Cat driving me nuts- help.

[Mncatlady88]

I have a 1.5 year old neutered male tuxedo and a 4 month old spayed black female cat.

We used to live in a house but now are in a spacious 1 bedroom apartment for the forseeable future. The older male has always been, regardless of residence, relentlessly clingy and an excessive vocalizer.

We have a routine. Ive watched and read a lot how it helps....we play every day, sometimes several times throughout the day to the point where he is panting and giving up. He loves to play with the other kitty and they leap and wrestle and chase. It is never violent and neither have ever bitten or even hissed at one another or anyone. They have a variety of toys, boxes and cat tower (high ground). The toys I even rotate every few days.

They are not free fed, they get a little wet and dry in the morning, and more dry only in evening. Theyve both been to the vet, both healthy. Vet doesn't know why he is so meowy. I have the feliway diffuser as well.

It is driving me nuts. If I am home and my attention is not 100% on him he is yelling at me. I tried ignoring at meowing and rewarding silence for nearly 3 months and he doesn't get it. If I pet and spend time with other kitty he gets jealous and meows more. Despite a strict play, food, bedtime routine, he often wakes me up trilling and meowing several times a night.

I love him so much, he is my first kitty but I feel like a slave to him, and can't turn attention to my own projects and needs when home due to his constant interruptions. I'm worried also he is driving my apartment neighbors nuts too.

Help! How can I help him gain some independence and chill out on the chatter?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Your 4 month old absolutely needs more food, particularly wet, and more frequently throughout the day to fuel the enormous amount of growth that is occurring, until she's at least a year old if not longer.

I would increase the amount of food for your older cat as well.

In addition, try taking him for walks if you can for the mental and physical exercise.

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[Maria Bayote]

I agree with Furballsmom . I think you need to feed them more, especially the younger one. The 4 month old cat needs free food access at all times. I also recommend more wet food feeding to both. It could also be that the cat is hungry that is why he meows a lot. See how it goes and update us.

 

[Mncatlady88]

Their bowls rarely actually empty though, despite feeding times and not free feeding. They opt to eat a little and walk away....so I guess they kind of free feed themselves until the next feeding.

I live in Minnesota and it is winter here, walks could happen, but not currently.

 

[Furballsmom]

Try a different brand of food, or a different style. For example if you're currently feeding pate, try shreds or other style of wet, or vice versa, and see if there is any difference in the quantity they eat/their interest.

Natural Balance, Redbarn, Tiny Tiger, Miko, Merrick Backcountry, are some good foods you could take a look at and try.

 

[cessena]

In addition to the food you also might try some automatic toys for him? My girl is not very interactive when we play, so I've gotten her a couple of toys that I can set and she will watch for a while, and then I'll bring out an interactive toy. The one with the feather toy under a blanket has been a big hit with her, and also the automatic laser. It's more "kitty tv" than kitty playtime, but it might capture his interest beyond nagging you. I would be careful not to turn it on for him when he is begging though. My kitty quickly learned to come find me to push buttons for her. (Which Is adorable and she doesn't do it often, but it sounds like your boy would be a bit of a pest about it.)

 

[Mncatlady88]

I can try that- switching up his food. For wet I do already rotate between flavors and textures. Maybe he wants a consistent texture and flavor?

Should add, they have several litter boxes and they are cleaned every other morning.

Even playing with him though is difficult (and has been before moving to a smaller space), as he loves to watch toys but doesn't always go after them. Ive tried several automated toys that got poo-pooed. All kinds of smaller crinkle, catnap, mouse, balls, tunnels, etc. I usually leave cardboard boxes out for him (and her) to play in and also got a treat kong ball thing too. He will just roll it a little, eat a treat and be done. The only toy he just recently started to really play for, is that wire with rolled up cardboard on the end (like the feathery bird string toys but wire and cardboard instead) and that one he finally is engaged with....for a short time.

So i wager some of his meowing is needing stimulation and exercise, but he often just sits and watches uninterested despite several types of toys being tried (until now this wire one).

I thought about trying the One Fast Cat wheel, but im afraid to pay that much and have him poo-poo that as well.

I will say, meowing and clingyness aside, both of the cats dont have accidents, no biting or aggression, and seldom do they ever get into or destroy things. Worst they do there is flip a bunch of their dry food out of their bowls every feeding.

 

[Mncatlady88]

Writing back for any last ideas. We play in the morning and the evening. He has a kitty friend and they play and wrestle a lot. They have many toys, I leave them treat puzzles and boxes and switch it all up occasionally to keep it fun. I changed their food and seem to poo poo that so i switched back and still not into it. I got another tower. I tried two more automated toys. He now doesnt really want to engage with the wire toy he did like for awhile. Will bat for it twice, go into my bedroom and howl. Hes been to the vet, nothing wrong. No UTI, hes fixed, no major issues. Hes started obsessively biting at the back of one of his front paws. Im concerned. And I'm feeling so lost and confused how to help. I love him dearly but wondering if im not the right person for him. Id hate that but i just cant seem to understand. Feeling helpless.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Have you talked to your vet about anything such as gabapentin or something like that?

What about Fancy feast pate'?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Coming late to this thread - did his behavior get worse with the arrival of the kitten? Is his kitty friend that you mentioned the kitten, or another cat that he sees from time to time? Just trying to determine if he might be missing the kitty friend - if that is NOT the kitten, or if this is just a form of insecurity because of the new kitten. Even though these two get along well, it doesn't mean he isn't feeling insecure from having another cat get some of what he feels is 'his' attention. A clingy cat could easily become more clingy if there is added feelings of insecurity.

Somehow, he is not getting something he wants/needs. The vocalization is a symptom of that, and likely it is escalated to the point of including this new behavior of biting his leg. Add in the less interest in his food/toys - all seem to point to stress/anxiety, since you are saying he is healthy according to the vet. It didn't work for my cat, but have you tried entertaining him with animal/bird videos? Maybe even try some soft calming music to play for him?

Have you tried some of the calming products on the market to see if that might help him any - Feliway and Bach Rescue Remedy are just two. Do an internet search on 'cat calming products' and see which ones you might want to try. Not all work on all cats, so might have to do some experimenting. You can also talk to the vet about tricyclic antidepressants or serotonin enhancers, which are used to help with anxiety to see if they think that it might be worth a try.

 

[Meowmee]

I am not clear on how long your older kitty has been with you? He is 1.5, did you get him as a kitten? And now you have added a new kitten in, so that is likely the cause of him feeling more needy. But you said he was always clingy and vocal so I don’t understand why it is a bigger issue now. Did you get the kitten to try to change that? It seems like that is just the way he is. But I think you are the right one for him, it is just a huge adjustment with the new kitten.

He is probably feeling insecure that he is losing your affection due to the kitten and you are the one he is bonded to. You need to give a lot of extra attention to the first cat when a new cat is introduced, even if they get along well.
It also does sound like you aren't feeding often enough but it maybe not if they don’t eat all of it. Do you give large portions?
I also think the calming otc products and a medication trial might be a good idea until he adjusts to having a new kitten, and a dvm visit or consult to see why he is biting his leg. There also could be some medical issue causing some of this. It sounds like the anxious behavior of being clingy and vocalizing is due to the kitten maybe. I used a thunder coat for Quinn when he was a kitten because he wouldn’t stop jumping on Syb and it did calm him a bit, but it didn't stop him totally.