The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [26]
A Cats are naturally crepuscular, which means that they sleep a lot during the day and become more active at dusk and dawn. When the sun goes down, Kai has plenty of energy and he starts to pace and vocalize, perhaps out of frustration that he cannot join in various feline activities occurring outside.
Since his howling has escalated to the point that it has become a serious issue, the first step is to determine what is causing this hypervocalization in Kai. You may be able to blame genetics. After all, Siamese are predisposed to being big talkers. Increased howling may also be linked to Kai’s need for attention or it might have a medical cause. I advise you to have him examined by your veterinarian to rule out any hidden injury or illness causing him pain. Some cats become very vocal when they develop hyperthyroidism.
The cause of the yowling may be an emotional issue, such as anxiety or fear. Work with your veterinarian on selecting appropriate treatments or medications that can address these medical or emotional causes.
If you determine that his howling is just a demand for attention, you can extinguish his behavior by purposely ignoring his high-volume vocals. This won’t be easy; initially Kai will probably howl louder and more frequently when he discovers that you are not responding. When he starts up, do not say anything — resist the temptation to tell him to quiet down. Just leave the room or shut the door so that he can’t see you.
At night, keep him out of your room and do not give even the slightest response, even to tell him to quiet down. You can start cueing him that you plan to ignore him by making a special sound like a duck cluck as you leave the room. This is known as a bridging stimulus and is used to alert a cat that the owner is about to withdraw attention. The key is to be patient and to avoid punishment. After all, any attention, including scolding, is still attention in the mind of Kai.
Another step is to tweak his feeding and sleeping schedules. If possible, play with him more during the day, which will cut down on his daytime napping and make him more tired at night. Provide his biggest meal at night, right before bedtime. A cat with a full belly is more apt to sleep than be active.
In some cases, a howling cat will settle down if tucked into a comfy crate at bedtime. (It has to be large enough to include a litter box, with some room between it and the sleeping area.) This tactic does not work with all cats because they are not den animals like dogs, but some cats do seem to like having a cozy bedroom of their own. Just make sure that you make this a welcoming place with plush bedding and maybe a treat or a pinch of catnip, and not a place of banishment.
Case of Nip and Run
Q My cat, Peaches, is a Siamese mix. She loves to cuddle with me, but sometimes when I am petting her, she bites me. Occasionally it is hard enough to break the skin. Why does she bite, and can I train her not to bite after 12 years of living with me?
A Peaches is biting the hand that feeds her, and without any apologies. It is easy to mistake the reason behind the nip. Peaches is not delivering a love bite, but rather a clear indication that she has endured enough of human kindness. Her nip translates into “Kindly stop petting me or I will bite harder.”
Some cats bite because as kittens they were permitted to play “hand wrestling” with their owners, who considered it cute antics. They grow up thinking it is okay to bite and swat at hands. But when they do it as adults with big teeth and sharp claws, they aren’t nearly as cute.
Other cats bite because they are scared or do not feel well, but because this has been going