my kitty sings throughout the night! i cant sleep!

[boogies dad]

so let me first start by saying, im a nooby here, but have been reading a lot through the forum before i posted.
my 6 year old male cat archie, has been taught not to sleep in my bed, and not to bug me for food first thing in the morning, however, the singing throughout the night has got to stop. i have taken him several times to the vet to make sure there isnt anything physically wrong with him, hes got a clean bill of health.
he quiet meows normally, (he opens his mouth but a little peep comes out) but when he thinks no one is around or paying attention, he sings very loudly!
ive tried ignoring, ear plugs, sound machine, closing the door, auto feeders, and toys. nothing has worked so far. even tried to tire him out just before bed, that didnt work either.
im at the end of my patience with this and not sure what more to do.
i work full time and have a full time business, so my sleep is very important. being woken 2 to 4 times a night has just got to stop.
my next thoughts were, leaving a radio on for him, or maybe even some night lights, and my only other thought is to squirt him with the squirt bottle every time he does it, which means getting up and finding him to do it.
i just dont know what else to do, i dont want to find him another home, but the lack of sleep is now really affecting my job performance, and my personal life.
anyone find anything that works???
please help!
thanks

[Cussypat1974]

Hi boogie's dad!
First off, is he neutered? I ask because at this time of year, he could be crying to get out to chase the laydeez.......! I am assuming he is neutered though?

I'm afraid all I can suggest is allowing him to sleep with you. He is probably lonely at night. He likely sleeps all day while you are at work and en wants company when you are home, which naturally doesn't fit with your schedule!

If you really don't want him purring you to sleep, maybe a friend for him would help him? That isn't something to be taken lightly of course, especially as the crying might be replaced by thumping as they play all night long eh?
I have a few night-time wailers, and solve it by letting them come to bed with me, where they snuggle down and sleep till morning. I know that isn't to everyone's taste, but I would find it hard to sleep without the purring at this stage!

Maybe someone else knows another way, but I haven't found one. X

[boogies dad]

Thank you for the reply.
Yes hes neutered. Has been since ive had him.
The vet tells me hes reliving old times, and i just dont think thats the case.
At 1 time he did have other cats with him, but it never worked out. Tried for a few years with other cats, and though he can get along, he tended to be a bully to the smaller cat.
There really is no room in my place or life for another animal though id love to.
As far as him sleeping with me, he did at one time sleep with me, but would never stay and sleep all night and usually end up walking around singing anyway. Plus he would wake me even more with the cleaning and fidgeting.
I had someone suggest a shock collar, which i think is kind of extreme. Ive heard theres one that makes a noise that humans cant hear but they can, everytime they meow loudly.
Ive tried leaving a light on last night. Still the same thing.
Im going to try some calming oils too and see if that helps.
Please keep the suggestions coming!
Thanks

[Walesgang]

We allow our four free access to the bedroom. Our two boys usually sleep on the bed. They tend to come and go overnight, but you get used to it to be honest. Probably less disruptive to a night's sleep than singing!

[Cussypat1974]

Oh please don't go down the shock collar route! I didn't even realise they existed for cats to be honest. They are banned in Scotland on cruelty grounds, and that is for dogs as far as I know. Shocking him in the throat every time he talks is more likely to cause even worse problems..... Like litterbox avoidance etc.

I am not sure what the vet means by "reliving old times"? Is the vet taking the problem seriously? Also, has he always done this, or in the singing a recent change? If recent, it could well signal some physical problem (like thyroid disease, although at six he would be young for this), while if he has always done it, it is likely to just be his personality!

My next suggestion was going to be earplugs, but you have tried that already!

Is he an indoor only cat?

[Cussypat1974]

I do sympathis though. There are a few cats here who are utter nightmares to sleep with cos they insist on kissing and cuddling for an hour or so...... A cat slobbering all over your face whilst stabbing you in the jugular does not a restful night make!

[Baggypants]

Has his hearing been checked? I think sometimes they can wail at night if they're losing their hearing? I know I would anyway!

[Cussypat1974]

Good point! I hadn't thought of that! Dementia is another possibility, but at six would be unusual......

[boogies dad]

Thanks for the replies.
He is an indoor only cat, but he does have free access to the litterbox on my screened patio. H sleeps out there a lot and is very much a cuddler when im home.
I tried playing with him until hes tired then going to bed. However that didnt work either.
His hearing is fine, i did have all that checked and believe me he knows the sound a can makes even when hes outside. Lol
He had diabetes and needed insulin twice a day, until i took control of checking his blood sugar myself and has now been insulin free for almost a year.
As of right now i have to sleep with earplugs or even his softer singing wakes me.
I do believe this is just who he is, and has always done this. Sometimes its once a night and sometimes 3 or 4.

I will say he has gotten a lot better since hes been off insulin.

But sleep deprivation is a form of torture!

[Mrs Kane]

Hey Boogies Dad,

This might sound really weird but have you tried playing music throughout the night? Something soothing like the typical CD you pick up in garden centres such as "waves" and "forest sounds" or just easy listening music? It could be that you cat just doesn't like the quiet in the house and is trying to liven things up a bit. As long as that doesn't interrupt your night perhaps it's worth a try?

I completely agree with everything you've done so far in trying to get him to stop. Ignoring is normally the best policy with this type of thing.

I do have a question though, is it possible that he's lonely at all? Another cat might help aid his night-time antics although I realise another cat means twice the trouble.

[boogies dad]

thanks mrs kane! im actually trying a light on in the areas he hangs out, but music was my next try.
thanks again for the tips!

i can only have 1 pet where i live

[Cussypat1974]

I do know how awfully debilitating sleep-deprivation can be.....
It does sound like it is just his personality...... If there is no physical cause and he has always done it. I am not well versed on feline diabetes, but have never heard of night-time wailing to be a symptom.

The mention of diabetes does lead me to ask if he is overweight at all? Can you easily feel his ribs, or has the vet mentioned his body condition score at any point? I do know that carrying excess weight can also lead to/link to hormonal imbalances, which can cause ALL SORTS of behavioural and physical issues.

[Cussypat1974]

Bring home cardboard boxes! It just hit me when reading a different thread. Cats LOOOOOOOVE cardboard boxes..... I am almost sure it will keep him occupied for hours. Give it to him just as you go to bed...

[Mrs Kane]

Hey Boogies Dad, some friends and I were chatting about my cat and I happened to mention your dilemma. They came up with some interesting questions and solutions I thought I'd share. After all, 4 heads are better than one (plus, olives and wine apparently make my friends cat experts)

Have you any nearby neighbours that can hear him singing or meowing when you're out of the house? If he does it all the time that might be a sign that he's lonely and needs more company through the day. You say you play with him before bed, but it might be that all that relaxing during the day makes him too psyched to calm down at night.

You mentioned before that you have a full time business, so is he left on his own a lot during the day? You also mentioned the radio and light on at night, but do you keep the radio on and light when you're out during the day as well? Perhaps he's just feeling like it's a little too quiet sometimes, and if you're not around so much, perhaps he doesn't know the difference between you sleeping and not being in the house?

Is there a female cat in the area at all? Perhaps nextdoor? Perhaps he's pining for her. Which leads to another question: Has he been neutered?


Just some little things they suggested. Perhaps it might offer some help?

Now this last suggestion from my friend makes me feel a little uneasy, but you are welcome to try it. She suggested placing a fan in the door to your room, and also near where he usually sits when singing. I didn't believe such a thing would work, but after some googling I found out that the majority of cats out there hate fans near them because it disrupts them and their mood. Now I'm not saying this would work, but perhaps a few days of fan blowing on his favourite places to sit and sing might teach him to stop?

[boogies dad]

thank all for the tips, and i am definitely going to give them a try!
he was a shelter cat when i got him, along with another cat that he used to bully. he used to sing, even with the other cats in the house, though i have thought that hes lonely on occasion.
i do work normal hrs during the week, though sometimes gone after work for a few.
he is fixed, and very smart little guy. his diabetes has been under control for over a year now, and his weight is maintaining at 14 lbs, instead of the 18 he used to be.

i started keeping him out of the kitchen last week during feeding times, and making him wait when i put his food down, and believe it or not those three nights he didnt cry! dont know if this was coincidence or what. i had to go out of town on fri, to sun, and now its back to is normal crying again. im going to keep trying, thank you for the suggestions!

[Cussypat1974]

Great suggestions there Mrs. Kane!

If you think he might be lonely, would fostering a kitty for a week or two be an option (perhaps at a time when you are not having to work so much or travel). It could be that he just didn't like the other cat he was with before. That does happen, and I have cats that will bully one cat but not the vast majority of them. A shelter environment doesn't let them display their true personality either. I am pretty nice and non-confrontational, but shove me in a locked room with a stranger for a week and I'll probably end up assaulting them!

Even when fixed/neutered, they can sometimes retain the urge to mate. My Touchlamp did his very best to mate with Minnie when she arrived in heat, even though he hadn't the equipment!

All cats are individuals - next to humans, they have the widest variety of personality types known to science. But we DO know they are all creatures of routine and habit..... So if your feeding thing worked for a few nights, I would continue with it. The new routine was disrupted as you had to break it, but it DID help, so it is worth trying again and persisting with it for a few weeks.....

[boogies dad]

Well. Hes back to singing again. Though im going to keep at the feeding thing and possibly move his food bowl to another location.
This way he doesnt associate the kitchen with feeding time.
I do feel cats are similar in some ways to dogs, so more structure and thinking he has to do, the more secure he will feel.

Because of where i live another cat in my small apt is not only against my lease agreement, its just to small a space.
My girlfriend has a small dog and they come over on the weekends.
They both seem to get along with each other and can be respectful of each other too.
Im 99% sure at this point, its just his personality and unfortunately im going to have to change that part of him.

[Cussypat1974]

Ah, I do understand about not being able to take on another kitty. I suppose when I come across someone who clearly provides a great home and genuinely does their best for an animal, I am always happy to see them adopt another ha ha!

If you have loads of money you could get a consult with a feline behaviouralist.... I have no idea what that would cost though.... I have never done it. I do recommend any book by Vicky Halls however, which don't cost the earth! I have read a few of them and had great help over the years, but can't think of a case of singing off the top of my head (probably because I have never had the problem myself). I am sure it is covered in one of her books though. I honestly have solved every behaviour problem I have ever encountered by following her advice..... An added bonus is that her books are just LOVELY to read, with loads of case studies which read like short stories about cats!

[Mrs Kane]

Good luck to you on trying to refine his ways! I have to agree with Cussypat on perhaps bringing in a third party on this one if the problem can't be solved, if you can afford the expense of course. Perhaps they can see a problem that yourself and we currently can't.

It does boggle me that he sang in the shelter as well... I don't really know what to think of that seeing as he's now in a completely different and more secure environment.

Great suggestions there Mrs. Kane!

Thankyou!!

[boogies dad]

thanks again for the replies and encouragement.
ive been also looking into something called Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome.
he seems to have a lot of the symptoms, and last year the vet thought they would try to treat him with a medication that eases those symptoms, but it turned out to be good old allergies at that point.
however he still has a lot of those symptoms. so im going to look into adding a supplement or a food into his diet that will give him what he needs for that. seems like it can be caused by a nutritional deficiency.
im not one to just throw medications at him and see what sticks, so nutrition is where im going to start. then maybe seek a feline behaviorist if my wallet will allow it. from what ive read, they are very expensive.
wish me luck! lol
thanks again!

[Alice]

There may be some ideas you've not yet tried on this page......

http://www.catchat.org/meowing.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You could email the catchat behaviourist at the address below, without any cost, before considering a private one.

[email protected]

Good luck.

[boogies dad]

Awesome! Thanks!

[Cussypat1974]

Hyper aesthetic syndrome is definitely a problem for some cats, and can exist in varying degrees. My old Brownie had a mild case.... She would ask for stroking and then just have Anouilh after a few minutes, feel over-stimulated, and lash out with her claws! It was a tad nerve wracking when I first took her on (she was my mother's, and my mother passed away) but I soon learned what to watch for.

The catchat behaviouralist sounds like a great idea before paying for a consult. I have just been looking into finding a behaviouralist for my territorial rooster, and that would cost 190 euros here, for a 2 hour consult, plus any additional consults necessary for a 12 month period. It actually isn't a bad price considering the follow-ups are included! The guy running it appears to be highly qualified, but I haven't booked anything yet, and would certainly investigate him more before parting with my cash. The fact that their site claims to help ANY species makes me a bit dubious!

Also, be wary of spending too much money on supplements that claim to solve everything..... The greater the claims, the dodgier the website IMO! If he is eating cat food and is otherwise healthy, he shouldn't have any nutritional deficiencies. There are warnings here in Ireland now for people NOT to take any vitamin pills unless a deficiency has actually been diagnosed, which I agree with. I never take supplements and am vegan, but I do make sure to eat a good balance of fairly wholesome foods generally.

[Alice]

Any progress?

[Cussypat1974]

Yes, dying for an update! That behaviouralist for all species never replied to my email btw.....! says it all really!

[boogies dad]

Well! Its been going very well! The last 5 out of 6 nights have been peacefully quiet! Hes really starting to adapt to my commands, and will sit and wait for me to tell him its ok to go ahead and eat. Im begining to think this may be the answer but im causiously optimistic! Im going to keep at it, and hopefully this is the answer!
Ive also stopped feeding him in the morning until after ive gotten ready to go to work. He gets a little impatient, but hes adapting to it well also.
Heres hoping!

[Cussypat1974]

That is WONDERFUL news! They are creatures of habit, and will bend us to their will at any given opportunity! But their tendency towards habit can work in our favour too! Well done!

[boogies dad]

thank you, its been a tedious task to say the least!
he has become even better! its been great sleeping all night now. weekends he does start in after about 8 or 9 am, because hes used to getting breakfast a few hrs earlier.

[Cussypat1974]

Just don't be a stranger now eh? We all love like-minded folk here, so dod keep in touch!

I actually thought of you last night as I had a one year old brat sleeping on my face, with his new bell on his collar (he has been rather horrible with fledgelings recently). the collar woke me every flipping time he moved, and he decided to wash his entire self at about 4am!

[boogies dad]

theres no way i could deal with that anymore. its funny though, there are times where i miss him snuggling in bed with me, but its best to leave that to the couch!!
he used to do the cleaning thing and the whole bed would move. that i dont miss!! lol