Why is my very old cat meowing all the time?

Question

My cat is almost 19 years old. He's frail but still very active for his age. I live in the woods and he still catches small rodents and moths and grooms and picks on my other cat. He was always aloof and didn't want to be touched much, but now he meows very loudly (because he's deaf now) unless he's in my lap or in my arms. It's almost constant. My vet and neighbor told me the cat does not appear to be ill.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

Uh, senile?

Answer 2

A few things to take into consideration:-  

* Make sure the cat has food, water, and a clean litter box. Your kitty could simply be communicating that she wants something to be done about one of those things.

    * Figure out when your cat is not meowing. Is it a certain time of day or during a certain activity? If you pay attention to kitty, does she continue to meow? When does she start again? Then, try to find a way to continue whatever activity stops the meowing (for example, if kitty consistently meows after you stop playtime, get some games for her to amuse herself with after you go to bed)

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    * Consider a trip to the vet. When cats are vocal, they are usually trying to communicate something to us... check with your vet to make sure your pet is healthy. There are certain times when cats are noisier, like when they are in heat or pregnant.

Many times kitties meow for attention... and many times they meow exactly when we wouldn't (or couldn't) pay attention to them. I agree with the general consensus to ignore pets when they behave in attention-seeking ways. However, the big problem with this is often the pets don't stop immediately. That can be very frustrating... and makes it hard not to pay attention. Which just continues the cycle!

You need to try to break the cycle. If pets get a response from you by doing something (meowing, barking, etc.), they are just repeating that action to get a response again. The first rule of thumb is do not respond directly to the cat’s meowing even to get up, shush, or yell – any response counts as one, even if it isn't a positive one. If your pet continues to meow, try a time out. Shut the door to the room you are in, when she stops meowing, she can come play. If she meows again, back out she goes. More than anything else, this will take time and patience. Good luck!

Answer 3

Wow, 19 years! Well maybe he is just letting out frustration or he is happy.  

Answer 4

My mom's cat is a real character, she used to hate being touched and being picked up. Ever since she got old (18 now) she suddenly loves cuddles and sleeping on peoples tummys. She also wants a lot of attention now, like when she eats she wants you to watch or she will meaow until you come to her and then continue eating. I think its an age thing! They want more warmth, maybe they get cold more now? I think your cat meaows a lot because he wants to be with you and warm up on your lap.  

Answer 5

Your cat is in the very last stages of his life. If you can imagine how a person would react to suddenly being deaf and frail, you can imagine what your cat is going through. All of a sudden he can't hear his own voice, or other noises around him. The natural reaction to this stress is to make more noise, much like a newly deaf person will yell and yell wondering why they cant hear the noises they know they are making. Being in your arms or lap must be comforting and a safe place for him, and he doesn't feel confused or stressed out from the changes (unexplainable to him) that his body is going through.

I know it must get annoying, but it's important to be kind to aging pets. I mean, think of all the people who take care of their aging parents, it's sort of the same idea... make them as comfortable as possible because you never know how much time you have left with them!