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Cat Forum / General Topics / February 2006Bored cat
I have 2 tabby cats, they are litter mates and inseparable. They are approx 2 years old. The female (Trixie) is not as active as the male (Toby), so often times she wants to sleep rather than play. My problem is Toby gets really bored at night and meows (and meows, and meows). I have tried everything that I can think of! My husband and I both work during the day, but when we get home we spend a lot of time with the cats. We brush them, talk to them, play with them. I try to take them out on their harnesses as much as I can, but it is difficult since we live in an apartment building. Usually I manage to take them out at least once a day (though we are finally getting winter so the weather is too bad). I try to do this in the evening close to bed. When I bring them back inside its serious playtime—I usually end up running up and down the hall while Toby chases the mouse on the stick. Sometimes I have to stop because Toby is getting overexerted (not to mention me!). Despite this, every night usually between 2-4 he starts whining. I don’t know what to do! I have bought a cat DVD, battery operated toys, interactive toys, catnip, tunnels, mice toys, balls, a cat tree, made homemade toys and even bought a fish tank! I thought the live fish would give them a little entertainment but they took no interest at all (I still love my fishies!) I try rotating the toys but he still gets bored. I don’t know what else to do! Does anyone have any suggestions? >Despite this, every night usually between 2-4 he starts whining. Is it a deep, gutteral (think that's the word) sound? Or is it normal meowing? A couple of my cats make that deep, moaning sound in the middle of the night - it is a very different sound from regular meowing. One of them does it when she comes upon a toy mouse at night, like she has "caught" it. I think because lots of cats are noctural and in the dark at night is when they get "wierd" (of course, some of them just sleep all night). Anna > >Despite this, every night usually between 2-4 he starts whining. > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Anna Has he had a checkup lately? My precious Stephanie (eight years old) did that on and off for about a year. She ended up having fatty liver disease and died in December. Your cat might not be sick, but get some blood tests right away. I'm really sorry to hear about Stephanie. It's always hard to lose a loved one. I usually do their annual check-up in May. Toby doesn't have as strong of an immune system as his sister. So it would probably be a good idea to take him in before then. He's also really skinny (even though he eats more than his chunky sister), so I am wondering if it is a tyroid problem. Thanks! In article <533e7b6db3ce70384920ba2684b127f9@localhost.talkaboutpets.com>, > I'm really sorry to hear about Stephanie. It's always hard to lose a loved > one. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Thanks! > Stephanie lost a lot of weight in the last six months of her life. I didn't give it much thought, because she always seemed to be a light eater, and when she had her last checkup, the (very young) vet didn't say it was cause for concern. Looking back now, I think I should have gotten a second opinion from the owner of the clinic (an older, experienced vet). Stephanie's appetite had obviously dwindled over the months (which the older vet said could have been caused by any number of things), and of course her liver degenerated from that point on. From now on, if my new kitty shows any similar signs, I will have a blood test done sooner, rather than later. >Stephanie lost a lot of weight in the last six months of her life. I >didn't give it much thought, because she always seemed to be a light [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >now on, if my new kitty shows any similar signs, I will have a blood >test done sooner, rather than later. So sorry about your Stephanie. Cats are *very* good at hiding their illnesses; many an owner is fooled by them including myself. When they lose weight it is sometimes very hard to tell. I didn't realize that one of mine lost weight until the vet weighed her; the only thing I thought is that her spine seemed kind of bony one day when I was petting her. Turns out she has early kidney disease. I know what you mean about blood tests; my vet told me to start at age 7; I thought that was silly - it seemed so young so I waited until she was 9 and I find out she has this disease. If I had gotten it done at 7 and she had the disease then I could have started her food therapy earlier. Thank you for your info about Stephanie and liver disease; mine is a light eater too; I will keep an eye on this. Anna That's exactly what it is! A deep meow that's different than the usual. I was concerned that he was depressed because sometimes it sounds so sad! So this could be a natural hunting response? >That's exactly what it is! A deep meow that's different than the usual. I >was concerned that he was depressed because sometimes it sounds so sad! So >this could be a natural hunting response? Absolutely. Some of them get like that at night; maybe he's come upon one of his toys and is "stalking" it. I know, the first time I heard one of my cats do it it woke me up, it's so wierd sounding. But she's being doing it her whole life since she was very young and she's 14 now and still does it. When I wake up in the morning after she's done this, the fur mouse is usually soaking wet. We always joke that if we ever get a mouse in our house and she catches it, the poor thing would just get licked to death. As for your cat's skinniness, I'm no expert on this but I thought that hyperthyroidism came later in life - not sure. If you feel you should take him in before May by all means do that. Kidney disease can cause skinniness too but again that *usually* comes later in life although there is a certain type that can come earlier - it usually affects persians and persion x's (polycystic kidney disease) or a cat can be born with only one kidney. Don't worry though - he may be a very healthy cat and is just going to have a slim build. Anna Is it possible for your cat to share the same bedroom as you? You can make him his own little bed. Let him be near you at night and see if the problem goes away. He might just be missing you at 4 o'clock in the morning. Mine likes to lay next to me all through the night. When it's time to get up and eat she likes to knead me. She makes sure I go to bed and get up at a proper time. :) > That's exactly what it is! A deep meow that's different than the usual. I > was concerned that he was depressed because sometimes it sounds so sad! So > this could be a natural hunting response? Is it possible for your cat to share the same bedroom as you? You can make him his own little bed. Let him be near you at night and see if the problem goes away. He might just be missing you at 4 o'clock in the morning. Mine likes to lay next to me all through the night. When it's time to get up and eat she likes to knead me. She makes sure I go to bed and get up at a proper time. :) - We used to keep the bedroom door open at night, but the whining was too loud so we started shutting it. Toby sometimes enjoys sleeping on our bed during the day, but both my husband and I toss a lot at night so I don't think Tobs would be too comfortable. I will try making his own little bed beside ours and see if that helps. Thanks! > Is it possible for your cat to share the same bedroom as you? You can > make him his own little bed. Let him be near you at night and see if [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Thanks! When Princess was alive (RB16) I placed a low parsons' table beside my bed. I also placed a heated cat pad on it. Princess loved that bed after she tried it. Every night at bedtime, she would lead me to bed then jump up on her pad. It was a relief not to have her sleep on my legs. MLB you are letting you cats control you, woman. try some tough love. the next time he makes noise when you're sleeping, fill your tub with cool water and dunk him in it. a couple of time of that, he will be very quiet. >you are letting you cats control you, woman. >try some tough love. >the next time he makes noise when you're sleeping, fill your tub with >cool water and dunk him in it. >a couple of time of that, he will be very quiet. troll Kelcy hey, that's my cat's name! "edie humperdink" <markdemers15@hotmail.com> > the next time he makes noise when you're sleeping, fill your tub with > cool water and dunk him in it. > a couple of time of that, he will be very quiet. Edie don't make me hunt you down for that comment what a bored cat needs is a male cat friend (if female cat). try putting out an ad in the personals secttion. lady, your cat is doted by you, try to pat his head lightly next time when he meows . > I have 2 tabby cats, they are litter mates and inseparable. They are > approx 2 years old. The female (Trixie) is not as active as the male [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > I try rotating the toys but he still gets bored. I don’t know what else > to do! Does anyone have any suggestions?
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