My wonderful cat is beginning to worry me. I am in the process of
selling my house. I am planning to relocate, "downgrade" and purchase
outright. However, for the time being, I was planning on leasing for
the next 6 months to finish up my assignment in the city, and my cat
is coming with me. It's very easy nowadays to deal with his
consistent meowing. I'd just lock him up in the garage or one of my 2
guestrooms, and I don't hear him meowing at all. The problem is
simply that I have to live with him in a 1 bedroom apartment and find
a way to either lock him up or somehow lessen the severity of his
meowing. He's an outdoor cat, which I hope to change to be primarily
indoor, and he's neutered. I know he just wants attention (which I
give him plenty of when I'm home and not studying) or wants to go
outside, but is there some way to deal with him otherwise? I was
planning on calling the vet to see if there's a way to perhaps reduce
his "hormonal level"? Anyone deal with this situation before?
Judging by his behavior over the 4 years I've had him, it's almost
like he's not even neutered. When he goes outside, he hunts down
rabbits, squirrels, birds, and mice and brings them home as a sign of
affection. Help!
Cat Protector - 20 Oct 2003 17:25 GMT
You say you pay plenty of attention to him yet you punish him for no
apparent reason by locking him in the garage or in one of the guestrooms.
You contradict yourself there. I have to wonder what you will do in a one
bedroom apartment.

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> My wonderful cat is beginning to worry me. I am in the process of
> selling my house. I am planning to relocate, "downgrade" and purchase
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> rabbits, squirrels, birds, and mice and brings them home as a sign of
> affection. Help!
Instant Karma - 21 Oct 2003 10:41 GMT
>You say you pay plenty of attention to him yet you punish him for no
>apparent reason by locking him in the garage or in one of the guestrooms.
>You contradict yourself there. I have to wonder what you will do in a one
>bedroom apartment.
Maybe feed the cat Friskies as a punishment?
Cat Protector - 22 Oct 2003 03:05 GMT
I find it interesting how some just can't let the food subject thing go.

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> Maybe feed the cat Friskies as a punishment?
Barb 1 - 20 Oct 2003 17:27 GMT
You lock him up in the garage or one of your guest rooms and you give him
plenty of attention? Sort of a contradiction, isn't it? When you are
finally relocated maybe a pal for him to keep him busy.
--
Barb
I can only please one person a day.
Today is not your day.
Tomorrow doesn't look good either.
John E. Jaku-Hing - 21 Oct 2003 16:31 GMT
> You lock him up in the garage or one of your guest rooms and you give him
> plenty of attention? Sort of a contradiction, isn't it? When you are
> finally relocated maybe a pal for him to keep him busy.
The "contradiction" exists because I have tried to let him sleep with
me at night, but he has woken me up to play or go outside. The
consequence of his actions was always to lock him up for the night. I
wished he learned he learned his lesson, but after 4 years, I cannot
expect the sudden behavioral change I'd like. If I just let him meowI
cannot go to work everyday bleary eyed from lack of sleep and continue
to provide for the cat. The additional pet is a tempting option, but
is not really practical. What the other person mentioned seems most
viable (cat tree, toys), maybe some soothing music on a timer. I
intend on "walking" him as well (the little dude loves to follow me
around), but I want to help mitigate his continual meowing during the
morning hours, as I can live with a little noise during the day.
Iso - 21 Oct 2003 16:38 GMT
John,
There is nothing cruel regarding putting the cat in another room for the
evening. I still have to it to both of my cats on a regular basis. You have
to draw the line somewhere. The cat is lucky to have you as an owner. There
are many people in the world who would have given up on the cat and either
abandoned it would have taken it to a shelter because of the cats
persistence. Just keep on doing what you are doing. Everything will work
out.
Cat Protector - 22 Oct 2003 03:06 GMT
The cat owns you, not the other way around. We as humans have to accept
that.

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> John,
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> persistence. Just keep on doing what you are doing. Everything will work
> out.
Ray Ban - 30 Oct 2003 23:42 GMT
Your sentence should have read:
The cat owns you, not the other way around. We stupid, pathetic humans accept that.
> The cat owns you, not the other way around. We as humans have to accept
> that.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> > persistence. Just keep on doing what you are doing. Everything will work
> > out.
Iso - 20 Oct 2003 17:35 GMT
John,
When I was in Grad School, I had the same problem. Contrary to popular
belief, having a second cat isn't always the best solution, especially if
the cats don't like each other. I can't think of anything worse than having
to put up with cats fights for six months in a cramped one bedroom apt. Your
cat won't have a choice, except to convert to being an indoor cat. I suggest
you get a cat scratching post, some toys and maybe a cat tree for it to
climb. Other than that, just keep on doing what you are doing. Pay it
attention when you are home, play with it. As far as hormone control, it is
available but many vets will not prescribe or administer the treatment.
First of all, it isn't cheap, and most vets only administer the treatment in
extreme cases. My problem was the cat waking me too early in the AM. My vet
suggested changing its feeding schedule (instead of free feeding) to a once
in the AM and once in the PM feeding schedule, and putting him in a room
which has a door and turning out the light. I still have to put him in the
bathroom on the weekends in order for me to sleep. Nonetheless, it worked.
patti - 22 Oct 2003 02:45 GMT
boy everyone would think i was super "cruel"------ i keep my cat in a
kennel at night!! i had to resort to this because he was indoor
--outdoor but he kept peeing in the basement!! he has always been a
problem cat and anyone else would have given up on him long ago--i
resorted to the kennel thing and he doesn't seem to mind it at all and
i KNOW where he is at night--(it a oversized kennel) the point is i
think the room solution sounds pretty good. like the other poster said
you're all the cat has and if you need your sleep then kitty gets
assigned his own little room if he won't pipe down. sounds logical to
me.