Bengle 4 year old cat won't let me get some sleep! Help!

[kittykatattacks]

This is a little long, so please bare with me, and thank you in advance for any help you give me!

About a week ago I was fortunate enough to stumble across this 4 year old Bengle cat named mocha. I have had cats all my life, and before that too I had researched his bread before I got him. I knew that they were chatty cats, but the problem was, because he was quite old, I had no idea of the trials I would be facing.

My friend had received Mocha from an old man, around 70, who said he didn't want to take care of the cat anymore because he was afraid that if he got sick (the old man), he would be unable to give it the care Mocha needed. That was all I was told, nothing of his history.

When we took him in the car, he meowed non-stop, I was guessing from stress, and he continued when we got home. I noticed a few things, he wants to go in the cubords, he will only drink from a tap (not from his bowl), he scratches up the carpet when he wants attention (he has a scratching post, he has used it multiple times so he knows that's the right thing to do, and I've clipped his nails) and the one I absolutely cannot stand is his frequent non-stop meowing when we're trying to sleep. I have a busy schedule, so I feel like its partly my fault for not spending enough time with him, but I have been trying to train him out of these bad habits.

I've tried locking him in another room for 5 minute intervals when he does everything except meowing. When he meows I look away and ignore him until he stops, then I pet him. I've tried the treat method, where when he's quiet I give him a treat, but he is probably the weirdest cat I know because he will not eat treats, at all. I've tried closing the door at night be he scratches on the door and meows until I respond to him.

I have never dealt with a cat this chatty before and unresponsive to my methods. I feel like I'm just confusing and frustrating him. Please help, I love him and want the best for him, but I also need sleep. Do you think I should give it to another owner who can spend more time with him (I work a full time job and go to school)? Any help is appreciated.

 

[Draco]

First.. Welcome!

Second, thanks for taking in the kitty!

I suggest playing with him before bed. Wear him out to where he's panting. Play with him several times a day for 15 minutes or until he's panting and well worn out, which will help unleash his energy. Try to  keep him up during the day so he learns he must sleep at night.

For tap water drinking, maybe invest in a little water fountain for him. Some cats prefer to drink from moving water.

Do you have scratching posts for his scratching behaviors? Considering its the carpets, try a horizontal scratching post.. even one of those cardboard scratchers may help (or scrap carpet.. use catnip on it so he knows to use that)

 

[nocturnal]

Great advice above I'll just add that whatever you do do not respond to the meowing or it will get worse. I feel your pain, my big cat took to howling late at night and the few first times I thought she was sick or hurt and got out of bed. Big mistake, the moment she realized the howling worked she decided to keep at it.

If the cat does not respond to treats you can perhaps release him from confinement when he stops meowing. That way he was realize that freedom is easily achievable if he keeps quiet. My little kitty is in confinement because of issues with the big one and she used to meow non-stop as soon as she heard people moving about the house. I decided to only release her once she shut up and she hasn't meowed like that since.

 

[kittykatattacks]

Thanks for the awesome advice! Ill try all of it!