Cat incessantly meows outside bedroom for hours every night. Only option left to give him away?

war&wisdom

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Also, both of mine suckle on soft blankets for comfort. It used to be on me, but I redirected them when they were little, and it's mostly on certain types of blankets now. It's common in bottle babies and kittens taken from mom too early, but other cats do it too.
 

r-kins

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I will be contacting the vet tomorrow to see what I can do about meds. I feel bad going that route because he’s only 2. Am I supposed to give him anti anxiety meds for the next 18 years?
Cats do seem more complicated these days, don't they? Of the last three I adopted, all three have had some serious emotional issues.

One of my cats had a nervous breakdown and PTSD from a lamp falling over when he was playing with the other cat, and we put him on anxiety meds for a couple of months and he overcame it. He needed to be able to realize that things were ok and that the other cat wasn't going to hurt him. After that he didn't need the meds anymore. So if it comes to anxiety meds, it absolutely may be a temporary thing.

My other cat is on anxiety meds and it may be a lifelong thing. But if dropping half a tablet in his dinner is all we have to do to make his and our lives better, then it's very manageable.

Besides talking to your vet and asking about anxiety meds, your best option right now may be putting in some earplugs, hiding the things you love, and letting the kitties in your room at night again. You may find that when it's not a new and exciting adventure and you don't respond to them for a few nights, they'll start going to sleep because there's no reward for being annoying. There are lots of battery-operated clocks if they chew cords.

And I just thought of this: could you put a screen door or baby gates in place of your regular door? Maybe if your guy can see you, he'll realize you're still around and he won't panic, but it will keep him out of the room. (It sounds like you live alone, anyway, which makes it doable.) I did it to keep the cats separated when the one had a nervous breakdown.

Sometimes a home just isn't a good fit, but it would be so sad to give him to someone else who locks him away at night, just in a place where they can't hear him. He will be just as anxious and lonely, although probably moreso since he's now lost his sister and you. I hope you find a solution that fixes his emotional issues so you can both be happier and stay a family. Best of luck to you and your kitties!
 
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pearl99

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I will be contacting the vet tomorrow to see what I can do about meds. I feel bad going that route because he’s only 2. Am I supposed to give him anti anxiety meds for the next 18 years?
One thing to add, my daughter's cat is now able to be off his medication. She did move to a new apartment (she bought a condo) that is about the same size as the rental apt., and a couple of months after that tried weaning him off the medication after about a year of being on it. Her cat was younger than 2 going on it, and had no side effects.
So might not be permanent. But it sure can help the little guy.
I hope something works for you guys!! :hearthrob:
 
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