Help!! I have a cat that cries constantly

My 14 1/2 year old Tabby has been most unhappy for many months now. She cries all of the time (it is mostly moaning and yowling) until I sit down and she climbs on my lap. I am puzzled because she can have sat with me or even slept with me and as soon as I get up she yowls again.

I had to put down my dog about a year ago and wonder if she is responding to this. They were "friends from afar". She put up with his presence but they pretty much ignored each other.

I am desperate as this behavior is driving me crazy. I would greatly appreciate any help that someone can offer.

Before we can tackle your question we need to know whether your cat is spayed. If she isn't spayed, having her altered will be the quick and easy solution.

I wish I had an answer because I am experiencing something similar here. Though in my case my kitty still cries even in my lap. She doesn't like to be held, which has always been the case. She used to be very quiet only crying when going into heat. I had her spayed last week, and the procedure did not go smoothly. She had cysts in her reproduction system and she had severe swelling, so the vet had to cut much more then he had to with either of my other cats. He decided to take her home with him that night to watch over her just in case, since the stitches didn't quite take and there was quite a bit of bleeding. She spent the night with him, came home to me the next day.

With the antibiotics we have given her she has recovered very fast. She is in good health now. But now she doesn't stop crying. She goes into the darkest corners of the apartment and meows until I come and find her. Then she stops for five minutes and continues crying.

I am not being driven crazy by the meowing, but I am curious by it, especially since it doesn't seem like anything I do makes her feel better. The vet says that she is in good health, if not a bit overweight (something that surprised me), so I am left with something of a situation. I can perhaps make a guess of what is bothering her (she never left the apartment for extended periods of time and then we had to keep her in isolation for two days while her belly healed up before reintroducing her to Isis and Niko so I can't imagine that was any help to her simple kitty head), but some assistance as to how to comfort her would be greatly appreciated.

Thought I would add this with CatMorris's thread since we seem to be experiencing the same problem, just different situations. (no sense in creating multiple threads. )

Other than a female in heat - medical problems and stress are the general directions to be looking at. Any cat that starts vocalizing more than usual, daytime or night time, needs to be seen by a vet. Once medical problems (or pain from existing medical problems Xastion) are ruled out, potential stressors is what you need to be looking for. Any major change in the cat's routine and environment, or a culmination of several minor changes. A lot depends on the individual cats. It looks like some cats are more sensitive to stress than others and that different cats react differently.

Spaying a 14 year old could be risky. Putting her under to scale her teeth could be risky! Of course it depends on individual condition (some cats are young at 20), but the average 14 year old cat is old.

If you want professional help, I think Dr. Nicholas Dodman at Tufts Uni is a behaviorist I'd consult; he has a remove consulting service. Or find a local behaviorist (a good one!) for advice. Some things are hard to figure out alone.

Mischief has calmed considerably. The vet has looked her over and said that she is in good health and has recovered very nicely. It seems that she just is stressed out since being subjected to so much change in so little time. Now the only time she cries wildly is when everyone is in one room. She has taken to laps as long as she doesn't have arms surrounding her, which is an interesting change.

Originally Posted by lotsocats

Before we can tackle your question we need to know whether your cat is spayed. If she isn't spayed, having her altered will be the quick and easy solution.

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Yes, my cat (female) was spayed when she was young. Darn-no easy solution!!!

Originally Posted by Weatherlight

Spaying a 14 year old could be risky. Putting her under to scale her teeth could be risky! Of course it depends on individual condition (some cats are young at 20), but the average 14 year old cat is old.

If you want professional help, I think Dr. Nicholas Dodman at Tufts Uni is a behaviorist I'd consult; he has a remove consulting service. Or find a local behaviorist (a good one!) for advice. Some things are hard to figure out alone.

Click to expand...

Do you know how I can get hold of Dr. Dodman. I am in California (south of San Francisco) and would love to email or call him if possible. I do not know a behaviorsit that is local, but would be more than willing to consult with someone.

Thanks for your advice. It is greatly appreciated.