Our cat cries a lot and we don't know why.

Rick&Becca

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Hi. New to the forum and we're here because we're totally stumped (and worried) about a new behavior...

My wife and I have a 2.5 year old domestic shorthair neutered male. We've had him since he was 6 months old (adopted from a foster/shelter) and we've been living in our current apartment with him for about 8 months. However, our kitty has developed a troublesome habit of going to one specific spot in the apartment and crying (with an occasional trill in between). I've included a map of our apartment just for reference below.

In the map below you can see where I usually am (in the living room watching TV); my wife will either be in the bedroom (asleep early or reading) or in our office working. He usually seems to do this only when we are both home; I have been working from home since we got him (we got him right before the pandemic so at least one of us has always been home with him). But, he will go to the red X, just sit there and cry. We've tried playing with him (more), making sure he has food & water, cleaning his litter boxes, and even carrying him to where one of us is. No matter what we do, he has this habit of going to that exact spot and crying for no apparent reason. We cannot figure out why he is doing this; he just came back from the vet and has a clean bill of health.

Only big thing that happened to him this year: my wife and I moved across country: from Dec. 2020-May 2021 he was staying with my parents. We did this because we wanted to find an apartment first and get settled so he wouldn't have to endure moving chaos. My parents have a large house with 4 cats of their own, so he made friends and had playmates for the time he was there. But he seemed to readjust to us very quickly (when I went to pick him up, he ran up to me when I arrived and greeted my wife when I got him home from the airport... so he didn't "forget" us).

At this point we're worried it's some sort of behavioral issue. We're doing our best to try and "ignore" it and see if that reinforces the concept that he can't get what he wants on demand, but we don't want to let him meow himself tired. Does anyone have any advice about this behavior? Have you encountered similar? And if so, how did you correct it?

Thanks in advance.
View attachment apartment map.jpg
 

FeebysOwner

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Hi. Given the proximity to the entrance, I am wondering if he can sense an animal roaming about outside. If you have a security camera, or any other form of recording device, you might want to focus it in the general area outside the entrance and see if you can pick up something. It is fairly common for cats to act unusual if they can see or sense other critters outside the home. Even if the entrance leads to a hallway, it doesn't mean that someone isn't letting their cat or dog out into the hallway, or taking a pet outside for a walk.

Do you take him outside at all? If so, he could be 'asking' to go outside again.

Just an unlikely probability, but check that empty bedroom to ensure you don't have mice/etc. coming into that room since it is vacant.

I really doubt it would be him missing his 'old friends' since so much time has passed. That would have been something that likely would have happened almost immediately.
 

Furballsmom

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I agree with FeebysOwner FeebysOwner , also you might get a blacklight and check for poorly cleaned spots from previous occupants that he might be trying to tell you about, or pee on the door/wall from an hallway/outdoor wanderer's calling card.
 
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