heard that if you have two cats it can be a territory issue and two trays some way apart really helps. Wish I had known that when I had Sophie's sister!

Tessar
23-08-13, 23:01
Oh, my brothers cat is really old and it's doing this miaowing really loud thing as well. I wish there was a simple answer EJ, I really do. Swapping them around sounds like a good idea but then phoebe won't get the attention she obviously wants.
It's difficult when you introduce a new cat to the household but maybe thins will calm down. It probably is down to territory.
Our cat (2years) wakes us at about 4 or 5 & then proceeds to play.... Or scratch things she KNOWS mustn't be scratched. She is a minx!!!! We are putting her out now if she plays up... That seems to be working as her behaviour is improving,
Speranza... that wouldn't work for your kitty if she has dementia. Poor baby. I had a cat that went deaf. It was only when she ignored fireworks that I realised. It was sad to think she wouldn't hear my voice again.
Oh I don't know,,,,,, pets can be hard work but are so rewarding all the same.
Oh feliway plug ins have worked wonders with cats we have had. I wild recommend them even tho they aren't cheap

Edie
24-08-13, 01:01
Yeah, two trays can often resolve things. Not really what you want, but might be worthwhile.

I had an old cat who went deaf, and I too noticed when he didn't react to fireworks. He was a real nervous old boy and really lost his fear when he went deaf. He could still enjoy cuddles and lived a very happy few years. Unlike most deaf cats, he fell silent after going deaf. But he definitely knew he was loved.

KeeKee
24-08-13, 22:18
Aw, I love cats. We have 3 although the 2 females play fight quite a bit (They are mother and daughter, 2 years old and 10 months old).
They all share 1 litter tray so by the sounds of it we are in for trouble in the future (I have heard you should have 1 tray per cat, plus 1 -- So 4 trays in total in my small house haha, not likely).

ElizabethJane
28-08-13, 20:25
Thanks again for all the replies. Update: Bertie has had an upset stomach. He has had sickness and runny diahorrea (tmi) I should have responded sooner as he hasn't been able to keep anything down. It has been coming out of both ends. We think that it was something he picked up in the cattery. I took him to the vets and he has kaolin mixture and something else like pepto bismol for cats.Problem is that I have to pretend I'm a mummy cat to give it to him otherwise he claws me to pieces. He is a lot better and has eaten some chicken and drunk some water tonight but still runny tummy. He is such a good boy and uses him tray with very few accidents. The chicken was wolfed down as I only gave him a tiny amount. I have had to wash my fluffy dressing gown as it is the only way I can stop being scratched. Poor Bertie.

Tessar
28-08-13, 20:38
Awwww poor Bertie!!! Poor you too going thro all this with him. Glad he is on the mend.

ElizabethJane
28-08-13, 20:41
Thanks Tessar he is a good patient. EJ

Tessar
28-08-13, 20:44
They know when you are looking after them don't they?

ElizabethJane
29-08-13, 11:59
More Updates. Bertie is improving by the day. He ate a small bowl of chopped chicken last night and managed to keep it down. His poos are still very smelly so not quite back to normal I managed to give him most of his medicine this morning and I haven't noticed any evidence of cat bms. I am not feeding him at bedtime. He comes for his tea about 5pm and apart from water that is it.He has also caught a mouse this morning but has not eaten it. Phoebe has not has the bug which is a relief as I would not be able to give her any medicine. I would be scratched to pieces. EJ.

ElizabethJane
18-09-13, 21:54
Update on my two cats behavioural problems. I have managed to get both cats to sleep together in the kitchen with a litter tray. It is a positive result and have seen Phoebe use the the tray! She still growls when Bertie goes near her but does not always swipe. He never retaliates or hisses - nothing. Next task is to stop Bertie sleeping on the kitchen table. Cats are not allowed on the table. EJ

Edie
19-09-13, 11:07
It's great there is progress!

As for cats on the table, my cat has so many behavioural problems that I pick my battles. Scratching the sofa and sitting on the dinner table are ones I let slide. Just wipe down before eating.

You could try making a shaker with pebbles in a tin, and shake it every time Bertie gets on the table. The risk is that he learns only to stay off the table when you're looking! You could also place small item around the edge of the table to stop him jumping up. Cats often like high places. If they're not the best of friends, Bertie may feel safer on the table where he could see if Phoebe came near. You could try offering an alternative, such as a climbing tower, if you have space in there! As winter comes he might prefer a cosy basket by the radiator anyway.

Good luck with it, cats can be very willful creatures!

ElizabethJane
19-09-13, 19:12
Thanks Edie he is not afraid of anything. He does watch Phoebe from the table and jumps on her! I wash the table down before we use it but jumping up on the tablea was something that Phoebe never did. Pebble in a jar seems a good idea. Hopefully I have cracked the poo on the hall carpet by shutting them both in the kitchen. There have been no more accidents. EJ

johnny boy
17-12-13, 00:04
my cat has no restrictions and we have an electronic cat flap. hes also got a dog bed gets groomed once a week and has special dietary food from Serbia.

Tessar
31-12-13, 20:13
ElizabethJane; How r things with Phoebe & Bertie's behavioural problems?
Our cat still gets terrorised by a local Tom..... She also misbehaves .... Scratches the settee .... Not sure how to stop that happening??!!

ElizabethJane
31-12-13, 21:25
Hi Tessar thanks for asking about the cats. I am in the conservatory as I write this and Phoebe is sitting with me. She hasn't really progressed with her socialisation. She hides when she hears the postman/dust man / any man she doesn't like but not the builder last year. Bertie or Bertismus as I now call him has got very large. That is partly my fault as I leave the dry food for them both to graze on. He is very placid but does not like the Burmese cat from across the road and runs away when he approaches. Night time is brilliant. I call 'bed' and both cats usually come.Phoebe makes for the dog bed and hisses as Bertie wants to join her in it. He sleeps on the fridge and mews if you come into the kitchen. Both cats use the same litter tray at night. That is a result. EJ

---------- Post added at 20:25 ---------- Previous post was at 20:24 ----------


ElizabethJane; How r things with Phoebe & Bertie's behavioural problems?
Our cat still gets terrorised by a local Tom..... She also misbehaves .... Scratches the settee .... Not sure how to stop that happening??!!

You could try buying a leather sofa. Our cats do not scratch the leather. EJ

Tessar
01-01-14, 10:53
A lot of cats hide from people suddenly appearing, ours doesnt like it if she hears the postman coming up the steps! but then it can sometmes make me jump if it's quiet! The dust cart always makes her wary but i think all the cats I've had have been like that.
funny that you call Bertie 'Bertismus' as we make up silly names for our cat too! oh dear about him being very large. perhaps he'll have to go on a diet? ours had to as she was fat when we got her but now is looking much more trim. you wont believe it but we do have a leather sofa. she has been attacking that! bad girl!!!
i love the way your cats come to bed! ours usually is on the bed at night too. in the day, she will sleep in one place for a few weeks & then favours another. funny how they have a fav. place for a while & then they change it.

Edie
01-01-14, 12:12
Some cats will always be timid. As long as she feels safe in the home, she'll be OK. How do you respond when she hides? If you try to comfort her then you only reinforce that she needs you to feel safe. But if you let her do what she wants and carry on with things, she's more likely to realise there's nothing wrong, and she feels safe in her hiding place in the meantime.

Dry food can lead to obesity. I would recommend switching to a mostly wet diet. My cat has gone from being very overweight to a healthy weight by just switching from dry to wet, I do not restrict quantity at all. You can still leave dry food as a treat, but if you put it in a puzzle feeder it slows them down eating, and keeps them active. You can buy puzzle feeders, but mine loves fishing her biscuits out of an egg box or toilet roll feeder. You don't need to buy an expensive brand of wet food, but with dry food you want one with a high meat content, the best one you can afford. Encore and Applaws dry foods are both very good.

I'm glad you've got things sorted at night though, that's progress!