Any experience with kitty downers?

My cat is driving me crazy with its vocalization. It wants out, and
we're trying to make it an indoor cat. That's the short story.

Anyway, I know they do prescribe things for cats. Does anyone have
experience with these medications? Do they help relax the critters so
they can relearn behaviors?

"Justsomebody" wrote in message
ups.com...


My cat is driving me crazy with its vocalization. It wants out, and
we're trying to make it an indoor cat. That's the short story.

Anyway, I know they do prescribe things for cats. Does anyone have
experience with these medications? Do they help relax the critters so
they can relearn behaviors?


Drugging your cat will not help it learn anything. However, there
are other things you can try to keep from going crazy while you make
her or him ("it?") an indoor cat. What is your place like? House or
apartment, how many floors, bedrooms, etc. And more about the
cat, too, please. Drugs are not the answer to this question.

We have house, 2 stories - so he's got plenty of room. We have two
other cats that want to play with him. But, for the most part, he
ignores them. I give him catnip, he likes that. I play with him a few
times a day. He was gone (ran away) for a month, and we had to use a
animal trap to catch him. We've had him back for about 3 weeks now.
He's more social than at first, and in general, he seems to be doing
better. But then he has really bad days when he won't stop howing.

He's got treats, a cat tree, windows to look out of. The other two
cats are happy. But Boz won't shut up. We might try restricting his
area for a bit because he seems to be a bit quieter when more doors are
closed.

I don't want to drug him, but if I did, it would just be temporary.
He's a friendly guy, likes to be petted and held. About a half hour
ago, he started yowling at the foot of the stairs and I (being at the
top of the stairs) splashed a little water down on him...he stopped,
moved away and eventually yowled some more.

Thanks for any suggestions.

"Justsomebody"

But then he (Boz) has really bad days when he won't stop howing.

Maybe a male cat is spraying the corner of your house several nights a week,
and Boz smells it, so, try a little nuetralizer at door bottoms and possibly
windows, (if yours are older and drafty)...then I would experiment and find
out which closed door helps the best, I don't think confinement in itself is
deterring Boz, I'm thinking it's something he hears or smells.

I record a lot of music, and it is very common to add a constant noise to a
track in order to mask an inconsistent noise. I say that to suggest one of
them lulling machines, you know, they sound like the ocean, or birds, rain,
things like that...
You can also download these kinds of sounds if you just want to experiment
with the white noise idea.

Has he climbed up any curtains yet?...lol

Justsomebody wrote:

I don't want to drug him, but if I did, it would just be temporary.
He's a friendly guy, likes to be petted and held. About a half hour
ago, he started yowling at the foot of the stairs and I (being at the
top of the stairs) splashed a little water down on him...he stopped,
moved away and eventually yowled some more.

Thanks for any suggestions.

I have a very vocal cat, too, and it's a very *loud* vocalization. It
can drive one to distraction. Mine isn't howling to get out, though,
he just likes to jabber incessantly. It's always a relief when he's
sleeping (like now, yay!).

Anyway, for your kitty, have you tried Feliway diffusers and spray to
calm him dow? Maybe Rescue Remedy in his water? I haven't found RR to
be helpful, personally, but others have. Was he a chatty cat prior to
your keeping him inside all the time? If so, that may just be him.
Some cats are just chatty, like mine.

I take my chatty cat outside with a walking jacket. In his case, I
think it makes him howl to go outside sometimes when, before, he was
used to being inside all the time. Still howling, just not howling to
go out. Now he howls to go out or howls in general about whatever.
But maybe your cat would like to go outside in this manner also. You
just don't really know if that will either satisfy his desire to go out
or make him want to go out even more. With Marbles, I only take him
out on weekends usually and then on Mon. and Tues. he will go to the
door and howl to go out but by Wed., he is over it. However, it
doesn't matter, because he will be howling for something else anyway.
It's just the location that is different.

A loud, vocal cat is annoying, I'll agree, but I don't think a vet will
prescribe downers for that. Actually, my cat, Marbles, is also on
elavil for aggression and that doesn't stop him from excessive
vocalizing. It's just his personality.

Candace

Is it possible to build an outside enclosure such as a screened in porch.

Celeste
"Justsomebody" wrote in message
ups.com...


My cat is driving me crazy with its vocalization. It wants out, and
we're trying to make it an indoor cat. That's the short story.

Anyway, I know they do prescribe things for cats. Does anyone have
experience with these medications? Do they help relax the critters so
they can relearn behaviors?

"Justsomebody" wrote in message
oups.com...

We have house, 2 stories - so he's got plenty of room.

That's good. What I was thinking of, is do you have enough room
to put him far, far away from your bedroom at night, so you don't
hear him. You could shut him in a room at the other side of the house
with his food, box, toys and some catnip, and at least get your
sleep at night. Another thing that might help you wait him out
is a large HEPA filter or fan by your bed. It helps drown out
sound and the "white noise" really helps you sleep.

We have two
other cats that want to play with him. But, for the most part, he
ignores them. I give him catnip, he likes that. I play with him a few
times a day.

It's great that they like him!

He was gone (ran away) for a month, and we had to use a
animal trap to catch him. We've had him back for about 3 weeks now.

Oh, I see. So he has experienced the "call of the wild!" I'm really glad
you got him back unhurt.

He's more social than at first, and in general, he seems to be doing
better. But then he has really bad days when he won't stop howing.

He's got treats, a cat tree, windows to look out of. The other two
cats are happy. But Boz won't shut up. We might try restricting his
area for a bit because he seems to be a bit quieter when more doors are
closed.

I think this is a good idea. Everything you're doing sounds great. One
neat thing you might try to entertain him while he is confined or just
distract him so he won't howl is a turbo scratcher, have you seen these?
They are a round scratch pad with a groove all around and a ball that
goes round and round but the cat cannot get it out. Some cats get
addicted to the things!


I don't want to drug him, but if I did, it would just be temporary.
He's a friendly guy, likes to be petted and held. About a half hour
ago, he started yowling at the foot of the stairs and I (being at the
top of the stairs) splashed a little water down on him...he stopped,
moved away and eventually yowled some more.

Thanks for any suggestions.


Because I have a hyperthyroid cat and she used to howl like this,
I have to suggest that you have his thyroid levels checked. This
disease is easy to treat, if he has it. Usually older cats get it, but
not always. Also, some cats that are getting hard of hearing
howl. I'm not sure the water is a good idea, but I do
understand that it gets on your nerves.

Justsomebody wrote:
My cat is driving me crazy with its vocalization. It wants out, and
we're trying to make it an indoor cat. That's the short story.

Is he neutered?

Felway

--
Barb
Of course I don't look busy,
I did it right the first time.

PawsForThought wrote:
Justsomebody wrote:
My cat is driving me crazy with its vocalization. It wants out, and
we're trying to make it an indoor cat. That's the short story.

Is he neutered?

Probably available for blind dates and meaningless sex ....