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non-stop "talking"

MrModi_323

Savannah Child
(BACKGROUND: hes a rescue from the spcaLA, suggested aprx 4 yrs old, has had two previous owners and the most previous had kids that were supposedly allergic and that's why they gave him up).

So,

Our new boy Modi has been home with us for about 2 weeks. The past 5 days now he has started meowing at random moments in the late night. He will often wake me and my wife up, he gets very loud. We will give him play time, and give him attention and love before we go to sleep...and within 2 hours or so of being asleep he starts meowing and meowing and trying to wake us up.

He also does this as he walks around the room. He sometimes will do it to get our attention to run the faucet or to get loves. But, he will also just do it to do it. We are going to be taking him to the vet at the end of the week if he doesn't calm down, because we are unsure of what he may be trying to tell us.

This "talking" could go on for 30min periods at a time.

Anyone have any advice or know of this? My bengals liked to talk, but nowhere near as much as him.
 

WitchyWoman

Admin
Staff member
He might just be a very chatty cat. Or he could be hungry. Or, it could just be his way of burning off that hunting energy that cats have. Most often, they will get the zoomies and run around the house like mad. Try leaving a radio on low to see if that helps.

One thing -- he is training you and your wife. You might want to reconsider giving him attention when he yowls because by doing that, you are reinforcing the behavior.
 

MrModi_323

Savannah Child
She does sometimes sit when he cries for her to sit. But a lot of this is during our sleeping hours, do you think hes trying to wake us up for attention? Because when I have woken up and went to see what he wanted, he would just wonder the room crying at random items.
 

WitchyWoman

Admin
Staff member
do you think hes trying to wake us up for attention? Because when I have woken up and went to see what he wanted, he would just wonder the room crying at random items.

It's hard to say without experimenting. This could be a remnant behavior from one of his previous 2 homes, such as living with kids who might have played with him at all hours of the night.

I suggested playing a radio on low in case he gets lonely, especially if you keep him in his own room at night. Does he sleep with you? If not, you might give it a try.
 

MrModi_323

Savannah Child
It's hard to say without experimenting. This could be a remnant behavior from one of his previous 2 homes, such as living with kids who might have played with him at all hours of the night.

I suggested playing a radio on low in case he gets lonely, especially if you keep him in his own room at night. Does he sleep with you? If not, you might give it a try.


Yes he sleeps with us in the same room. He has his own little bed set up on a chair where he usually perches to watch us. He has just recently started to get right up to my wifes face while shes asleep, and very quietly meow and chirp at her to try and wake her up. This has been something new he started doing with her, but as I said, hes also obsessed with her as well.

I will try your suggestion to see hoe he reacts to this.
 

WitchyWoman

Admin
Staff member
Welllll, somebody is going to suggest this if I don't because it's our favorite "go to" problem solver -- consider getting him a feline friend. Sounds like he could use someone else to focus on. Doesn't have to be another savannah.
 

MrModi_323

Savannah Child
Welllll, somebody is going to suggest this if I don't because it's our favorite "go to" problem solver -- consider getting him a feline friend. Sounds like he could use someone else to focus on. Doesn't have to be another savannah.

He was brought in with another cat, a bengal. But, the reason why we didn't adopt both was because they did not get along. When put together in a room they both went into attack mode, and the bengal was extremely hostile. We had tried working with the two before we came to our decision, but the amount of anxiety between the two was just too great.

We are looking into a companion for him soon too. Luckily me and my wife work two different schedules so he maybe only has a 4 to 5 hours period where he is alone per day. And on the weekends when we are running around we do what we can to stop by home and give him attention before running back out.

We also got him a harness and leash, which he seems to love to be on just while in the house...and hes expressed an interest in being outside. I used to have bengals that loved going on walks, so we may start trying him out on that too once we get him fully used to having the harness on.
 

WitchyWoman

Admin
Staff member
You are very fortunate to not only find a savannah at a shelter, but one who is so friendly and adaptable. He has a great home with you and is a very lucky cat. I hope you find the right companion for him. Should be a younger cat. As you probably already know, it's easier for the cat who is established in the home to accept a kitten rather than an older cat. Gender won't matter as much -- could be another male or a female.
 

MrModi_323

Savannah Child
You are very fortunate to not only find a savannah at a shelter, but one who is so friendly and adaptable. He has a great home with you and is a very lucky cat. I hope you find the right companion for him. Should be a younger cat. As you probably already know, it's easier for the cat who is established in the home to accept a kitten rather than an older cat. Gender won't matter as much -- could be another male or a female.

Thank you for the kind words!

And thank you for all your insights, we will deff be trying these out. As for a buddy, our situation at the moment may not fully allow for this, but will in short time. So as soon as we are able to get him a companion, we will.
 

Brigitte Cowell

Moderator
Staff member
Have you tried just before your regular bed time to create the routine... vigorous play session (get him TIRED and/or panting), late night snack and then your usual night time routine of teeth brushing and getting into bed. By tiring him out then feeding him you have the best chance of him then settling for a good sleep.

If all that doesn't work, you may need to get up and put out of the room and shut the door. I do this with kittens that think a 3am playtime on my head is appropriate... and within a week of quietly and persistently doing this (picking them up and turfing out of the bedroom) they've learned to take it elsewhere...and learn that the bed is for quiet snuggle time.

Don't make the mistake of playing on the bed either, then the cat thinks the bed is the right place to come to ask for play too...

but ask others have said, he might simply be a very vocal cat and he's settling in which probably means he's got a lot to say...and you can hope that with time he won't feel that urge so much. Do get the vet to check them over, he's a bit young it seems for something like a thyroid issue which can lead to yowling but still...you don't have a health history on him so it might be worth running bloodwork for a baseline for the future..
 
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