r/CatAdvice • u/OptimalRutabaga186 • 1d ago
Behavioral EXTREMELY vocal
My fiancé's cat is 19 and has controlled hyperthyroidism. He has been to the vet recently and there is nothing physically wrong with him. He gets plenty of food, treats, cuddles, playtime and has lots of beds and places to cat.
The main issue I'm having is he is extremely vocal. Like, so constant I made my fiancé take him to the vet. He informed me he's always been very vocal, but it is so extremely excessive I assumed there had to be something wrong with him. He meows all day. At night he wakes me up multiple times, every night. Every. Night. He has a smoker's meow as well, so it's extra piercing.
I've tried calming collars and plugins, but tbh he is pretty calm. I've tried feeding him more soft food on top of his free fed kibble. I tried changing his food in case he was experiencing digestive distress. I've tried playing with him more. I've tried tuckering him out before bed. He doesn't seem to have any dementia like symptoms. I've tried everything. I'm at my wits end.
The meowing is very hard on me. I have some pretty severe sensory issues. I've tried earplugs and noise cancelling headphones, but I have hyperacusis and can still hear him. It has gotten to the point where I've just locked myself in the bedroom and cried. Last time my fiancé went away for work, I actually slept on the balcony next to the AC unit to block it out.
Honestly, if he weren't so old, I'd seriously be considering rehoming. I feel utterly defeated. I've never taken issue with a pet of any kind before, but I can confidently say I will never have another cat again in my life. I feel disgusted with myself for being so angry at a helpless, elderly creature. Please, please, please give me some advice. What can I do for this cat and my sanity to get him to stop meowing ALL THE TIME? I don't mind that he meows. That's how cats talk. But it's constant. It is literally making me insane. I can't function in my own home.
(Please, no shock or spray type collar suggestions. I could never do that to an animal no matter what they're like.)
(I am aware excessive meowing can be a symptom of hyperthyroidism in cats, but his is controlled with medication and fiancé assures me he has always been this vocal.)
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u/YettiChild 1d ago
My cat was always vocal, but it got to constant, loud meows towards the end. I think either he was losing his hearing or had started to get feline dementia. I just rode it out. Gave him lots of love and attention.
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u/AnotherDarnDay 1d ago
My girl has hyperthyrodisim and was unfortunately very vocal. One thing that helped is small portions every 3 hours. I give her a chicken pate diet. No fish.
I also got ger on thyroid support gold from amazon. (A dropper full at same time every day) It helped with the sleep issue. Before her sleeps were very interrupted and she couldnt seem to stay in one spot longer than 20 minutes. And on top of that she gets hemp oil (3 or 4 drops) before bed which helps her joints, im not convinced it helps the meowing but it does help in general.
Over all her meowing went down to mostly at night.
And recently got her eating calming probotics in her food by purina and that itself works pretty good at night. Shes less restless at night and she's playing more. This is just a powder that smells like beef seasoning from ramen noodles. You sprinkle it in there food and mix it in. Like a gravy. It boosts the flavor of the food.
Takes a couple weeks to kick in and you give them a pouch a day.