Our Loud Cat

tonyheaney

I got a cat back in may it was about 2 months old. over the past month she has been crying loudly at all times of the day and night. I'm taking 4pm AND 4am. coming up to my bed while asleep and waking me up. I think she is in heat and may already be pregnant. she wants to be let outside but we don't want to let her out as it is very cold and wet and the kids would miss her if she got lost.


The vet is out of the question for now but WHAT is wrong with her????

Tinker

boomerang

She could simply be bored, OP. Does she get much interactive playtime with you guys? Even twenty minutes a day can make a massive difference. Making her work for her food helps a lot too. She is unlikely to be in heat at this time of year but at nine months old, neutering is well over-due. When she does have a heat, she will drive ye nuts and will do everything possible to escape.

looksee

If you keep her indoors how can she be pregnant? And how can she be in heat and pregnant at the same time?
She is still a young cat, do you provide her with enough exercise and play to keep her active as she is indoors? Does she have an adequate litter tray that is kept clean? Does she have water available?

I do not agree with cats being kept indoors but I realise that other people do not approve of them being allowed out, so that is up to you. I do think you need to have her spayed, what will happen to the kittens if she is pregnant?

Who knows why cats are loud? We have one that is almost silent and another one that never stops 'talking'. She can complain loud and long that there is not enough food in her dish, if she wants to go out, some detail of her life needs attention, and sometimes just because.

Greenmachine

If you are worried about her getting pregnant get her neutered. Why exactly is the vet out of the question?

tonyheaney

hi thanks for the reply:

1. Does she get much interactive playtime with you guys? Even twenty minutes a day can make a massive difference

We have 2 kids girl 6 boy 3 plenty of exercise given i can garrentee :O)

2. She is unlikely to be in heat at this time of year but at nine months old, neutering is well over-due.

I wanted to let her the privilege of one litter before i neuter her.

3. She will drive ye nuts and will do everything possible to escape.

she is already doing all that

tonyheaney

1. If you keep her indoors how can she be pregnant? And how can she be in heat and pregnant at the same time?

she is one or the other im not a vet so dont know.

She is still a young cat, do you provide her with enough exercise and play to keep her active as she is indoors? Does she have an adequate litter tray that is kept clean? Does she have water available?

Yes

I do not agree with cats being kept indoors but I realise that other people do not approve of them being allowed out, so that is up to you. I do think you need to have her spayed, what will happen to the kittens if she is pregnant?

There is such things as Indoor cats and outdoor cats http://www.cat-world.com.au/indoor-vs-outdoor-cats

LeinsterDub

tonyheaney wrote: »

I wanted to let her the privilege of one litter before i neuter her.

Do you know people waiting for a kitten or are you letting sentiment make you irresponsible?

looksee

Two small children chasing the cat around the house for hours at a time, or not at all depending on their mood is not what is meant by stimulation and exercise.

You do not need to be a vet to know that if the cat has not been outside she cannot be pregnant. On the other hand if she has been used to being outside and you are suddenly keeping her in, then there is no surprise that she is anxious, especially if she cannot get away from the children.

I am well aware that there are indoor and outdoor cats, I alluded to that. I do not consider that article unbiased. I have had two indoor/outdoor cats previously, one lived to be 13, the next 20 years. We currently have two cats that are around 5 years, both are healthy cats in good condition. They mostly live/lived in the house but with freedom to be in or out depending on their choice. I was simply expressing my view, while accepting that others have different opinions.

berger89

maybe she's hungry/ has worms? even after you feed her is she still bawling?

Kovu

She is still very young OP and it will take a lot of work to keep her entertained and keep contained. Interactive play with a cat is far different than moping about the house after the kids. Does she have a harness & leash? She is still young enough to train to walk on one and that would be both stimulating and safe for her.
Has she ever been outside that she could have got pregnant?
Why is a vet out of the question
Our female (spayed) cat will occasionally 'wail' out of her for a few minutes at 4/5am. It's usually because she is lonely or hungry as the door to the kitchen is closed. I get up about twice a night to let cats in/out though so it doesn't other me.

Why you would like a litter off her? It is quite stressful for a cat and there are so many homeless kittens in shelters and straying already.

hdowney

my 9mth old is in heat and yowling like a mad one. never been out- getting spayed in Jan then can go out. so she could be in heat. but i dont get the one litter thing. there are already far too many cats around

tonyheaney

tonyheaney wrote: »

I wanted to let her the privilege of one litter before i neuter her.

Privilege?? that's quite irresponsible. It's not beneficial for her health, she is not a human with a body clock, there are more than enough cats already who want a home.
Neuter her if she's not pregnant and stimulate her properly

Why is the vet out of the question? did you mean as it was xmas?

boomerang

tonyheaney wrote: »

hi thanks for the reply:
I wanted to let her the privilege of one litter before i neuter her.

Sorry for going off topic Tony and I know you're going to get a barrage of people telling you not to do this. Let me just offer you a few points that I hope will change your mind. Because there are literally thousands of kittens in rescues centres around the country waiting on homes, and many, many more die of hunger and/or disease. Just have a look at the online selling websites in kitten season - it is thoroughly depressing.

1. I presume she will mate with some random tom. The personality of the kittens is partly genetically inherited from the father. You have no idea how the kittens will turn out - i.e. if they'll be confident, affectionate etc. or if they're going to be skittish, nervous and therefore not great pets.

2. Un-neutered toms scrap with other males. They are the main carriers of two horrible cat viruses, both of which are ultimately fatal. You risk infecting not only your own sweet cat, but the kittens, too. Look up FIV and FeLV (feline leukaemia.)

3. Have you considered the pain and strain your kitten is going to go through, giving birth and then nursing kittens? Personally I would never let any pet of mine go through that. Difficult births are not uncommon. Recently acquaintances of mine rescued a kitten who was already very pregnant. She needed a Caesarian and then died the following day. Ended up costing a lot more than neutering and the kids were devastated.

4. Are you thinking of keeping a kitten? Mother cats don't always appreciate it and there can be intolerable friction once the kitten begins to mature.

5. Quite simply, unless you know the kittens themselves will be neutered (and in my experience, assurances often count for naught) you are contributing to what is already a massive animal welfare problem.

tonyheaney

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Do you know people waiting for a kitten or are you letting sentiment make you irresponsible?

I have people lined up thank you very much also sentiment so works either way. No need to be rude thank you.

tonyheaney

She gets plenty of exercise thank you very much, she goes out in the day time retuned a few times in that time but stays in at night.

tonyheaney

hdowney wrote: »

my 9mth old is in heat and yowling like a mad one. never been out- getting spayed in Jan then can go out. so she could be in heat. but i dont get the one litter thing. there are already far too many cats around

how much are where are you.... that sounded wrong:eek:

looksee

tonyheaney wrote: »

She gets plenty of exercise thank you very much, she goes out in the day time retuned a few times in that time but stays in at night.

That is not what you said initially. If she is out during the day then she is not a house cat in the sense that the article you linked suggests. My cat comes howling (or mewing, depending on which one it is) and invariably either wants to be fed or let out. They don't tend to come asking for food in the middle of the night, usually just want to go out.

If you are concerned about the cat's safety I would rethink the collar she has one, it looks very substantial for a cat and does not look like one that would slip off if she got caught on something?

boomerang

All I can say it makes me really, really sad to think of a kitten being allowed out and not neutered. When she comes in heat she is going to be attacked repeatedly by competing toms. With outdoor access she may well find somewhere away from home to have her kittens; you may never find them. If you don't, bingo, more feral cats for people to hate and mistreat.

Do you even know anything about looking after little kittens? Worming? Vaccinations? What age to rehome? How early they can be neutered? If your kitten is a hidden carrier of cat flu, you're going to have very sick little kittens, on top of everything else. Seeing as you're letting her breed randomly, be sure and have her tested afterwards for FIV and FeLV, won't you? And advise the people you give kittens to, to do the same?

Like I said, really, really sad. If you have homes lined up, direct them to your nearest shelter, where they can have their pick of hundreds of kittens born as a result of other owners' failure to neuter their cats.

the beer revolu

My parents had a gorgeous little kitten, Tiger, that I found lost and alone. She was the cutest thing and used to stay with us on sleepovers.
My parents adored her, my girlfriend (now wife) adored her as did my housemates and I.
Unfortunately, before my parents got around to having her neutered, she became pregnant.
She subsequently became very ill and miscarried. She required surgery and was neutered. She seemed to recover well but after a few months started to show signs of illness.
Turned out she had contracted either FIV or FeLV (I can't recall which). She didn't make it.
Not being neutered in time killed that beautiful affectionate, intelligent kitten.

Please reconsider.

Magenta

tonyheaney wrote: »

we don't want to let her out as it is very cold and wet and the kids would miss her if she got lost.

tonyheaney wrote: »

she goes out in the day time retuned a few times in that time but stays in at night.

Which is it?

tonyheaney wrote: »

I wanted to let her the privilege of one litter before i neuter her.

That old chestnut. Look, Good Housekeeping magazine in the 1950s had it wrong. There is no reason a cat needs to have a litter before being neutered. Please move into 2014 and look at the reality of the situation.

Have you considered the impact your 3 year old child may have on her trying to look after kittens? It's a full time job for her without a small child running around and possibly disturbing her. What if she rejects the kittens, are you prepared to hand rear them or will they be someone else's problem?

tonyheaney wrote: »

I have people lined up thank you very much

"People lined up" right...... I can tell you from experience.... "People" have a habit of losing interest when push comes to shove. They also have a habit of taking a kitten from someone else because they want one NOW and not in X many weeks when yours are ready to leave their mother.

JaMarcusHustle

You'll allow her the privilege of having a litter?

How do you reckon it's a privilege, exactly?

So she won't feel any pressure from her female cat friends to settle down with a successful husband and pop out a few younguns?

So society won't look down on her for being a single, independent cat without any children?

So she'll have someone to look after her when she's older and maybe pay for her to go to a nice retirement home?

Or is she just a bit egotistical and wants the family bloodline to continue through her?

It angers me so much the amount of irresponsible pet owners in this country and I always shudder to think how many there are out there. At least now I know there's one more. I thought maybe you were being naive, but people have given you advice here and you've accused them of being rude to do so.

If the people you have "lined up" - and I have my doubts - really want a kitten, tell them there are thousands of them in shelters crying out for homes as we speak. I doubt you will, but heck put them in touch with me and I will sort them out with kittens who have already been vaccinated, neutered, health checked, dewormed etc. and all they are missing are homes.

tonyheaney

Update: So we had 4 beautiful kittens 3 ginger and 1 black/white/ginger 2 girls and two boys. We are keeping the male ginger and i have already got good homes for the three little ones. One will be going to an elderly couple and also two young families. I offered them for €10 and upon delivery i will have €10 worth kitten food and a bowl and trainer litter tray. I feel if the person is willing to pay then they could be a good choice as owners. The mom is doing OK but has gone off cat food and prefers more home cooked food like chicken or lamb i cut and diced the meat on the lamb and duck and she is eating it no problem but id like her to at the cat food . I'm quite surprised at how soon the are using the litter tray. I left them with mum last night in the scullery room and when i went to feed her they had pee a lot in the trainer tray. I don't know who was more proud Mum cat with her funny meowing sounds or me with my whimpering sounds lol

meet Lilly, Ginger and Bubbles

and squeaky

Rips

Ah, some kittens that look exactly like every other unwanted kitten in the country.

People often purchase pets, spending up to €500 on dogs and cats of indiscriminate breeding and never spend a penny towards their healthcare. I know of puppy farms that will happily hand over replacements *free* when the first pup dies of parvo.

I hope that the 'good owners' you have sourced get these little ones spayed when the time comes and stop perpetuating the cycle of thousands of unwanted cats and kittens. I guess thats a risk you are prepared for <snip>

You would be much better off spending your money on wormers, vaccinations or microchips, instead of accessories.

Home cooked food can be lacking or deficient in essential nutrients your cat needs to survive and produce milk for those kittens. You can buy cat food which is just as palatable if not more so then the meat you cook up for yourself.

DBB

If you're going to say your piece, do it without getting personal. We're simply not tolerating that sort of posting any more.
cf http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057405004
Do not reply to this post on thread.
DBB

OP, congrats on getting homes for the little ones! I have a young female (she's 11 months) and when she was 5, 6, even 7 months I was trying to save to get her neutered and freaking out about her having a litter! I tried to keep her in but some people I shared with kept putting her out. Thankfully it didn't happen.

Has mammy cat quietened down since her litter was born? I clicked into this thread because I have a very vocal, demanding little madam (though there is no badness in her). She just wants to be fed ALL the time (we don't give in to this) or she wants to see who's home, she's extremely social. Or if she's not allowed into my bedroom, when I'm not home the door is locked, she wails until my housemate lets her into his room! Sometimes she wails at his door even when I am there and trying to just boot her into my room. I think the word "spoilt" might apply.

Just wondering how your little miss is getting on now.

tonyheaney

DBB wrote: »

If you're going to say your piece, do it without getting personal. We're simply not tolerating that sort of posting any more.
cf http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057405004
Do not reply to this post on thread.
DBB

Is that directed at me?

tonyheaney

Deleted User wrote: »

OP, congrats on getting homes for the little ones! I have a young female (she's 11 months) and when she was 5, 6, even 7 months I was trying to save to get her neutered and freaking out about her having a litter! I tried to keep her in but some people I shared with kept putting her out. Thankfully it didn't happen.

Has mammy cat quietened down since her litter was born? I clicked into this thread because I have a very vocal, demanding little madam (though there is no badness in her). She just wants to be fed ALL the time (we don't give in to this) or she wants to see who's home, she's extremely social. Or if she's not allowed into my bedroom, when I'm not home the door is locked, she wails until my housemate lets her into his room! Sometimes she wails at his door even when I am there and trying to just boot her into my room. I think the word "spoilt" might apply.

Just wondering how your little miss is getting on now.

Our little miss "thinker" is a right little madam. She is almost human in that she TELLS us what she wants lol. She is very hands on with the babys and asks us for food ALL THE TIME hehehehe.

DBB

tonyheaney wrote: »

Is that directed at me?

No, it's aimed at the post above the warning, but I'd have appreciated you enquiring by pm.