Cat behavior

Question
Hi Melissa,

I have a female cat but not sure what breed it is.  She is white with black and orange markings on her, and her age is approximately 12 yrs old.  Also, she has been spayed. She mainly stays outdoors but I let her in to eat and hang out with me and my dog whenever she wants.  They have a great relationship and get along like best friends. I also have a litter box in the house in case she needs it, and she does use it occasionally.  She is not very affectionate and hates to be picked up and cuddled, but she will rub around on my feet and ankles when I'm sitting down, or standing.  She was found as a stray kitten, and I got her from a woman I worked with at the time.

Anyway, recently she has begun to meow excessively when I let her in the house.  It is usually right after she gets a few nibbles of cat food (dry).  She will sometimes go back and forth to her food bowl a few times before starting to get "vocal", but it has become rather irritating.  At first she would go to the door and meow, to tell me she wants out.  But now she does it whereever she is in the house.

I realize this isn't much to go on, but do you have any idea what she is trying to tell me, or why she all of a sudden got to be so talkative?  I always keep food and water available to her, even outside.  I just can't figure out what she wants.  Could it be menopause?  ha ha   Do you have any ideas?   

Thanks,
Gary

Answer
A sudden behavior change can be a result of a medical issue and with her age, I wouldn't put it past that. I would have her checked by a veterinarian to make sure nothing medical is going on. It can also result from another environmental change or change in food for example. Has anything else changed in the household or neighborhood?