Constant Want And Needing For No Reason

BestCatMom

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My cat Fiona is a 15 year old tabby (the one in my profile picture). I have had her since she was born, and just this last daylight-savings, she has been at a constant want. I love her to death, but it’s been so annoying. She is in perfect health, and is still the same as she used to be. Since daylight-savings this year, she’s been waking me up at 5am,(an hour before I Normally get up) because she was being fed at 6am by some other people in my family. I then changed her eating schedule to night, just a little bit after I eat. But for the past week and a half, she has been waking me up at between 2-5am, but not for food, just attention. The weird thing is, is that once I put her in my bed to give her the attention she most desperately needs, she starts purring, and then jumps out, and starts passing at my bed side again. And for the past few dats, it’s mow been at every waking moment I happen to be everywhere I go. She’s pawwing on the walls, doors, draws, etc. There hasn’t been much change for the past few years except that my other cat Emma died of kidney disease last year, and the daylight savings. But the thing is, that she has never done this before, and I know I’m not the only one being bothered by it, because it’s so loud, that everyone can hear it. Another this is, that it’s only me, she doesn’t do this to anyone else.



If anyone has found a way to stop this from happening, can you please explain to me, I would love to be able to sleep again.
 

FeebysOwner

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Hi! Welcome! Fiona's so cute in that pic! And, I want to say I am so sorry about Emma...

How many times a day is Fiona being fed? Does she only eat canned food, or is there dry left out for her to munch on between meal times? Has there been any other changes in her - litterbox, drinking, playing, etc.?

She could be reacting to the loss of Emma but that seems like it should have started sooner. Could there be other changes that are so subtle that you have not noticed them until this more recent behavior? Like a gradual change that you may have overlooked?

She is trying to tell you something, that is for sure. I was confused by your statement "and starts passing at my bed side again". Can you please explain? Thanks.

The other thing - are you in a apartment, and there is a new cat next door that she smells or senses? Just trying to come up with any idea that could help.
 

Mamanyt1953

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Ideally, adult cats should be fed twice a day, once in the morning, and once in the evening. That might cut down on some of it right there. Once a day isn't enough for most cats.

Now, you say she is in perfect health...when was her last vet check? She's at the age when she may be starting to develop some cognitive issues, as well, poor baby. I'd want to rule that out. There is one medication for FCD (feline cognitive disorder), available, by prescription only, but I don't know much about it. This is the ASPCA's article on the subject, it's worth at least looking at:

Older Cats with Behavior Problems

As for why she would only do this with you...she loves you above all others, and looks to you to "fix this for me, please." It's both a lovely compliment, and a real pain to deal with, isn't it?
 

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Hi!
You've gotten some great suggestions and advice above.
As mentioned, if it were me I'd continue to give her that evening feeding and also provide a feeding in the morning, and I'd take her to the vet.

Her restlessness in the early mornings and pawing at the walls, doors etc could be an indication that something might be going on outside your apartment/house that she thinks you need to know about.

Along with the vet visit and additional food, try some music - it's known to help cats relax. There's low volume classical harp music, George Handel compositions, an app called Relax My Cat, and MusicForCats . com.

Something else you could try is a thermal or heated cat bed :)
 
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BestCatMom

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Hi! Welcome! Fiona's so cute in that pic! And, I want to say I am so sorry about Emma...

How many times a day is Fiona being fed? Does she only eat canned food, or is there dry left out for her to munch on between meal times? Has there been any other changes in her - litterbox, drinking, playing, etc.?

She could be reacting to the loss of Emma but that seems like it should have started sooner. Could there be other changes that are so subtle that you have not noticed them until this more recent behavior? Like a gradual change that you may have overlooked?

She is trying to tell you something, that is for sure. I was confused by your statement "and starts passing at my bed side again". Can you please explain? Thanks.

The other thing - are you in a apartment, and there is a new cat next door that she smells or senses? Just trying to come up with any idea that could help.

I leave dry food for her through out the day, and asks for more even though her bowl is like 1/3 full. She hasn’t had any litter changes except getting a larger pan because she’s been having issues with smaller pans, but she’s grown used to this change though. Nothing is really new since this started, or before this started, kinda just happened out of no where after daylight savings, and grew more consistent.

“And started passing at my bedside again,” was auto corrected from “pawwing at my bedside” kinda like scratching for attention.

I do thank you for your tips, and I will try looking for more problems, but it’s only the need for attention that is really new, no other new behavior.
 
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BestCatMom

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Hi!
You've gotten some great suggestions and advice above.
As mentioned, if it were me I'd continue to give her that evening feeding and also provide a feeding in the morning, and I'd take her to the vet.

Her restlessness in the early mornings and pawing at the walls, doors etc could be an indication that something might be going on outside your apartment/house that she thinks you need to know about.

Along with the vet visit and additional food, try some music - it's known to help cats relax. There's low volume classical harp music, George Handel compositions, an app called Relax My Cat, and MusicForCats . com.

Something else you could try is a thermal or heated cat bed :)

Thank you for suggestions, I’ll look into a heating bed. I normally put a cat mad infrot of the heater with some pillows for her, she like having more napping places.

I also have taken her to the vet many times, and they say she’s fine, and to keep a close eye on changes.
 
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BestCatMom

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Ideally, adult cats should be fed twice a day, once in the morning, and once in the evening. That might cut down on some of it right there. Once a day isn't enough for most cats.

Now, you say she is in perfect health...when was her last vet check? She's at the age when she may be starting to develop some cognitive issues, as well, poor baby. I'd want to rule that out. There is one medication for FCD (feline cognitive disorder), available, by prescription only, but I don't know much about it. This is the ASPCA's article on the subject, it's worth at least looking at:

Older Cats with Behavior Problems

As for why she would only do this with you...she loves you above all others, and looks to you to "fix this for me, please." It's both a lovely compliment, and a real pain to deal with, isn't it?

Thanks for the suggestions, and the artivcle. Fiona’s last check up was about a month and a half ago. I feed her once a day because she knows when she’s eaten enough, and I fill the bowl up to what I know she will eat. I will try feeding her twice a day, but she was never picky with food until earlier this month, on that her water had to fresh enough. Ill experimente this a bit to see if anything help.
 

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Have you tried any calming products?

I think if you were to try feeding more canned food, and try some different brands of canned, you hopefully will find food she likes. It sounds like that's definitely one thing she's asking for.
Are you weighing her?
 

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When you say she is healthy is that per a full senior bloodwork panel from the vet? Not just a general check up.

Also increase her feeding please, once a day is not enough. Do you just eat once a day?
 
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BestCatMom

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Have you tried any calming products?

I think if you were to try feeding more canned food, and try some different brands of canned, you hopefully will find food she likes. It sounds like that's definitely one thing she's asking for.
Are you weighing her?
Thanks for the suggestions,

I have used a calming catnip. I made two little pillows,(the one she is sleeping with in my profile picture) and she has seemed to be calmer since I got the cat nip. I could try looking into wet foods, but I don’t really wanna change her diet after she’s been eating the same foods for so long. We have tried to get her to eat new foods before, but she refused to eat it. And her weight hasn’t been changing, so it seems that she’s eating the same, but I’ll make sure to keep checking every once and a while.
 
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BestCatMom

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When you say she is healthy is that per a full senior bloodwork panel from the vet? Not just a general check up.

Also increase her feeding please, once a day is not enough. Do you just eat once a day?

She has had her full senior bloodwork panel, and she is quite healthy, and active.

About me feeding her once a day, she is a very smart girl, and know how how much she needs to eat. For as long as I have had her, I’d give her a full bowl of food for her to eat throughout the day. It always has enough for her to eat when I refill her bowl, but I make sure to get rid of the bottom parts so if they are stale, so they won’t stay there forever. This is the schedule that she’s used to. But I had tried feeding her twice a day, but she will still eat the same amounts as usual.

I do see where you would worry that I’m not feeding my cat enough, but I do know that she’s eating well, just now it’s just becoming a problem, where she thinks she’s out of food. Hopefully she’ll figure it out, but I’ll keep feeding her twice a day.
 

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where she thinks she’s out of food. Hopefully she’ll figure it out, but I’ll keep feeding her twice a day.
Bless your heart :heartshape:

I've had this happen with my cat, and it turned out in his case that he really did want something different. I will never know whether it was because he actually did get bored, or because the manufacturer had changed the recipe formula. Pet food companies are famous (or rather, I should say infamous) for doing this a lot lately. :headshake:

Something else I was going to mention, what if you tried placing her food bowls/dishes in a different location/room, and even at a different level, for instance by placing a thick phone book or smallish cardboard box underneath so the dish is elevated several inches off of the floor?

I made two little pillows,(the one she is sleeping with in my profile picture) and she has seemed to be calmer since I got the cat nip.
Good for you, I'm so glad it's made a difference. By the way, those are absolutely darling!! :redheartpump:
 
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BestCatMom

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Bless your heart :heartshape:

I've had this happen with my cat, and it turned out in his case that he really did want something different. I will never know whether it was because he actually did get bored, or because the manufacturer had changed the recipe formula. Pet food companies are famous (or rather, I should say infamous) for doing this a lot lately. :headshake:

Something else I was going to mention, what if you tried placing her food bowls/dishes in a different location/room, and even at a different level, for instance by placing a thick phone book or smallish cardboard box underneath so the dish is elevated several inches off of the floor?

Good for you, I'm so glad it's made a difference. By the way, those are absolutely darling!! :redheartpump:

I loved her bowls out of the basement a little while ago, which I think she appreciated the less effort of moving through floors. I will elevate her bowls a little, since sometimes she likes to drink out of glasses of water I have on tables behind me as a work, intead of her own bowl. I think elevating them will be better for her, even if it doesn’t help the need for attention.
 
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BestCatMom

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Oh, I was wondering, did you have a chance to try some low volume classical harp music for her?

I did try soothing music, and it caused her to fall asleep, but once I got up she woke up again. So it just seemed to relax her.

But lately she has kinda stopped whining so much. But she does still follow me around looking for pets and treated, but one I get her what she wants, she’ll stop. I’m not getting her treated and stuff every time she asks, so it doesn’t become an even worse habit. She has been getting up later to ask for attention, and it’s no longer food. She’s eating regularly, and I refill her bowls when she’s waking me up, but she won’t take it.

I think the problem is slowly going away, but let’s just hope that it is.

I’ll keep try music if you would like though, to see if anything else happens than her just sleeping for a few minutes. But it does calm her down after trying to scare away the neighbor’s cat, or when someone rings the door bell.
 
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