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#1
March 25th 04, 06:19 AM
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Help!!! Cats meows constantly
Hi All,
I'm about to go insane - our cat will not shut up. He's taken to meowing, literally, once every 2 seconds or so for up to an hour at a time or more in an effort to get me to let him outside. He was an indoor cat for a long time until we moved to a house with a back yard that we could completely close off. Now, he wants nothing but to be outside, all the time. Morning, noon & night he meows... constantly. It's like his brain is stuck in some endless loop. He is neither ill nor injured, btw. We never let him out when he is meowing, only when he's quiet & pleasant - it's our feeble attempt at positive reinforcement. We're also attempting negative reinforcement (squirt him with a water pistol, soak his tail in the bath, tether him to the furniture, etc, when he meows constantly), but nothing is working. We're half starting to consider options like a shock collar or even de-meowing surgery. Those are the last things we'd want to do, but honestly, we are at the end of our rope. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance... Rob 
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#2
March 25th 04, 04:06 AM
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"rob" wrote in message news:gSu8c.901471$ts4.126373@pd7tw3no... Hi All, I'm about to go insane - our cat will not shut up. He's taken to meowing, literally, once every 2 seconds or so for up to an hour at a time or more in an effort to get me to let him outside. He was an indoor cat for a long time until we moved to a house with a back yard that we could completely close off. Now, he wants nothing but to be outside, all the time. Morning, noon & night he meows... constantly. It's like his brain is stuck in some endless loop. He is neither ill nor injured, btw. We never let him out when he is meowing, only when he's quiet & pleasant - it's our feeble attempt at positive reinforcement. We're also attempting negative reinforcement (squirt him with a water pistol, soak his tail in the bath, tether him to the furniture, etc, when he meows constantly), but nothing is working. We're half starting to consider options like a shock collar or even de-meowing surgery. Those are the last things we'd want to do, but honestly, we are at the end of our rope. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance... Get him a cat door. If he is safe in the back yard and you are comfortable with him back there. that is. He isn't "meowing"...he is communicating. He wants something and this is his way of letting you know. If it's at a time of day when he can't be let out, tell him no and then do your best to ignore him. No negative reinforcement...just "no". I talk to Sasha. Not just kitty talk but real talk. I tell her "No Sash, no going outside right now, I have to leave in 10 minutes but maybe when I get back...etc.". Obviously she doesn't comprehend all that but it seems like she gets the idea. I am assuming your cat is neutered. (if not, that IS the problem). Does he have adequate toys and climbing stuff inside? Could be he is yammering all the time out of boredom. AG Rob
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#3
March 25th 04, 03:09 PM
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"Agua Girl" wrote in message ... "rob" wrote in message news:gSu8c.901471$ts4.126373@pd7tw3no... Hi All, I'm about to go insane - our cat will not shut up. He's taken to meowing, literally, once every 2 seconds or so for up to an hour at a time or more in an effort to get me to let him outside. He was an indoor cat for a long time until we moved to a house with a back yard that we could completely close off. Now, he wants nothing but to be outside, all the time. Morning, noon & night he meows... constantly. It's like his brain is stuck in some endless loop. He is neither ill nor injured, btw. We never let him out when he is meowing, only when he's quiet & pleasant - it's our feeble attempt at positive reinforcement. We're also attempting negative reinforcement (squirt him with a water pistol, soak his tail in the bath, tether him to the furniture, etc, when he meows constantly), but nothing is working. We're half starting to consider options like a shock collar or even de-meowing surgery. Those are the last things we'd want to do, but honestly, we are at the end of our rope. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance... Get him a cat door. If he is safe in the back yard and you are comfortable with him back there. that is. He isn't "meowing"... Trust me - he's meowing...  he is communicating. He wants something and this is his way of letting you know. I know this. If it's at a time of day when he can't be let out, tell him no and then do your best to ignore him. No negative reinforcement...just "no". I porobably haven't expressed the scale of the problem properly. There is no ignoring this - he will truly meow until he becomes hoarse. Literally, hours on end. I talk to Sasha. Not just kitty talk but real talk. I tell her "No Sash, no going outside right now, I have to leave in 10 minutes but maybe when I get back...etc.". Obviously she doesn't comprehend all that but it seems like she gets the idea. We've pretty much been the same way his whole life. I am assuming your cat is neutered. (if not, that IS the problem). Yes, he is neutered. Does he have adequate toys and climbing stuff inside? Could be he is yammering all the time out of boredom. Plenty of toys & distractions.... Thx, Rob AG Rob
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#4
March 25th 04, 03:09 PM
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"Agua Girl" wrote in message ... "rob" wrote in message news:gSu8c.901471$ts4.126373@pd7tw3no... Hi All, I'm about to go insane - our cat will not shut up. He's taken to meowing, literally, once every 2 seconds or so for up to an hour at a time or more in an effort to get me to let him outside. He was an indoor cat for a long time until we moved to a house with a back yard that we could completely close off. Now, he wants nothing but to be outside, all the time. Morning, noon & night he meows... constantly. It's like his brain is stuck in some endless loop. He is neither ill nor injured, btw. We never let him out when he is meowing, only when he's quiet & pleasant - it's our feeble attempt at positive reinforcement. We're also attempting negative reinforcement (squirt him with a water pistol, soak his tail in the bath, tether him to the furniture, etc, when he meows constantly), but nothing is working. We're half starting to consider options like a shock collar or even de-meowing surgery. Those are the last things we'd want to do, but honestly, we are at the end of our rope. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance... Get him a cat door. If he is safe in the back yard and you are comfortable with him back there. that is. He isn't "meowing"... Trust me - he's meowing... he is communicating. He wants something and this is his way of letting you know. I know this. If it's at a time of day when he can't be let out, tell him no and then do your best to ignore him. No negative reinforcement...just "no". I porobably haven't expressed the scale of the problem properly. There is no ignoring this - he will truly meow until he becomes hoarse. Literally, hours on end. I talk to Sasha. Not just kitty talk but real talk. I tell her "No Sash, no going outside right now, I have to leave in 10 minutes but maybe when I get back...etc.". Obviously she doesn't comprehend all that but it seems like she gets the idea. We've pretty much been the same way his whole life. I am assuming your cat is neutered. (if not, that IS the problem). Yes, he is neutered. Does he have adequate toys and climbing stuff inside? Could be he is yammering all the time out of boredom. Plenty of toys & distractions.... Thx, Rob AG Rob
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#5
March 25th 04, 07:13 AM
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PS...Here is another link, that goes with the ones that I sent in my
previous post; http://www.radiofence.com/cat_doors.htm "rob" wrote in message news:gSu8c.901471$ts4.126373@pd7tw3no... Hi All, I'm about to go insane - our cat will not shut up. He's taken to meowing, literally, once every 2 seconds or so for up to an hour at a time or more in an effort to get me to let him outside. He was an indoor cat for a long time until we moved to a house with a back yard that we could completely close off. Now, he wants nothing but to be outside, all the time. Morning, noon & night he meows... constantly. It's like his brain is stuck in some endless loop. He is neither ill nor injured, btw. We never let him out when he is meowing, only when he's quiet & pleasant - it's our feeble attempt at positive reinforcement. We're also attempting negative reinforcement (squirt him with a water pistol, soak his tail in the bath, tether him to the furniture, etc, when he meows constantly), but nothing is working. We're half starting to consider options like a shock collar or even de-meowing surgery. Those are the last things we'd want to do, but honestly, we are at the end of our rope. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance... Rob
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#7
March 25th 04, 03:04 PM
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"'cedes" wrote in message ... Rob, How about you make your back yard escape proof and let him out there as much as he wants? In order to save your sanity, I am sending you some really good links on how to make your yard escape-proof for your cat. Thanks for the info. Provide him with an indoor-outdoor door, and the meowing will forever stop. For a variety of reasons, this probably isn't feasible where I live. I'll look into it, however... I feel your frustration, but I KNOW that there is an answer to be found in the links below. By the way, no reputable vet will "de-meow" a cat. It's not something we would ever do anyways - I was really just underscoring my frustration more than anything. There is a dog who lives across the way who has been de-barked & while it's unspeakably (no pun intended) cruel, it sometimes seems like a pretty attractive option. A shock collar could easily give him a heart attack. Same as above... Tethering him to something could lead to strangulation. The only time he is tethered is when we are in the room. Usually, one of us is holding the leash - when we need the use of our hands we move the leash to a chair leg, etc. We are very aware of the possibility of strangulation. Consider the below links; http://www.just4cats.com/page7.html http://www.lisaviolet.com/cathouse/backyard.html Screened-in veranda; http://www.cat-world.com.au/Veranda.jpg http://www.catfencein.com/http://www...m/pictures.htm http://www.feralcat.com/fence.html http://www.friendlyfence.com/ff/prod...OVMTC=standard Rob, let me know if I can provide you with any more help on this. One other suggestion; How about a companion kitty for your cat? This is a sure-fire solution. I wish it were - he's had a companion since we got him. Good luck! Carol Take the nospam out of ----- Original Message ----- From: "rob" Newsgroups: alt.cats,alt.pets.cats,rec.pets.cats.health+behav Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 10:19 PM Subject: Help!!! Cats meows constantly Hi All, I'm about to go insane - our cat will not shut up. He's taken to meowing, literally, once every 2 seconds or so for up to an hour at a time or more in an effort to get me to let him outside. He was an indoor cat for a long time until we moved to a house with a back yard that we could completely close off. Now, he wants nothing but to be outside, all the time. Morning, noon & night he meows... constantly. It's like his brain is stuck in some endless loop. He is neither ill nor injured, btw. We never let him out when he is meowing, only when he's quiet & pleasant - it's our feeble attempt at positive reinforcement. We're also attempting negative reinforcement (squirt him with a water pistol, soak his tail in the bath, tether him to the furniture, etc, when he meows constantly), but nothing is working. We're half starting to consider options like a shock collar or even de-meowing surgery. Those are the last things we'd want to do, but honestly, we are at the end of our rope. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance... Rob "rob" wrote in message news:gSu8c.901471$ts4.126373@pd7tw3no... Hi All, I'm about to go insane - our cat will not shut up. He's taken to meowing, literally, once every 2 seconds or so for up to an hour at a time or more in an effort to get me to let him outside. He was an indoor cat for a long time until we moved to a house with a back yard that we could completely close off. Now, he wants nothing but to be outside, all the time. Morning, noon & night he meows... constantly. It's like his brain is stuck in some endless loop. He is neither ill nor injured, btw. We never let him out when he is meowing, only when he's quiet & pleasant - it's our feeble attempt at positive reinforcement. We're also attempting negative reinforcement (squirt him with a water pistol, soak his tail in the bath, tether him to the furniture, etc, when he meows constantly), but nothing is working. We're half starting to consider options like a shock collar or even de-meowing surgery. Those are the last things we'd want to do, but honestly, we are at the end of our rope. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance... Rob
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#8
March 25th 04, 06:28 PM
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"rob" wrote in message news:iyC8c.22$QO2.13@pd7tw1no... I feel your frustration, but I KNOW that there is an answer to be found in the links below. By the way, no reputable vet will "de-meow" a cat. It's not something we would ever do anyways - I was really just underscoring my frustration more than anything. There is a dog who lives across the way who has been de-barked & while it's unspeakably (no pun intended) cruel, it sometimes seems like a pretty attractive option. If it really is so bad that you even jest about considering something like this, maybe you should consider rehoming him with someone who can tolerate it more. Those of us that own oriental cats like Siamese or Bengals know how to live with constant chatter from the cat!
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#9
March 25th 04, 06:28 PM
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"rob" wrote in message news:iyC8c.22$QO2.13@pd7tw1no... I feel your frustration, but I KNOW that there is an answer to be found in the links below. By the way, no reputable vet will "de-meow" a cat. It's not something we would ever do anyways - I was really just underscoring my frustration more than anything. There is a dog who lives across the way who has been de-barked & while it's unspeakably (no pun intended) cruel, it sometimes seems like a pretty attractive option. If it really is so bad that you even jest about considering something like this, maybe you should consider rehoming him with someone who can tolerate it more. Those of us that own oriental cats like Siamese or Bengals know how to live with constant chatter from the cat!
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#10
March 25th 04, 03:04 PM
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"'cedes" wrote in message ... Rob, How about you make your back yard escape proof and let him out there as much as he wants? In order to save your sanity, I am sending you some really good links on how to make your yard escape-proof for your cat. Thanks for the info. Provide him with an indoor-outdoor door, and the meowing will forever stop. For a variety of reasons, this probably isn't feasible where I live. I'll look into it, however... I feel your frustration, but I KNOW that there is an answer to be found in the links below. By the way, no reputable vet will "de-meow" a cat. It's not something we would ever do anyways - I was really just underscoring my frustration more than anything. There is a dog who lives across the way who has been de-barked & while it's unspeakably (no pun intended) cruel, it sometimes seems like a pretty attractive option. A shock collar could easily give him a heart attack. Same as above... Tethering him to something could lead to strangulation. The only time he is tethered is when we are in the room. Usually, one of us is holding the leash - when we need the use of our hands we move the leash to a chair leg, etc. We are very aware of the possibility of strangulation. Consider the below links; http://www.just4cats.com/page7.html http://www.lisaviolet.com/cathouse/backyard.html Screened-in veranda; http://www.cat-world.com.au/Veranda.jpg http://www.catfencein.com/http://www...m/pictures.htm http://www.feralcat.com/fence.html http://www.friendlyfence.com/ff/prod...OVMTC=standard Rob, let me know if I can provide you with any more help on this. One other suggestion; How about a companion kitty for your cat? This is a sure-fire solution. I wish it were - he's had a companion since we got him. Good luck! Carol Take the nospam out of ----- Original Message ----- From: "rob" Newsgroups: alt.cats,alt.pets.cats,rec.pets.cats.health+behav Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 10:19 PM Subject: Help!!! Cats meows constantly Hi All, I'm about to go insane - our cat will not shut up. He's taken to meowing, literally, once every 2 seconds or so for up to an hour at a time or more in an effort to get me to let him outside. He was an indoor cat for a long time until we moved to a house with a back yard that we could completely close off. Now, he wants nothing but to be outside, all the time. Morning, noon & night he meows... constantly. It's like his brain is stuck in some endless loop. He is neither ill nor injured, btw. We never let him out when he is meowing, only when he's quiet & pleasant - it's our feeble attempt at positive reinforcement. We're also attempting negative reinforcement (squirt him with a water pistol, soak his tail in the bath, tether him to the furniture, etc, when he meows constantly), but nothing is working. We're half starting to consider options like a shock collar or even de-meowing surgery. Those are the last things we'd want to do, but honestly, we are at the end of our rope. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance... Rob "rob" wrote in message news:gSu8c.901471$ts4.126373@pd7tw3no... Hi All, I'm about to go insane - our cat will not shut up. He's taken to meowing, literally, once every 2 seconds or so for up to an hour at a time or more in an effort to get me to let him outside. He was an indoor cat for a long time until we moved to a house with a back yard that we could completely close off. Now, he wants nothing but to be outside, all the time. Morning, noon & night he meows... constantly. It's like his brain is stuck in some endless loop. He is neither ill nor injured, btw. We never let him out when he is meowing, only when he's quiet & pleasant - it's our feeble attempt at positive reinforcement. We're also attempting negative reinforcement (squirt him with a water pistol, soak his tail in the bath, tether him to the furniture, etc, when he meows constantly), but nothing is working. We're half starting to consider options like a shock collar or even de-meowing surgery. Those are the last things we'd want to do, but honestly, we are at the end of our rope. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance... Rob
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