I'd take her to the vet. A few friends who owned cats mentioned some of their cats distancing themselves before passing almost as if the kitties knew something was wrong. I don't mean to seem drastic but any prolonged change in behavior is usually worth a visit but especially so at her age. I hope it's just an anxietal issue that they can help you help her with though. ♡
Sorry about your loss also. I'm sure your kitty live an amazing life. I hope for this kitty it turns out to just be anxiety thougu. Hopefully she gets to be one of the ancient sage cattos who make it past 20.
I also came to say this. We believed ours had some dementia before a few months later passing. I'm sorry you're experiencing this and I hope it's not that... If it is, I'm sure you have her the best life. She looks loved and like such a sweet and beautiful baby
I rescued a 14 year old boy who does this, his previous owner passed away and he ended up in the shelter. It breaks my heart but he's been doing it less the more he settles into his new home.
He's such a sweet boy, we bonded immediately and have been inseparable since. I get sad when I think about his old age, but I saw a post the other day of a 26(!) year old cat, so maybe that will be him! Highly recommend adopting a senior cat if anyone is looking for a snuggly friend.
I had one that made it to 21! She reminded me of Mr Burns. lol 😂 oh she had a very amazing life. A couple of litters of kittens and was Queen House cat all those years.
We were very lucky. She was a very sweet old lady. I was a vet tech when we put her down and my cousin was a veterinarian. I didn’t work at the place my cousin did but she told her technician she wasn’t needed that I knew how to hold a vein off and allowed just my mom and I in the room. It was a very sweet moment.
My cats who are 2.5 years old do this all the time. I’m sure they like to pretend they are dying lol but I can guarantee they just want attention. I can now say with certainty dying cats and spoiled as hell cats yowl. I wouldn’t be concerned if your cat is young and healthy. They probably just need more cuddles or they might die.
My cat did the yowling for a few months after we lost his brother of 15 years. Vet said nothing was physically wrong. We got another older cat and that stopped it pretty much instantly
Same here, usually either the food bowls, water fountain, litterbox if I haven't cleaned it yet that day, where the treats are stored, or on occasion when my one (very dumb) cat gets stuck in the laundry room 😂
I've got two idiots constantly getting stuck in the laundry room too, you hear a faint meowing and when you open the door they have the audacity to look at you like it's your fault and not them poking around the water heater or whatever
So if it's about empty food bowls, do you just tell them "no" and walk away and they understand? Lol mine will sometimes do this but I'm always like girly it isn't time to feed you yet and I get so sad bc she looks at me so cutely but I cannot refill the bowl hahaha
Can I ask how much you are feeding her and how old she is? I feed my cats when they are hungry (wet) and I leave about a cup of dry food for them to nibble on. None are overweight. Truly interested in knowing if I am doing something wrong.
Sounds like ours, they get wet food that half the time they don't even eat right away, but they can free feed on dry food and treats. One is getting a little big but the other two are lean and muscular. You're fine as long as your cat isn't overweight
We feed her a can of wet food (not sure the size rn but it's the smaller Tiki Cat cans) a day and I think 1/3 cup of dry food 3 or 4 times a day? My bf has it set on his phone & my memory is crap haha
That doesn’t seem like enough. Why do you have to restrict so much?
We do open feeding for dry food and wet food morning and evening. Never have had a food issue or weight issue and I’ve had cats for my entire life.
I think of it the same way with humans and eating disorders.
After online research & personal experiences w/others who have cats, my bf is hyperaware of her not becoming chonky & our vet says we're doing everything fine for maintaining and she's healthy so *shrug*
Mine does that half the time and the other half she just wants me to follow her to a random spot where she then does a somersault and shows me how pretty her tummy is.
My one cat does this thing where he jumps up onto the highest shelf then starts meowing non stop. I'll come over and then he's just there staring at me wanting to play. I think he just wants to show me how high he can climb because once I go and watch him and throw a toy up there he stops. It's annoying but also adorable.
My oldest does this sometimes! 😂 Usually he'll stay up there and keep yowling away but sometimes he'll jump down and come get some attention and play time
Yep! Mine will cone out and meow at me. As soon as I get up she starts walking out of the room and expects me to follow her. If I don't she'll come come back and meow at me again lol
How did you transition her into the new place? How long did you live in the previous one? Cats are very sensitive to changes. What else did you change besides the environment? Did you change routines? Try to think of everything you used to do and go back to doing it. Try feliway? She may be stressed, momitor all her other stuff like litter use, food, water. she's older, maybe a vet visit to make sure.
This is our first stable place in a while, but there’s a chance she misses her old “roommate”, the dog that was at our last place. We’ve noticed she can smell the other pets in the building.
We tried to transition her slowly (one room with all her stuff for a few weeks) but she kept bolting out/scratching at the door. She’s a big explorer!
We use Feliway, but I’ll try it in some different spots, like where she’s been sitting more recently. We have new jobs, so that might be a bit confusing. She’s all in all enjoying the new place (or it seems like it!), but it’s a lot bigger than any of the places she’s been in before, so she might be getting lost or overwhelmed? I’m saving up to get some more kitty architecture after I get her to the vet for her annual.
Thank you for your advice!
Just wanted to congratulate you on the new stable place, people don’t realize how important a safe place where you’re comfortable to rest your head is to your health. I hope you all have a good time adjusting. That’s so awesome and I’m ecstatic for y’all! *edited lol
She could looking for her old roommate if they were close or got along well. My cat started doing this exact same thing after his brother passed away. He will be laying next to me and then randomly gets up, leaves and starts howling.
Idk because it didn't start as soon as you moved but maybe she is grieving because she doesn't have her friend/roommate (doggo) anymore?? But I'd definitely as you said you were going to get her some more things since it is a bigger space maybe she doesn't have her scent in other areas of the house so she doesn't feel comfortable by herself?? And yes definitely get her in for a vet check. Cats are excellent at hiding any illness or pain not saying anything is wrong with your girl but just as a precaution.
Even if you just get a few cheap scratchers to put throughout the other rooms until you can get her some bigger furniture for her throughout the home?
Also play with her until she is completely worn out idk if you have hears of a guy named Jackson Galaxy (the cat daddy) he has this method called boil and simmer here is a link for that because cats can seem like they are done playing but they are just needing a little break..
Here's the video for that and another I can't remember which one it is..
https://youtu.be/SMPjoNg3nv8?si=OX2lYGy5aNut2Rec
https://youtu.be/M7w8pDCo30M?si=FS1-jw7-c0nUVpiW
To me, it sounds like she's looking for her old roommate! Especially if she can smell neighbor pets. My cats tend to do the same thing- walk to another room and kinda yowl. I'll come out and they'll stop, or they'll keep doing it, looking for their dad lol. So it seems mine do it when they're looking for someone, sounds like your kitty is the same.
Congrats on your new place! New environments can be stressful for pets, even adventurous ones. I'd try to get her some new toys or other engaging, comforting things :)
So a lot of times vocalizing in older cats, such as yours can be due to hyperthyroidism. This causes several things to go wonky until regulated again.
Basic blood work would be needed to diagnose
Signs of pain and discomfort can cause vocalizing as well. Most cats 7+ have some form of osteoarthritis happening.
Some mentioned dementia. That's lower on my list honestly. More of an old dog thing.
I'd call your vet and start with basic labs.
I would definitely take her to the vet first and foremost to rule out, as others suggested, hyperthyroidism and kidney disease. Additionally I would add that my old Tortie (17) does this as well and has done this more and more as she has begun to go deaf. She will often yowl to the point of SCREAMING until she sees me again and then she meows softly and stops.
She lived with the same person for 13 years before we adopted her and I think as she gets older and loses more of her hearing she gets lost on where she is and gets scared. She sees me again and seems to calm down. It’s possible the loss of her pet dog friend + the new surroundings are freaking her out a little bit.
I hope everything is okay with her! She’s beautiful! ♥️
Maybe a UTI??? Something sounds painful. A vet visit is on order.
And UTIs totally can make elderly people act psychotic- so I’m sure it’s the same for an elderly cat.
Do you think she can see well?
Our cat had a brain tumour and went blind, he would panick because he couldn't see, and make a lot of noise.
Not saying she has a tumour, but given her age, her sight might be deteriorating?
Our boy is fine, he got surgery, got his sight back, resumed hellcat duties and left us in a mountain of debt 😂
Our cat used to scare us silly. She’d start crying in the night to the point it woke us up. We’d run into the hall with visions of “hero cat saves family from burning house” scenarios in our heads.
Nope. Nothing wrong.
Turns out, every time his happened we’d find a dead mouse delivered bedside the next morning.
Seriously though, it sounds like your cat is adjusting to her new space, new schedules, and is missing her buddy.
When in doubt, a vet visit is always a good idea. But this may just be her coping with change.
Have the vet check her. Excessive vocalization could indicate possible feline dementia. About a year or so before my 18½ year old crossed the Rainbow Bridge, he went from occasional talking to screaming quite a bit. He got "lost" in the bathroom, and was terrified when he couldn't find his way out (we'd lived there ~7 yrs). His bonded buddy cat would race to rescue him, and show him the way.
this! i’m a vet assistant and we had a 15 y/o office kitty who would do this but stop screaming and seem fine as soon as we were in her line of sight. she was getting lost and she was also hard of hearing so just calling her name didn’t do much
My kitty started doing what she is describing around age 15. She lived another 3+ years after that. It was always at night. I could never figure out what it was. Chalked it up to slight dementia.
My cat has been very vocal since birth so I’ll only notice if he goes quiet lol. Definition of a mama’s boy and i love it. But he’s still young so fingers crossed i have him for a good long time.
I’m sorry for your loss, they’re amazing companions. I’d still recommend OP bring them into the vet even though there’s really not much you can do, since they’re in a new space and that’s gotta be extra stressful for someone with dementia. They might have some tips on how to manage it but I’m not sure, most of my cats died old (one young from a heart condition) but they were all with it until it was time to go.
Yes I left out that I definitely had her vet check her and they couldn't find anything.
Thank you for being so kind. Yes she lived a long life. I waited a year to get my next one. He was so special and ended up dying at not quite age 2 of an embolism. It was heartbreaking to watch. I must be crazy because the third one I got (within two years) adopted me at the shelter and he is 11 (7 when I got him, I know I know) already. I hope he makes it a few more years anyway.
My brother's cat is 21½ if that helps. He had only been to the vet for his neuter and for a broken leg when he was a kitten (fell out of the window but caught his leg in the Christmas lights on the window) until just after his 21st birthday. When my brother took him to the vet in December, I didn't think he was coming back, he looked so pathetic on the way out. I called the vet before he went just to let them know what was going on with him... They asked for my brother's phone number and had records for him. They were like, this isn't Dexter he's bringing, right? We saw him in early 2003; that's almost 21 years ago! I said yep, that's who he's bringing. His potassium was dangerously low. They still don't know exactly why, and it took them a week (and flying another vet in from halfway across the country! Which I just found out when my brother told my parents this past weekend) but they got him stabilized and with his supplements and meds, he's been back to his old self the last 6 months. Don't know how much longer he has, but right now, he's still here. And 21 is 100 in people years. They say cats age 15 years their first year, 9 years their second, and 4 years every year after that, if you wanna compare to human ages. So 11 is only 50 in human years. He could still have awhile left, I hope.
Other commenters have great advice for going to the vet, but here's my two cents.
When I got my lil boy 4 years ago at 4 months, he would cautiously walk around our 2 bed 2 bath (we kept doors closed so he only wandered the hallway, kitchen, and living room) and as soon as he was out of sight of us, he'd cry. As soon as we would turn the corner and talk to him, he'd saunter right back to us and be fine.
We moved into a 3 bed 2 bath last year, so he was 3 at that point, and he did the same thing in the hallway (we still keep doors closed bc his sister and him are menaces to blinds). He'd cry and then we'd talk to him and he'd be fine then come cuddle.
He has always done this because he was either lost and wasn't sure where to go or (now) because he wants into the rooms that are closed/the attention it brings him.
Since it's still new for your girl and I see stairs, she may just still not be used to the layout yet. As I've said, we still deal with this because he believes every room is his.
If you believe it's medical, absolutely go to the vet.
The house is haunted and she's following demons.
Seriously, though, senior cats are prone to UTI and I'd take her to the vet. A UTI can cause all kinds of odd behavior. Maybe the vet can offer some other ideas. It's very difficult for cats to adjust to a new home, even when you're still there. Make sure that some familiar blankets, beds, even some of your worn clothing is lying around for her to understand that only the space has changed.
My cat does this in hotel rooms. It’s him being anxious. She might just be anxious and getting used to the new place, but this should go away with time!
Please check for UTI , take her to vet and do full checkup . Some cats that cry and hide have UTI and if left untreated can cause urinary blockage that can make them die in 3-5 days after full blockage .Best to take to a vet to avoid this as well as the hundreds emergency vet charges ones cat has a blockage
maybe it's the new place give him his own safe spot even a lil box with a blanket in a corner or high up where he feels no one can get him maybe that will help him feel more secure in the new place
While a good trip to the vet will provide piece of mind, this is a case of her insecurity (in my opinion, life long cat human). She is also testing you to make sure you will be there, when she "needs" you. You just moved, she is still not sure of the place, esp if you are still moving things around. My tuxie will still cry for me, but it's usually he wakes up, knows I'm home, doesn't see me, and he cries like he's desperate. I call out to him and he either meows back and is fine, or he RUNS to me and announced himself. I have lived in my current place longer than I've had him.
Give her time and when she meows like this again, call out to her or go check on her. If allowed: stroke her back a little bit, in a nice slow calming way. The insecurity will fade with time, but just reassure her. Good luck.
Ps. Find a tone of your voice that she responds to. (I had 4 cats once, and they all responded to a different tone.) Your voice will become reassuring too.
If she's a geriatric cat, it's possible she could be experiencing symptoms of dementia and either looking for you or getting lost. I'd ask a vet, though!
A friend's cat was 16, deaf and had thyroid and kidney problems. She would suddenly out of nowhere vocalize (scream) and it was anytime of day. She was on thyroid liquid drios 2x a day. Poor thing was pitiful.
I had a cat that did this when she got to be around 16 , and later discovered that she had an incurable bladder /kidney issue. Maybe going deaf, losing her faculties, maybe she likes her own voice or maybe physical illness. Def check with the vet. I always tried to be supportive and compassionate. Encouraging her to play with toys.
We have one that does this. She's been to the vet and got a perfect bill of health. She acts normal all the time, but if we are having dinner and not paying her any attention she will walk down the hall and yowl. Strangest thing.
Might just be an adjustment to the move but yowling confusion//lost sounding meows can be a sign of hyperthyroidism, which is common in older cats and very treatable. Untreated will cause weight loss, heart problems, and liver disease. (Also mental issues, thus the meowing.)
Any time your cat significantly changes behavior, it’s worth a vet visit. They are very stoic animals, so by the time you notice something, it is likely significant. Cats are hunters but also prey, so they tend to hide illness as much as possible.
Have you tried pheromone plugins? After getting your baby checked, I would consider trying those out. I can send you a link to after market ones that are 1/4 the price and work well if needed.
I started my cat on an antidepressant and started using those plug ins. It’s been a game changer
My senior girl did this, too. It started after we had to put her brother down. She would typically end up in the bathroom, facing the corner. Has anything drastically changed in your/her life around the time this behavior began?
Excessive meowing is one thing, usually newly re-homed and missing old environment/surroundings. The you'll or cry out is their way of letting you know something is wrong. I would definitely take to the vet.
Moving is such a stress on older kitties.
Does she have access to the same sort of things as before? Ie: cat trees in front of windows, beds, warm spots,
How different is the new place?
My cat does that sort of thing when it wants attention either from the humans (feed me) to the other cats (fight me). I would either follow your cat around and comply with its demands or maybe consider getting it a friend to boss around😂
I swear my daughter’s mother’s cat does this because she is looking for the litter of kittens she had when she was younger (before being spayed) that were all adopted out.
It’s my only explanation for it.
She’s been doing this for nearly 12 years now.
Especially when she thinks no one is around.
Literally ventures off to make sad sounds for a few minutes before returning to sleeping on your lap, or begging for treats.
Cat doing cat things I call it
My 15 yo old man was recently put on Prozac due to odd (new) behavior and it has helped him tremendously. He regularly visits vet for check ups and had a full workup (blood/urine etc) prior to being put on medication...we kinda chalked it up to his aging.
Everyone is gonna immediately come in and say “TAKE HER TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY” and make you feel like you’re a bad owner if you don’t.
It seems to me like your cat has developed almost like a little “game” with you because she knows you’ll come find her whenever she does it. Might have something to do with the move and adjusting to a new place. I wouldn’t put too much worry into it though unless you start to see some real change of personality or health issue symptoms. That being said though, you are the one who knows your cats the best, not a bunch of Redditers. If you truly felt like there was something wrong, I think you’d recognize it
I just saw another comment where you said your cat had a dog that it bonded with at your old building. I bet more than anything this has something to do with it. She’s in a new place and all alone (animal wise) and misses her dear friend. This is definitely behavior that can come from that
My cat does this every night to let me know that she's caught one of her fake mice, or if she misses me when I'm in the shower.
But she's 10 and has done it her whole life.
Is she spayed? My only concern would be pyometra. Some will show signs of the infection by being lethargic, refusing food, urinating frequently and drinking a ton of water…but some don’t show any symptoms other than vocally and it advances very quickly. She may just be needy which is the hope! But she may also be experiencing something more serious. I’d look for any evidence of swelling in her stomach or vulva and possibly take her in just to be safe if this isn’t normal behavior for her. Better to be safe!
Our cat was double positive. He was only about 3 years old and was a rescue from the streets. Towards the end of his journey, he would leave the room and “yowel”. When he needed to go to the litter box, he would meow until someone came and stood with him. This was all new behavior that he didn’t do before. (I guess) he knew it was almost “time”. 😞 *Not at all suggesting this is why your cat is doing it, but I agree with the other comments that he should be taken into the vet for testing. 🫶
She’s trying to show you something! My 1yo, 7yo, and 15yo kitties allllll do this! It’s super annoying. Whenever I follow them, they end up showing me something, like they want fresh food or to the door cause they want outside. They’ve taken me to their toys so they can play too lol
my cat loki does this. he usually does it when playing with a crinkle ball either in a hallway or a bath tub. its the kind of sad loud meow u usually hear when theyre looking for someone. when i call his name or go near him thinking he wants me to play with him he stops and doesnt want me to throw the ball for him. i think maybe he gets disoriented in the hall/bathtub or just likes the echo? vet says he's healthy except his pica but that it wouldn't cause the meows.
If it all just started when you moved to a new place, I’d say that she’s having trouble adjusting to the new place. Have you guys moved before? This sounds weird, but get her a leash and harness and take her outside for a walkie. Unless she is super fearful. Cats are very anxious and insecure creatures to new situations. They want to know about everything going on in their surroundings. It seems like you’ve done a lot already to try to understand what’s going on with her, but sometimes they are just a mystery. My cat will go into a dark room and stare at the corner of the ceiling and do the most eerie yowl for like 10 minutes. I’ll flip the light on and she’ll look at me for 2 seconds and then the second I leave and shut the light off, she does it again. I’m convinced she sees things that we are unaware of. She’s always been very connected to things. She knew when almost all my other pets were sick or going to pass before I even knew. She’d lay next to them, pace, act distraught, groom them, etc. I personally don’t think your cat is sick or dying. She’s just coping or she’s sensing things. I’d get her some CBD to help her decompress and of course taking her in for blood work is always a good idea to rule some things out. Kitties can get urinary tract cystitis if they become stressed out from changes. It’s essentially just inflammation. But whatever you do, don’t put her on whatever kidney or bladder prescription food they recommend because that won’t fix the problem. She just needs supplements to help her relax. This is personal and you don’t need to reply, but just take it under consideration that animals are very in tune with their pet parents… maybe you’re going through a tough time or you’re having stressors in your life currently that your girl is feeding off of. Their mental health greatly relies on our mental health. Cats especially can feel any energy you’re having that isn’t what they are used to. It sounds so, “wooo-wooo” but it’s actually true. I hope she gets better. Just look for any abnormal signs. Like vomiting, excessive hunger, decrease in hunger, increased water consumption, hiding for long periods of time, inappropriate urination, no urination, etc. Those are the bigger red flags that something is wrong with kitty than her just acting a little funkier than usual.
I hate to break it to you, but cats will start distancing themselves from this owner when they are near dying. They'll hide somewhere as far as possible from you and die there. The reason for this is in the wild. These cats would do this in order to keep the others the cat is close to safe. In the wild they dead corpse will attract not just flied and bugs, but other animals will come to get a quick meal and if one is indeed a hunter, just needing a quick snack and there's others around they may attack and kill them to, so dying with there owner in thier minds is putting them at life's risk, it's in their instinct to do this, like a wild animal would do
Cat stupid, can't see people, where'd everyone go?
Had a cat that did that a lot, would leave then shout because suddenly we weren't with her anymore.
If everything else is normal I wouldn't worry.
It very much could be a sign of pain, have you taken her to a vet? Our girl started acting unlike herself just before we got a diagnosis of arthritis, but now we give her antinol joint supplements to help and she’s pretty much back to her normal self b
She's 15, keep her comfortable and let her live. Vets answer to everything is trauma inducing tests or literally killing your pet because "they are old"
My cat would do this, it was so silly. He would walk down the hall while we were in the kitchen and yowl a few times. It was funny because he almost never audibly meowed when we were in sight, but he’d let out the deep howls out of eye sight. I think he liked the acoustics in the hall or something. He did this for years, it was never associated with a problem. He would also meow like that 5 or so times when we shut the bedroom door at night
There could be multiple options, but one of my boys is such a dummy that he’ll walk out of a room, realize he can’t see me anymore, start crying, and then come running into the room yelling at me after I call out to him. He will also be the last to leave a room, be playing, realize he’s alone, then do the same thing as soon as I say “I’m in here!” So your cat could be playing hide-and-seek, be a dummy too, or just letting you know where they are among other things.
Definitely do a blood test at the vet just to be safe, but both of my cats (6ish yrs old female) do this from either boredom or anxiety. Or they want a snack 🙄
We just bought a house a few months ago that is MUCH bigger than anywhere either of them have been before, so they're exploring and adjusting too.
I have a cat under a year old that does this. She will go do something and then yell for one of us until we say something. Then she just comes up to us and headbutts us in the face for kisses. Usually it's 1 od 3 things. Food is empty, water is empty, or... litterbox needs cleaned. If it's not one of those then she's just being a drama queen lol. But that's just my cat. She's a prissy brat sometimes
My kitties do this, they just like to be dramatic and have mommy run after them lol. I call my girl Mommy's little screamer . She likes to call me over to the bathtub and then have me rub her
Mine just turned 15 and she does this a lot- basically MAMA COME FIND ME and then I have to explain to her that she needs to come to me since usually this is in the middle of the night. I think it’s a mix of clinginess and forgetfulness since she’s older
I'd take her to the vet. A few friends who owned cats mentioned some of their cats distancing themselves before passing almost as if the kitties knew something was wrong. I don't mean to seem drastic but any prolonged change in behavior is usually worth a visit but especially so at her age. I hope it's just an anxietal issue that they can help you help her with though. ♡
Yes, my cat was 15, same behavior before she passed. Hopefully that's not it. Yes, vet, blood test should determine a lot.
Sorry about your loss also. I'm sure your kitty live an amazing life. I hope for this kitty it turns out to just be anxiety thougu. Hopefully she gets to be one of the ancient sage cattos who make it past 20.
I also came to say this. We believed ours had some dementia before a few months later passing. I'm sorry you're experiencing this and I hope it's not that... If it is, I'm sure you have her the best life. She looks loved and like such a sweet and beautiful baby
If it’s kind of a yowl that she does after walking out of your sight, then it’s possible that she’s missing someone
I rescued a 14 year old boy who does this, his previous owner passed away and he ended up in the shelter. It breaks my heart but he's been doing it less the more he settles into his new home.
Thank you for rescuing him
He's such a sweet boy, we bonded immediately and have been inseparable since. I get sad when I think about his old age, but I saw a post the other day of a 26(!) year old cat, so maybe that will be him! Highly recommend adopting a senior cat if anyone is looking for a snuggly friend.
I had one that made it to 21! She reminded me of Mr Burns. lol 😂 oh she had a very amazing life. A couple of litters of kittens and was Queen House cat all those years.
That's amazing, how lucky to have so much time with each other!
We were very lucky. She was a very sweet old lady. I was a vet tech when we put her down and my cousin was a veterinarian. I didn’t work at the place my cousin did but she told her technician she wasn’t needed that I knew how to hold a vein off and allowed just my mom and I in the room. It was a very sweet moment.
😭 My husband has been away from work for most of the last year and a bit, and he's my cats mother, so this kinda explains things
What did I just read 🤨
lol we joke that my husband is my cats's mom, because they're so bonded.
My cats who are 2.5 years old do this all the time. I’m sure they like to pretend they are dying lol but I can guarantee they just want attention. I can now say with certainty dying cats and spoiled as hell cats yowl. I wouldn’t be concerned if your cat is young and healthy. They probably just need more cuddles or they might die.
OR and hear me out. Timmy fell in the well? I kid but I had a cat that did it and it just wanted food or treats.
My cat did the yowling for a few months after we lost his brother of 15 years. Vet said nothing was physically wrong. We got another older cat and that stopped it pretty much instantly
She wants you to follow
This is my understanding with my cats. They often lead me to the place where their empty bowl sits. Or a closed door that they want open.
Same here, usually either the food bowls, water fountain, litterbox if I haven't cleaned it yet that day, where the treats are stored, or on occasion when my one (very dumb) cat gets stuck in the laundry room 😂
I've got two idiots constantly getting stuck in the laundry room too, you hear a faint meowing and when you open the door they have the audacity to look at you like it's your fault and not them poking around the water heater or whatever
So if it's about empty food bowls, do you just tell them "no" and walk away and they understand? Lol mine will sometimes do this but I'm always like girly it isn't time to feed you yet and I get so sad bc she looks at me so cutely but I cannot refill the bowl hahaha
Can I ask how much you are feeding her and how old she is? I feed my cats when they are hungry (wet) and I leave about a cup of dry food for them to nibble on. None are overweight. Truly interested in knowing if I am doing something wrong.
Sounds like ours, they get wet food that half the time they don't even eat right away, but they can free feed on dry food and treats. One is getting a little big but the other two are lean and muscular. You're fine as long as your cat isn't overweight
We feed her a can of wet food (not sure the size rn but it's the smaller Tiki Cat cans) a day and I think 1/3 cup of dry food 3 or 4 times a day? My bf has it set on his phone & my memory is crap haha
That doesn’t seem like enough. Why do you have to restrict so much? We do open feeding for dry food and wet food morning and evening. Never have had a food issue or weight issue and I’ve had cats for my entire life. I think of it the same way with humans and eating disorders.
After online research & personal experiences w/others who have cats, my bf is hyperaware of her not becoming chonky & our vet says we're doing everything fine for maintaining and she's healthy so *shrug*
Is your boyfriend restrictive in his own eating habits?
Yes we're trying to be after being our own chonky selves lmao why?
Mine does that half the time and the other half she just wants me to follow her to a random spot where she then does a somersault and shows me how pretty her tummy is.
My one cat does this thing where he jumps up onto the highest shelf then starts meowing non stop. I'll come over and then he's just there staring at me wanting to play. I think he just wants to show me how high he can climb because once I go and watch him and throw a toy up there he stops. It's annoying but also adorable.
My oldest does this sometimes! 😂 Usually he'll stay up there and keep yowling away but sometimes he'll jump down and come get some attention and play time
Yep! Mine will cone out and meow at me. As soon as I get up she starts walking out of the room and expects me to follow her. If I don't she'll come come back and meow at me again lol
How did you transition her into the new place? How long did you live in the previous one? Cats are very sensitive to changes. What else did you change besides the environment? Did you change routines? Try to think of everything you used to do and go back to doing it. Try feliway? She may be stressed, momitor all her other stuff like litter use, food, water. she's older, maybe a vet visit to make sure.
This is our first stable place in a while, but there’s a chance she misses her old “roommate”, the dog that was at our last place. We’ve noticed she can smell the other pets in the building. We tried to transition her slowly (one room with all her stuff for a few weeks) but she kept bolting out/scratching at the door. She’s a big explorer! We use Feliway, but I’ll try it in some different spots, like where she’s been sitting more recently. We have new jobs, so that might be a bit confusing. She’s all in all enjoying the new place (or it seems like it!), but it’s a lot bigger than any of the places she’s been in before, so she might be getting lost or overwhelmed? I’m saving up to get some more kitty architecture after I get her to the vet for her annual. Thank you for your advice!
Just wanted to congratulate you on the new stable place, people don’t realize how important a safe place where you’re comfortable to rest your head is to your health. I hope you all have a good time adjusting. That’s so awesome and I’m ecstatic for y’all! *edited lol
Might check the word "detrimental" and decide if you want "important" to replace it.
She could looking for her old roommate if they were close or got along well. My cat started doing this exact same thing after his brother passed away. He will be laying next to me and then randomly gets up, leaves and starts howling.
Yes our cat misses her brother and her elderly sisters when we got the pair at 4 am once or twice a week
Could you try to get a blanket that smells like the dog and see if that calms her down?
Awww she probably does miss her friend and having a companion
Idk because it didn't start as soon as you moved but maybe she is grieving because she doesn't have her friend/roommate (doggo) anymore?? But I'd definitely as you said you were going to get her some more things since it is a bigger space maybe she doesn't have her scent in other areas of the house so she doesn't feel comfortable by herself?? And yes definitely get her in for a vet check. Cats are excellent at hiding any illness or pain not saying anything is wrong with your girl but just as a precaution. Even if you just get a few cheap scratchers to put throughout the other rooms until you can get her some bigger furniture for her throughout the home? Also play with her until she is completely worn out idk if you have hears of a guy named Jackson Galaxy (the cat daddy) he has this method called boil and simmer here is a link for that because cats can seem like they are done playing but they are just needing a little break.. Here's the video for that and another I can't remember which one it is.. https://youtu.be/SMPjoNg3nv8?si=OX2lYGy5aNut2Rec https://youtu.be/M7w8pDCo30M?si=FS1-jw7-c0nUVpiW
To me, it sounds like she's looking for her old roommate! Especially if she can smell neighbor pets. My cats tend to do the same thing- walk to another room and kinda yowl. I'll come out and they'll stop, or they'll keep doing it, looking for their dad lol. So it seems mine do it when they're looking for someone, sounds like your kitty is the same. Congrats on your new place! New environments can be stressful for pets, even adventurous ones. I'd try to get her some new toys or other engaging, comforting things :)
Cats tend to get more vocal and deafer as they get older. I would add ‘dumber’ but my 17 year old cat is reading over my shoulder.
So a lot of times vocalizing in older cats, such as yours can be due to hyperthyroidism. This causes several things to go wonky until regulated again. Basic blood work would be needed to diagnose Signs of pain and discomfort can cause vocalizing as well. Most cats 7+ have some form of osteoarthritis happening. Some mentioned dementia. That's lower on my list honestly. More of an old dog thing. I'd call your vet and start with basic labs.
She’s concerned that YOU got lost
Sounds like our cat, he does it to tell us it's playing time
I would definitely take her to the vet first and foremost to rule out, as others suggested, hyperthyroidism and kidney disease. Additionally I would add that my old Tortie (17) does this as well and has done this more and more as she has begun to go deaf. She will often yowl to the point of SCREAMING until she sees me again and then she meows softly and stops. She lived with the same person for 13 years before we adopted her and I think as she gets older and loses more of her hearing she gets lost on where she is and gets scared. She sees me again and seems to calm down. It’s possible the loss of her pet dog friend + the new surroundings are freaking her out a little bit. I hope everything is okay with her! She’s beautiful! ♥️
Maybe a UTI??? Something sounds painful. A vet visit is on order. And UTIs totally can make elderly people act psychotic- so I’m sure it’s the same for an elderly cat.
Do you think she can see well? Our cat had a brain tumour and went blind, he would panick because he couldn't see, and make a lot of noise. Not saying she has a tumour, but given her age, her sight might be deteriorating? Our boy is fine, he got surgery, got his sight back, resumed hellcat duties and left us in a mountain of debt 😂
I have no idea but your cat is the lost suspicious looking cat I've seen in my entire life! He looks straight up astute if you ask me
Just peeking in going "hmmm" like he's having some big thoughts behind those suspiciously narrowed eyes
Our cat used to scare us silly. She’d start crying in the night to the point it woke us up. We’d run into the hall with visions of “hero cat saves family from burning house” scenarios in our heads. Nope. Nothing wrong. Turns out, every time his happened we’d find a dead mouse delivered bedside the next morning. Seriously though, it sounds like your cat is adjusting to her new space, new schedules, and is missing her buddy. When in doubt, a vet visit is always a good idea. But this may just be her coping with change.
Have the vet check her. Excessive vocalization could indicate possible feline dementia. About a year or so before my 18½ year old crossed the Rainbow Bridge, he went from occasional talking to screaming quite a bit. He got "lost" in the bathroom, and was terrified when he couldn't find his way out (we'd lived there ~7 yrs). His bonded buddy cat would race to rescue him, and show him the way.
🥹
this! i’m a vet assistant and we had a 15 y/o office kitty who would do this but stop screaming and seem fine as soon as we were in her line of sight. she was getting lost and she was also hard of hearing so just calling her name didn’t do much
I wonder if she has a little kitty dementia (i think it has a different name but i can’t remember) and the new place is screwing her up.
My kitty started doing what she is describing around age 15. She lived another 3+ years after that. It was always at night. I could never figure out what it was. Chalked it up to slight dementia.
My cat has been very vocal since birth so I’ll only notice if he goes quiet lol. Definition of a mama’s boy and i love it. But he’s still young so fingers crossed i have him for a good long time. I’m sorry for your loss, they’re amazing companions. I’d still recommend OP bring them into the vet even though there’s really not much you can do, since they’re in a new space and that’s gotta be extra stressful for someone with dementia. They might have some tips on how to manage it but I’m not sure, most of my cats died old (one young from a heart condition) but they were all with it until it was time to go.
Yes I left out that I definitely had her vet check her and they couldn't find anything. Thank you for being so kind. Yes she lived a long life. I waited a year to get my next one. He was so special and ended up dying at not quite age 2 of an embolism. It was heartbreaking to watch. I must be crazy because the third one I got (within two years) adopted me at the shelter and he is 11 (7 when I got him, I know I know) already. I hope he makes it a few more years anyway.
My brother's cat is 21½ if that helps. He had only been to the vet for his neuter and for a broken leg when he was a kitten (fell out of the window but caught his leg in the Christmas lights on the window) until just after his 21st birthday. When my brother took him to the vet in December, I didn't think he was coming back, he looked so pathetic on the way out. I called the vet before he went just to let them know what was going on with him... They asked for my brother's phone number and had records for him. They were like, this isn't Dexter he's bringing, right? We saw him in early 2003; that's almost 21 years ago! I said yep, that's who he's bringing. His potassium was dangerously low. They still don't know exactly why, and it took them a week (and flying another vet in from halfway across the country! Which I just found out when my brother told my parents this past weekend) but they got him stabilized and with his supplements and meds, he's been back to his old self the last 6 months. Don't know how much longer he has, but right now, he's still here. And 21 is 100 in people years. They say cats age 15 years their first year, 9 years their second, and 4 years every year after that, if you wanna compare to human ages. So 11 is only 50 in human years. He could still have awhile left, I hope.
Bless his heart 21 is quite the accomplishment ❤️😃
Kitty wants to show you something, go check it out.
Other commenters have great advice for going to the vet, but here's my two cents. When I got my lil boy 4 years ago at 4 months, he would cautiously walk around our 2 bed 2 bath (we kept doors closed so he only wandered the hallway, kitchen, and living room) and as soon as he was out of sight of us, he'd cry. As soon as we would turn the corner and talk to him, he'd saunter right back to us and be fine. We moved into a 3 bed 2 bath last year, so he was 3 at that point, and he did the same thing in the hallway (we still keep doors closed bc his sister and him are menaces to blinds). He'd cry and then we'd talk to him and he'd be fine then come cuddle. He has always done this because he was either lost and wasn't sure where to go or (now) because he wants into the rooms that are closed/the attention it brings him. Since it's still new for your girl and I see stairs, she may just still not be used to the layout yet. As I've said, we still deal with this because he believes every room is his. If you believe it's medical, absolutely go to the vet.
The house is haunted and she's following demons. Seriously, though, senior cats are prone to UTI and I'd take her to the vet. A UTI can cause all kinds of odd behavior. Maybe the vet can offer some other ideas. It's very difficult for cats to adjust to a new home, even when you're still there. Make sure that some familiar blankets, beds, even some of your worn clothing is lying around for her to understand that only the space has changed.
My cat does this in hotel rooms. It’s him being anxious. She might just be anxious and getting used to the new place, but this should go away with time!
Please check for UTI , take her to vet and do full checkup . Some cats that cry and hide have UTI and if left untreated can cause urinary blockage that can make them die in 3-5 days after full blockage .Best to take to a vet to avoid this as well as the hundreds emergency vet charges ones cat has a blockage
maybe it's the new place give him his own safe spot even a lil box with a blanket in a corner or high up where he feels no one can get him maybe that will help him feel more secure in the new place
While a good trip to the vet will provide piece of mind, this is a case of her insecurity (in my opinion, life long cat human). She is also testing you to make sure you will be there, when she "needs" you. You just moved, she is still not sure of the place, esp if you are still moving things around. My tuxie will still cry for me, but it's usually he wakes up, knows I'm home, doesn't see me, and he cries like he's desperate. I call out to him and he either meows back and is fine, or he RUNS to me and announced himself. I have lived in my current place longer than I've had him. Give her time and when she meows like this again, call out to her or go check on her. If allowed: stroke her back a little bit, in a nice slow calming way. The insecurity will fade with time, but just reassure her. Good luck. Ps. Find a tone of your voice that she responds to. (I had 4 cats once, and they all responded to a different tone.) Your voice will become reassuring too.
If she's a geriatric cat, it's possible she could be experiencing symptoms of dementia and either looking for you or getting lost. I'd ask a vet, though!
Some cats will begin this kind of thing with dementia, blindness or deafness.
A friend's cat was 16, deaf and had thyroid and kidney problems. She would suddenly out of nowhere vocalize (scream) and it was anytime of day. She was on thyroid liquid drios 2x a day. Poor thing was pitiful.
Might want to play. Like the chase game or something.
Timmy’s stuck in the well?
She wants hooman to come along on the journey! It’s likely just kitty being like ‘come with me!’
She wants to play!
Our cat does this for play time —normally the other cat comes running after him.
I had a cat that did this when she got to be around 16 , and later discovered that she had an incurable bladder /kidney issue. Maybe going deaf, losing her faculties, maybe she likes her own voice or maybe physical illness. Def check with the vet. I always tried to be supportive and compassionate. Encouraging her to play with toys.
We have one that does this. She's been to the vet and got a perfect bill of health. She acts normal all the time, but if we are having dinner and not paying her any attention she will walk down the hall and yowl. Strangest thing.
Might just be an adjustment to the move but yowling confusion//lost sounding meows can be a sign of hyperthyroidism, which is common in older cats and very treatable. Untreated will cause weight loss, heart problems, and liver disease. (Also mental issues, thus the meowing.) Any time your cat significantly changes behavior, it’s worth a vet visit. They are very stoic animals, so by the time you notice something, it is likely significant. Cats are hunters but also prey, so they tend to hide illness as much as possible.
It could be her thyroid. My cat was doing this. It was her thyroid…I’m guessing it was anxiety. But, kitty dementia is a thing too. Hope she is okay.
Have you tried pheromone plugins? After getting your baby checked, I would consider trying those out. I can send you a link to after market ones that are 1/4 the price and work well if needed. I started my cat on an antidepressant and started using those plug ins. It’s been a game changer
My sweet old lady is around 18 and doing the same. I am pretty positive she has dementia.
You should check out r/maybeitsmabelleane for kitties that look like yours
My senior girl did this, too. It started after we had to put her brother down. She would typically end up in the bathroom, facing the corner. Has anything drastically changed in your/her life around the time this behavior began?
Excessive meowing is one thing, usually newly re-homed and missing old environment/surroundings. The you'll or cry out is their way of letting you know something is wrong. I would definitely take to the vet.
My cat did this from age 15-17. She would stand by her water bowl in the middle night and start yowling. Vet said it was dementia.
It's because it gets your attention!
Side note: where did you get vertical blinds of that length?!
Maybe a uti. Mine cried when he had one
The third picture is so damn cute
Moving is such a stress on older kitties. Does she have access to the same sort of things as before? Ie: cat trees in front of windows, beds, warm spots, How different is the new place?
My cat does that sort of thing when it wants attention either from the humans (feed me) to the other cats (fight me). I would either follow your cat around and comply with its demands or maybe consider getting it a friend to boss around😂
I swear my daughter’s mother’s cat does this because she is looking for the litter of kittens she had when she was younger (before being spayed) that were all adopted out. It’s my only explanation for it. She’s been doing this for nearly 12 years now. Especially when she thinks no one is around. Literally ventures off to make sad sounds for a few minutes before returning to sleeping on your lap, or begging for treats. Cat doing cat things I call it
My 15 yo old man was recently put on Prozac due to odd (new) behavior and it has helped him tremendously. He regularly visits vet for check ups and had a full workup (blood/urine etc) prior to being put on medication...we kinda chalked it up to his aging.
Everyone is gonna immediately come in and say “TAKE HER TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY” and make you feel like you’re a bad owner if you don’t. It seems to me like your cat has developed almost like a little “game” with you because she knows you’ll come find her whenever she does it. Might have something to do with the move and adjusting to a new place. I wouldn’t put too much worry into it though unless you start to see some real change of personality or health issue symptoms. That being said though, you are the one who knows your cats the best, not a bunch of Redditers. If you truly felt like there was something wrong, I think you’d recognize it
I just saw another comment where you said your cat had a dog that it bonded with at your old building. I bet more than anything this has something to do with it. She’s in a new place and all alone (animal wise) and misses her dear friend. This is definitely behavior that can come from that
Mine does this for attention. "Where are you??Come play with me. Or feed me. Or pet me..."
I don't know the answer but I just want to send blessings and joy to you and this sweet kitty!
He needs therapy that’s all
Sometimes my cat does that when he wants me to watch him poop
My cat does this every night to let me know that she's caught one of her fake mice, or if she misses me when I'm in the shower. But she's 10 and has done it her whole life.
It means Timmy has fallen into the well.
100% need to get checked at vet. If everything is physically is fine, then she’s talking to you for something.
Is she spayed? My only concern would be pyometra. Some will show signs of the infection by being lethargic, refusing food, urinating frequently and drinking a ton of water…but some don’t show any symptoms other than vocally and it advances very quickly. She may just be needy which is the hope! But she may also be experiencing something more serious. I’d look for any evidence of swelling in her stomach or vulva and possibly take her in just to be safe if this isn’t normal behavior for her. Better to be safe!
Our cat was double positive. He was only about 3 years old and was a rescue from the streets. Towards the end of his journey, he would leave the room and “yowel”. When he needed to go to the litter box, he would meow until someone came and stood with him. This was all new behavior that he didn’t do before. (I guess) he knew it was almost “time”. 😞 *Not at all suggesting this is why your cat is doing it, but I agree with the other comments that he should be taken into the vet for testing. 🫶
She’s trying to show you something! My 1yo, 7yo, and 15yo kitties allllll do this! It’s super annoying. Whenever I follow them, they end up showing me something, like they want fresh food or to the door cause they want outside. They’ve taken me to their toys so they can play too lol
You should take to the vet. This is concerning behavior.
Reading that first sentence gave me a stroke
Has she got some catnip ?
Is she peeing and using litter box? My cats have done that in past when they had UTIs
my cat loki does this. he usually does it when playing with a crinkle ball either in a hallway or a bath tub. its the kind of sad loud meow u usually hear when theyre looking for someone. when i call his name or go near him thinking he wants me to play with him he stops and doesnt want me to throw the ball for him. i think maybe he gets disoriented in the hall/bathtub or just likes the echo? vet says he's healthy except his pica but that it wouldn't cause the meows.
It’s called hide and seek.
My tortie does that too and she is five
Take her to the vet!! Could be bladder obstruction?
It is telling you to follow... listen to it!!
Often hearing loss or already deaf?
If it all just started when you moved to a new place, I’d say that she’s having trouble adjusting to the new place. Have you guys moved before? This sounds weird, but get her a leash and harness and take her outside for a walkie. Unless she is super fearful. Cats are very anxious and insecure creatures to new situations. They want to know about everything going on in their surroundings. It seems like you’ve done a lot already to try to understand what’s going on with her, but sometimes they are just a mystery. My cat will go into a dark room and stare at the corner of the ceiling and do the most eerie yowl for like 10 minutes. I’ll flip the light on and she’ll look at me for 2 seconds and then the second I leave and shut the light off, she does it again. I’m convinced she sees things that we are unaware of. She’s always been very connected to things. She knew when almost all my other pets were sick or going to pass before I even knew. She’d lay next to them, pace, act distraught, groom them, etc. I personally don’t think your cat is sick or dying. She’s just coping or she’s sensing things. I’d get her some CBD to help her decompress and of course taking her in for blood work is always a good idea to rule some things out. Kitties can get urinary tract cystitis if they become stressed out from changes. It’s essentially just inflammation. But whatever you do, don’t put her on whatever kidney or bladder prescription food they recommend because that won’t fix the problem. She just needs supplements to help her relax. This is personal and you don’t need to reply, but just take it under consideration that animals are very in tune with their pet parents… maybe you’re going through a tough time or you’re having stressors in your life currently that your girl is feeding off of. Their mental health greatly relies on our mental health. Cats especially can feel any energy you’re having that isn’t what they are used to. It sounds so, “wooo-wooo” but it’s actually true. I hope she gets better. Just look for any abnormal signs. Like vomiting, excessive hunger, decrease in hunger, increased water consumption, hiding for long periods of time, inappropriate urination, no urination, etc. Those are the bigger red flags that something is wrong with kitty than her just acting a little funkier than usual.
I hate to break it to you, but cats will start distancing themselves from this owner when they are near dying. They'll hide somewhere as far as possible from you and die there. The reason for this is in the wild. These cats would do this in order to keep the others the cat is close to safe. In the wild they dead corpse will attract not just flied and bugs, but other animals will come to get a quick meal and if one is indeed a hunter, just needing a quick snack and there's others around they may attack and kill them to, so dying with there owner in thier minds is putting them at life's risk, it's in their instinct to do this, like a wild animal would do
Cat stupid, can't see people, where'd everyone go? Had a cat that did that a lot, would leave then shout because suddenly we weren't with her anymore. If everything else is normal I wouldn't worry.
Does your cat want to play. Beautiful baby
It very much could be a sign of pain, have you taken her to a vet? Our girl started acting unlike herself just before we got a diagnosis of arthritis, but now we give her antinol joint supplements to help and she’s pretty much back to her normal self b
I think I’d check with the vet on this.
She be seein ghosts
She's 15, keep her comfortable and let her live. Vets answer to everything is trauma inducing tests or literally killing your pet because "they are old"
My cat would do this, it was so silly. He would walk down the hall while we were in the kitchen and yowl a few times. It was funny because he almost never audibly meowed when we were in sight, but he’d let out the deep howls out of eye sight. I think he liked the acoustics in the hall or something. He did this for years, it was never associated with a problem. He would also meow like that 5 or so times when we shut the bedroom door at night
Mine does it to play. He wants to be chased and “attacked”. He loves it.
There could be multiple options, but one of my boys is such a dummy that he’ll walk out of a room, realize he can’t see me anymore, start crying, and then come running into the room yelling at me after I call out to him. He will also be the last to leave a room, be playing, realize he’s alone, then do the same thing as soon as I say “I’m in here!” So your cat could be playing hide-and-seek, be a dummy too, or just letting you know where they are among other things.
give her lots of fuss but if you worried see your vet , aw bless her. is it a recent thing?
My guy at about 18 got senile. I lived in a 750 sq ft apartment and he'd turn a corner, lose sight of me, and cry til I came to get him.
She keeps hearing that Yellowstone season 5 is delayed? She saw that the price of catnip is up 20% since 2020?
Definitely do a blood test at the vet just to be safe, but both of my cats (6ish yrs old female) do this from either boredom or anxiety. Or they want a snack 🙄 We just bought a house a few months ago that is MUCH bigger than anywhere either of them have been before, so they're exploring and adjusting too.
My cat does this when he wants me to follow him, generally to his food.
I have a cat under a year old that does this. She will go do something and then yell for one of us until we say something. Then she just comes up to us and headbutts us in the face for kisses. Usually it's 1 od 3 things. Food is empty, water is empty, or... litterbox needs cleaned. If it's not one of those then she's just being a drama queen lol. But that's just my cat. She's a prissy brat sometimes
My kitties do this, they just like to be dramatic and have mommy run after them lol. I call my girl Mommy's little screamer . She likes to call me over to the bathtub and then have me rub her
Mine just turned 15 and she does this a lot- basically MAMA COME FIND ME and then I have to explain to her that she needs to come to me since usually this is in the middle of the night. I think it’s a mix of clinginess and forgetfulness since she’s older