screaming yelling crazy cat

Question
I have an american shorthair cat that is about 2 years old and screams at all hours of the night.  He will start at 4am and sometimes last for 4 hours.  It is always around his feeding time and he won't give up on trying to wake you up when you are sleeping.  I also have a dog that is very well behaved and I think the cat is jealous of his attention and that he gets to go outside.  So we started letting the cat outside when we take the dog out but he just continues to scream.  It seems to be a behavioral thing and not medical I am taking him to the vet but I know it's just his attitude b/c he has always been very vocal b ut it has gotten 100 x worse in the past month.  Please Help, Tom

Answer
Tom

It is good that you are taking the cat to the vet. Anytime a cat's behavior noticably changes it is good to have him checked for a medical issue causing it.

Have you tried free-choice feeding? Leave a big bowl full of a good quality dry food out all the time. Or at least at night. Then when the cat is hungry he can nibble without bothering anyone. But put it where the dog won't eat it all (that will defeat the purpose).

Also play with him before bedtime, like with a pet laserlight (you can get them at PetSmart, etc.), to tire him out. After you play with him, before you go to bed, give him a cat of wet food (canned cat food).

That way his tummy is full, he is tired, and you have more of a chance of him sleeping through the night.

He is screaming to get your attention for whatever reason. As long as it isn't' a medical issue, the way to stop that is to ignore him. COMPLETELY! It is very difficult and annoying, but you can not acknowledge his actions in ANY. He will EVENTUALLY stop when he doesns't get any reaction or attention from you. You have to be consistant though. If you even react once to him, then it won't work and it will be worse because the cat will know if he does it long enough eventually you WILL react, so he will keep it up longer.

But if he has food available, gets attention and playtime before bed, and has a full tummy from a can of food, then you may not have any more problem with him unless it's just a habit. Then you need to break that habit by ignoring him.

Also getting a 2nd kitty about his age and temperment might help keep him from being bored. Cats need cat mates to play kitty games with, cuddle with, and keep them company. 2 cats are easier than one because it takes the pressure off of you to keep them amused, to constantly play with them, and always be giving them attention.

I hope this helps.

Tabbi