Can cats throw temper tantrums?

[hollie ordway]

My cat Venus is an incredibly chatty cat. Sometimes they're cute little chirpy meows, ones that sound very happy and chipper. I have no problems with those, but recently her meows have been sounding... Distressed? Bothered?

I will throw in there that I recently moved (a little over a month ago) from a 650 sq ft 1 bedroom apartment to a much smaller 340 sq foot studio. She seemed to take to the change overall pretty well - she did pee on some of my clothes a couple of times, but they seemed more like isolated incidents and since then they haven't happened again. She didn't seem scared of the new environment or anything. But one thing I notice is... She seems perhaps restless? She constantly walks around the small studio and can't seem to settle down. She is naturally very curious and likes to get into things - if anything, when I brought her into the new apartment, she seemed more curious than upset. (She was exactly that way when I brought her home from the humane society too.)

But I noticed that when she gets restless, it's like when she's curious and wants to go snooping around and I don't let her (close a closet she opened, can't manage to jump on the top of a really high shelf in my dressing room because it's just out of reach, etc) it's almost like she starts throwing "temper tantrums"! She starts to meow incessantly... They're not normal meows, almost more like yowls. Not a "meow." Instead, it's more of a "Maw-ooooooooo. Maw-oooooooo. Maw-oooooooo." And a lot of times when she's doing it, she's eyeing something that it looks like she wants to get onto/into, but can't. She's been doing this a lot - sometimes she'll just even walk around doing it. Very disturbed sounding. Or sometimes the pitch of her meow (usually very high and chipper sounding) suddenly drops like ten octaves and becomes this very sharp, short, deep "meow, meow, meow" that is INCREDIBLY loud, and almost angry sounding.

She's never been aggressive or anything towards me whatsoever, but she definitely seems bothered. Could this all be from the change? I want to try and get her to quiet down as much as I can because my apartment's walls aren't very soundproof and I fear my neighbors might call and complain!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

It sounds like she is very vocal and voicing her displeasure.  Does she have any cat trees (tall ones!) or windows she can look out of?  Things like that may help her feel less confined and give her more outlets for her energy.  

 

[plan]

I think they can throw tantrums, although I don't think they get "mad" in the sense that they'd do spiteful things. That's the conventional wisdom anyway, and I think it makes sense. What I have noticed, however, is that my cat throws tantrums when there's something he specifically wants and can't have, usually for his own protection.

My cat is really vocal as well, and I know the types of sounds you're talking about. Do you play with her? Got any good toys she really likes? Is there a window where she can hang out on the perch and watch birds/bugs/people? Maybe it's as simple as helping her burn off some energy and anxiousness. Or maybe she feels like her "territory" has been halved and she's frustrated because she has less room to run around?

Aside from the toys, the only other thing I can say is don't give in, and don't give her attention when she's howling unless you think she's hurt or there's really something wrong with her.

 

[hollie ordway]

Thank you all for the replies! Despite the small size I have two rather large cat trees that I was determined to make fit. I did. I do play with her although I am guilty that since I moved, I've been spending a lot of time trying to get this place in order - since it's so small, if I leave things and boxes around it's really i the way. Plus she ruined her favorite wand toy just before I moved - this might be a lot of what's wrong and I will need to go get another one of those soon. She is a play-a-colic. I used to have to try and find time to fit in an hour total of play time through the day to wear her down because she's so go, go, go. I do still play with her, and she does react, but since it's not the same toy I notice her attention wanes a lot quicker.

 

[mingking]

Could there be an animal or another cat outside or behind the walls? Maybe there used to be an animal in your new studio and it smells like previous animal still?

I think a cat tree and some play time will definitely help, just like the other members suggested. Perhaps put some things that smell like her around the home to calm her and just get her scent every where. 

 

[hexiesfriend]

Does she have a way to look out the windows?

 

[alyssa clark]

Does ur cat bite and claw?

 

[kittens mom]

I believe the correct term would be Hissy Fit.