Cat Behaviourist - Dublin

Turkish1

Hi guys,

Can anyone recommend a cat behaviourist in dublin?

I have finally lost patience with our cat, he just will not stop crying at night. We are in a two bed ground floor apartment and We have tried the following:

Keeping him in the second bedroom with his food and water (cries incredibly loud all night)
Play with him before bed an lad then a big feed - still cries about 3.30 every morning on until we get up and feed/let him out.
It has got to the stage that even when there is food in his bowl that he still cries until you wake up and walk him out to his food bowl.
Let him roam around the place but still no joy.

It is tough to let him cry and ignore as he is now so loud that he must be waking the people above/next door.

He is just a cryer in general but his behaviour at night needs to stop.

Thanks for any recommendations or input.

VonVix

Can't help you with finding a cat behaviourist but a few things came to mind.

How old is the cat? Neutered? When it comes to kittens that cry, I have heard it said because they are lonely and usually it's best to have two cats instead of just the one (not 100% sure though so don't hold me to this one lol).
Could there be any issues with physical pain that is causing him to cry?
Do you play with him during the day?

Turkish1

VonVix wrote: »

Can't help you with finding a cat behaviourist but a few things came to mind.

How old is the cat? Neutered? When it comes to kittens that cry, I have heard it said because they are lonely and usually it's best to have two cats instead of just the one (not 100% sure though so don't hold me to this one lol).
Could there be any issues with physical pain that is causing him to cry?
Do you play with him during the day?

Sorry, additional info:
Cat is about 2.5 years old. Has been nuetered.
No chance of anything physically wrong as has been to the vet recently and often, added to the fact that he is very content most of the time even when whinging just wants attention and then stops.

I believe the issue is a behavioural one as for the first 18months we lived in a two bed house and I would leave the bedroom window open at night and he had the option to wonder during the night which he would do quite a bit. We do not have that option as we are now living on the ground floor of an apartment complex and wouldn't feel safe with an open door.

So it seems to my (highly uneducated opinion) that is just a habit being formed. The problem is I can't really ignore him as he will wake the neighbours every night and it wouldn't be long before there were complaints.

It has gotten worse recently at sometimes is as bad as (last night for example) where I was woken at 1:30 and left him out, he was crying to get back in at 3am, so I had to get up and leave him in. He then cried again at approx 5am to be left out and back in again at about 7am.


Again, any advice/feedback welcome.

Whispered

I've sent you a contct via pm op. Hopefully she can help.

Turkish1

Whispered wrote: »

I've sent you a contct via pm op. Hopefully she can help.

Thanks I will give them a try.

Stressica

If the cat is being shut in his/her room, could you not just ket all the doors open so he can wander anywhere or let him come into your room? Maybe just lonley.

DubVelo

What food is he on?
I've seen a change of diet to a high quality dried food fix this in the past.
Being shut in one room is probably going to drive a semi nocturnal animal mental though unfortunately.

Stressica

Yeah if my cat us hungry he will whine and whine and open and jump up and down to get our attention even if it's 3 or 4am.

He's raw fed so doesn't happen to often but if it does, some dry biscuits will keep him happy and he'll either come back to bed (sleeps on my bed) or he'll wander around the house surveying things.

At least try opening the doors, with his food and water as well he'll probably be okay once he knows where everyone is etc.

I know if we shut our cat in the sitting room or wherever, no one would sleep.

VonVix

Have you considered getting an automatic food dispenser? Something like this with a timer? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Andrew-James-Automatic-Feeder-Recorder/dp/B005LGZBJS/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1400080411&sr=1-4&keywords=food+dispenser

BeatNikDub

I feel your pain Turkish!
My cat is about your age (also neutered) and we moved to a 2 bed apt back in Feb.
She went from being an indoor/outdoor cat to indoor only.

To begin with, the crying was awful, we were so worried about complaints from neighbours. She also picked up a lot of bad habits like chewing cables and standing in front of computer screen, just to get attention! I believe that was at the core of the problem, that and boredom. She has food and has been fed, a clean litter and plenty of water so they are not the issues!
Before, these guys could roam the area causing havoc and finding places to snooze.

Anyway, it is a little better for us now after a few changes, we are not quite still there yet, however this is what helps us.

1. The later you can stay up and play and give attention the better!
2. Buy stuff: a good high scratch tree for them to climb and sleep on. Get toys they can play with on their own, a laser pointer, treats for rewarding good behaviour, and most of all, have a stash of cat nip!
3. Vets: it is worth them having a wee check up in the vets just to put everyone's mind at rest.
4. Get a routine going. Every morning I get up at 7.30ish, feed her and she comes into the bathroom with me and plays with cotton buds and I give her pets and have chats (my cat is VERY vocal anyway!). Then she follows me about the house till I leave about 8.20am. She then goes straight into the boyfriend (he works later hours) and sleeps with him till he gets up.

On the odd occasion, which does still happen! (mostly when we go to bed very early and she is in fairness left to her own devices for a good bit) I get up and give her a pinch of catnip and that seems to calm her down a bit.

It really is like the controlled crying with a baby though!
You have to try and ignore the crying and not react to it, as then they learn that if they do that, it gets you to come to them.
I know it is hard but persevere! That's where the routine comes in, they know you will come to them and when to expect you and feel safer.

And about allowing all the doors open for them to roam around, that is impossible for us. We tried and it was worse than ever.
Once she knows we are there, she will drink our water, chew cables and then the dreaded claws at the feet under the duvet. All to get attention!

I would say now 4-5 nights out of 7 she sleeps through, so just keep at it!
And don't change litter, food or the whereabouts of anything!

Hope this helps!

Turkish1

Thanks for all the advice guys and the couple of PM's. Sorrry for the long post but in response to some of the suggestions:

1. Laser pointer - I will have to get one. Play with him plenty but he is a divil for just lying there asleep. It has gotten to the stage that if he is on my lap asleep I will wake him as soon as he falls asleep trying to make sure he is tired when we are going to bed.
2. Open all doors - this is generally the case and he wanders whenever/where ever he wants. We tried to keep him in the second room at night just to start a routine but that didn't work so has free rein for the last number of months.
3. Change of food - we changed his food about 9 months ago (upon vets advice as he has a severe infection in foot caused by a reaction to something). We were on hypoallergenic royal canin dry food. This did not suit him at all as he constantly had the runs (We thought he would adapt but did not and we tried it for about 6 weeks). He also seem distressed at times as his stomach must have been painful at times.
4. Scratch post/tree - We only have a relatively small one at present (and he is a big cat, will purchase a more suitable one.
5. Automatic food dispenser - Don't think this will help as it is not a case of there being no food, just this morning for example he cried/pawed at my face at 3.30am, I went out to his food bowl and he followed and there was plenty food. He ate the food with my standing there any then went back to sleep.
6. Routine - I think this is where the most improvment can be made. I work 9-5, however my partner works as a nurse (3 long days) so if she is not in work he will stay in for most of the day, if she puts him out he will sit at the door crying incredibly loudly until he is let back in.

I will be well prepared for when any kids come along anyway, they can't be harder work than this lovable rogue!

BeatNikDub

Oh stop, i catch myself talking about mine keeping up and using phrases like "controlled crying" or "she just needs to be picked up" and think...seriously, is this a cat or a baby!

Let me know if i can help anymore and how you get on!

Nody