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On the last straw with my cat, as well as being worried :(


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Old 15-11-2011, 12:25
NooksCranny
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All he does constantly is meow and meow and meow and meow and does annoying things over and over (on purpose!) just to get our attention so we feed him sometimes even when he's just been fed!

We have put up with it since he was little and just put it down to him being a hungry kitten. But now he's over a year old and its getting ridiculous, to the point where we just shut him in the other room for a bit. He has us up during the night and early hours of the morning with constant scrapping at the door and meowing. His routine is literally wake one of us up, meow to be fed, then wake the other up and meow to be fed by them, then maybe do something else, then meow to be fed again...and its just constant throughout the day, evening and (like I said) the night.

I have grown up around pets, and therefore have had many cats around me and have never known a cat like our Thomas for that kind of behaviour.

I said to my partner just now, that we are going to take him to the vets at some point. But we will start him off on some worming tablets and see how it goes (even though I never see any in his leavings when cleaning his tray). I'm a huge animal lover and I just know its not normal at all
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Old 15-11-2011, 12:43
RAINBOWGIRL22
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Has he been neutured?
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Old 15-11-2011, 12:47
NooksCranny
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Yes he's been neutered.
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Old 15-11-2011, 12:51
stud u like
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He might have a worm burden that is slowly making him quite ill and stressed. Worms can take a lot of nutrients and make a cat malnourished. If not sorted out quickly, the worms can fill the stomach up and not allow any food to be processed by the cat and this ends up with a dead cat.

He may well be bored. If he miaows for food, play with him more. Get him into exercising. Cats love toys. Some are happy playing with a paper ball. I felt I was throwing paper balls down the stairs with great regularity when my Impossible Princess was a kitten.

It is best to get him down to the vet in case he has something wrong with him.
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Old 15-11-2011, 14:39
molliepops
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Whilst a trip to the vet is the first thing to do some cats are just very vocal, we had two siamese crosses and they meowed all day long, if we hadn't loved them it would have been a huge problem but love overcame the annoyance we found.
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Old 15-11-2011, 15:10
technology_love
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How is his weight?


Our rescue cat got thin and was constantly hungry.

turns out he had worms. Some pills sorted this out and he was back to his normal self.
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Old 15-11-2011, 16:50
cats_five
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I vote for him being bored, and in my view the best toy for a bored cat is another cat. My two Oriental Blacks (a very easily bored breed) are over 4 now and still play like kittens off and on.

You should be regularly worming your cat anyway, and the most effective worming pill I know of is Milbemax which is vet only - and just one every 3 months. Mine get them at annual vaccinations and the vet lets me have enough for the rest of the year. They need to know how much the cat weighs to give the right dose.

However, if a vet visit will help you then yes, go for it, and get a wormer at the same time.

I've never seen worms or signs of them in the tray. I have seen white wriggling tapeworm segments on a cat's bottom (the cat was black so they were dead obvious) and I've seen cats throw up roundworms a couple of times.
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Old 16-11-2011, 14:16
NooksCranny
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How is his weight?


Our rescue cat got thin and was constantly hungry.

turns out he had worms. Some pills sorted this out and he was back to his normal self.
He's not skinny at all he seems fine in that department.
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Old 16-11-2011, 14:19
NooksCranny
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I vote for him being bored, and in my view the best toy for a bored cat is another cat. My two Oriental Blacks (a very easily bored breed) are over 4 now and still play like kittens off and on.

You should be regularly worming your cat anyway, and the most effective worming pill I know of is Milbemax which is vet only - and just one every 3 months. Mine get them at annual vaccinations and the vet lets me have enough for the rest of the year. They need to know how much the cat weighs to give the right dose.

However, if a vet visit will help you then yes, go for it, and get a wormer at the same time.

I've never seen worms or signs of them in the tray. I have seen white wriggling tapeworm segments on a cat's bottom (the cat was black so they were dead obvious) and I've seen cats throw up roundworms a couple of times.
I haven't seen any signs of worms on my cat either, and the only time his ever thrown up was when he was still a kitten.

I have thought about getting him a "play mate" but both me and my OH don't like the possible idea of then getting attached and maybe having two meowing, annoying cats running about the place constantly asking for food lol.
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Old 16-11-2011, 16:58
Jolene
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Hi Nooks,

I am with you totally!. I understand your frustration as they make you feel like you're not looking after or caring for them properly, and if anything, you cant do enough for them

Honestly, I went to my vets with the exact same problem, I joked about getting his (my late cat) vocal chord removed or muted! (obv only joking) to which my vet just smiled after checking him over and said "Jolene, you have a very vocal cat, it's something you need to live with, he is in tip top condition" So I did live with it. He did stop but only after a few years (sorry), and I think this was due to me spending more time in my room with my door shut tight, so he didnt have the free run of the house like before, and able to run all over me!
Maybe by me not molly coddling him, being constantly by his side, perhaps it gave him independance, so he "matured" a bit, idk.

I hope for your own mental state that he quietens down.

Have you thought about turning this into a positive? you could make him a youtube star, or sell your story on him being the most vocal cat in Scotland
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Old 16-11-2011, 17:13
CatStew
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What happens if you just completely ignore him? If he thinks he's going to be fed each time he meows at one of you he might just think that he's onto a bit of a winner and think "hmm this is a bit of alright!"

One of my cats is similar to this, she's called Tiggi because she is a little piggy! She's regularly wormed and we've had her checked over by the vets, but she loves her food! It's hard to manage how much to feed her without overfeeding her. I did try to feed her ad lib, although she didn't ask for food as much, she turned into a bit of a porker so we've reduced her food again now. She loves attention too, she's got more toys then a pet shop and she snuggles up in bed with us at night.

I agree with what others have said though, if you're concerned about your cat then you should take him to the vets to ensure that he's healthy and happy
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Old 16-11-2011, 17:34
NooksCranny
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Hi Nooks,

I am with you totally!. I understand your frustration as they make you feel like you're not looking after or caring for them properly, and if anything, you cant do enough for them

Honestly, I went to my vets with the exact same problem, I joked about getting his (my late cat) vocal chord removed or muted! (obv only joking) to which my vet just smiled after checking him over and said "Jolene, you have a very vocal cat, it's something you need to live with, he is in tip top condition" So I did live with it. He did stop but only after a few years (sorry), and I think this was due to me spending more time in my room with my door shut tight, so he didnt have the free run of the house like before, and able to run all over me!
Maybe by me not molly coddling him, being constantly by his side, perhaps it gave him independance, so he "matured" a bit, idk.

I hope for your own mental state that he quietens down.

Have you thought about turning this into a positive? you could make him a youtube star, or sell your story on him being the most vocal cat in Scotland
I'm glad we aren't the only ones with and annoying cat lol ....We always shut him out when we are asleep at night now (used to have him in with us at night when he was a lot smaller) so that can't be the problem. I'd like to get him checked over at the vets anyway just to put my mind at rest more than anything .

Lol putting him on youtube is a good idea he already does tricks << Thomas and my OH lol
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Old 16-11-2011, 17:35
mouths
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I agree, take him to the vets and see if there's a reason.

Does he stop meowing only when you feed him, or will he stop if you simply pay him attention? My boyfriend had a cat who they'd rescued from a house full of cats, and it learnt to meow to get attention - so they got him a little velcro jacket so he felt secure and wanted.

I wouldn't give in to him and feed him, he'll get fat, and also you're rewarding his behaviour, so he'll continue to do it.

Maybe your vet could refer you to a behaviourist?
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Old 16-11-2011, 17:40
NooksCranny
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What happens if you just completely ignore him? If he thinks he's going to be fed each time he meows at one of you he might just think that he's onto a bit of a winner and think "hmm this is a bit of alright!"

One of my cats is similar to this, she's called Tiggi because she is a little piggy! She's regularly wormed and we've had her checked over by the vets, but she loves her food! It's hard to manage how much to feed her without overfeeding her. I did try to feed her ad lib, although she didn't ask for food as much, she turned into a bit of a porker so we've reduced her food again now. She loves attention too, she's got more toys then a pet shop and she snuggles up in bed with us at night.

I agree with what others have said though, if you're concerned about your cat then you should take him to the vets to ensure that he's healthy and happy
If we completely ignore him, like I said, he will continually do annoying things for example get on top of the TV, shelf or table and sit there until someone turns around to see what he's doing then if they turn back around he will take his paw and slowly nudge anything off until you chase him away. Or he will get on top of the living room door and meow, if I have fresh flowers he will continuously go at them and try to run off with one (like he does at the minute) or he will scrap at the closed bedroom door as if he wants to go in, sometimes he will even just face a wall and scrap at it, and occasionally turn around to see whose watching...I swear he's like a little kid sometimes lol.....he's either a greedy boy or just an attention seeker lol.
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Old 16-11-2011, 17:51
cats_five
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He might be both greedy and attention seeking!
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Old 17-11-2011, 22:12
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If we completely ignore him, like I said, he will continually do annoying things for example get on top of the TV, shelf or table and sit there until someone turns around to see what he's doing then if they turn back around he will take his paw and slowly nudge anything off until you chase him away. Or he will get on top of the living room door and meow, if I have fresh flowers he will continuously go at them and try to run off with one (like he does at the minute) or he will scrap at the closed bedroom door as if he wants to go in, sometimes he will even just face a wall and scrap at it, and occasionally turn around to see whose watching...I swear he's like a little kid sometimes lol.....he's either a greedy boy or just an attention seeker lol.
yes one of mine does this to get attention but luckily not very often

not being funny but do you pay your cat attention? do you play with him and get him to run around to wear him out?
(i know you probably do but just checking )

do you have set food times? maybe he needs a routine so he knows he will be feed at a certain time?

sorry cant really think of anyting else but a vet visit is probably a good idea anyway
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Old 18-11-2011, 13:54
NooksCranny
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yes one of mine does this to get attention but luckily not very often

not being funny but do you pay your cat attention? do you play with him and get him to run around to wear him out?
(i know you probably do but just checking )

do you have set food times? maybe he needs a routine so he knows he will be feed at a certain time?

sorry cant really think of anyting else but a vet visit is probably a good idea anyway
Hi, yes we do play with him he has hundreds of toys, we even scrunch up paper and envelopes etc to keep him amused. I also tied two old string chords from jogging bottoms together to make a little thing he could chase around. Sometimes though, he seems that he wants to play but when you actually get up to play with him he runs straight to his food bowl I try and distract him but he just seems to say "no..I don't want that...what are you doing? Feed me again.." lol.

We do try and keep it to set feeding times ever since he was small....but sometimes you just want peace and quiet to do something (after having a bad nights sleep, or you're ill, for example) and all you can hear is meow meow meow meow constantly getting louder then him knocking things down or scrapping at the door...so you just give him a bit more food. But that doesn't happen every time he meows, like I say, he sometimes gets shut in the other room until he is quiet.
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Old 18-11-2011, 14:27
molliepops
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Does he have access to his toys at all times because sometime putting them away and getting one or two out each day and changing them around will get them more excited about them.
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Old 19-11-2011, 13:03
NooksCranny
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Does he have access to his toys at all times because sometime putting them away and getting one or two out each day and changing them around will get them more excited about them.
His toys are usually kept in his bed which he doesn't use. We take some out each day so he can have a run around. I was tidying under the spare bed yesterday and found about 5 of his toys under there which he had hid lol which I had totally forgot about, so he enjoyed playing with them again
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Old 19-11-2011, 17:09
curmy
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I've just seen the video Have you heard of those cats toys which are like plastic ball with shapes cut out ? You put cat bics into them & it takes ages for them to fish them out
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Old 19-11-2011, 18:09
Maisey Moo
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Whiskas are doing a cat stocking with a treat ball in them this year.
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Old 19-11-2011, 21:15
NooksCranny
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I've just seen the video Have you heard of those cats toys which are like plastic ball with shapes cut out ? You put cat bics into them & it takes ages for them to fish them out
Whiskas are doing a cat stocking with a treat ball in them this year.
Yeah, he has some of them
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Old 20-11-2011, 09:31
molliepops
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It sounds like you are spoiling him if he was all these things available perhaps as I said just get one or two out each day, and then he will spend time playing with them. Alternatively another cat might keep him busy.
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Old 20-11-2011, 14:18
Synth
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I think you've got to remain strong when it comes to feeding, no matter how tempting it is to give in to stop the meowing for a while.

A vet check-up cant hurt but it really does sound like he needs a companion. When we got our 3rd cat, he was so needy. He'd just cry and cry if we left him alone for 5 minutes, always wanted to play. Our other 2 cats were sisters so they had their own little clique, they slept together, played together etc. so he was the outsider.

So in the end we went and found another boy the same age as him. He was so happy to have a friend. I think no matter how much attention you can give, theres no substitute for another cat.
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