I am so confused!

[ellie4-12]

I have recently brought home my new boy sphynx. He is a year and a half old and despite his many problems getting used to my house.. a complete sweetheart.

There is one difficult problem though. He will NOT stop making extremely loud calls and whines. I have had a sphynx before and it's nothing I am really used to hearing, and I have no idea what to do about it. In the beginning it seemed that it was a nighttime behavior.. howling in the evenings around bedtime. Then, it progressed to howling before we go to bed.. and now it seems like he falls into these howling sprees more and more frequently. His howls don't sound leisurely but more panicked and freaked out. Like I am dunking him in water or something.

My first thought was maybe it is attention based.. but when I try to pick him up he just runs away and continues howling. For a while I had a bathroom system in which I would put him there if he refuses to be quiet, and that would work out pretty good. But in these last few days it seems that he gets out of the bathroom and is WORSE than before and it breaks my heart to keep in the bathroom so often.

I don't know what I should do about this. Today he spent most of his time howling near the kitchen. He got into my high up cabinets and all over my dishes. I give him plenty of food! two different dry varieties and canned!

I am so stumped and really just want this to work. Ben and I have been taking turns being the "positive one" but I'm afraid there will be a day to come where we both are so angry we just throw him out the window

In his previous home.. He had 2 cats and a litter of kittens living with him. There were cages that I think they were kept in.. (not sure how long each day?) and when I took him home I was given a can of his normal wet food.. and from the size of it- he was eating ALOT of food each day.

Another thing is- when I visited him in his home (2 times) he definitely was quiet. very quiet. I had to ask the owner if he ever talks.. He was ALSO just neutered about 10 days ago.. So possibly hormonal?

Please let me know if anyone has any idea. I really want to keep him but I am also extremely concerned about others complaining to my landlord if the noise doesn't stop.

 

[Brooke]

Uh-oh! I would expect the howling to be getting better after his neuter, not getting worse!

Have you tried getting him any interactive toys to play with? Undercover Mouse is AWESOME. YouTube it, or search the videos here, our member Kalliee posted a vid of her cat, Meecho playing with hers. Undercover Mouse is great because it's battery operated and you can let him attack the thing for hours while you do your own thing.

I'm starting to think maybe he is bored and needs to be entertained or distracted... If anything, Undercover Mouse (or something similar) will wear him out and he'll work off some of that pent up energy on the toy instead of getting into trouble in your cabinets. He won't be howling as long as he's attacking the toy! Walter and Mandy love the thing so much, they will sit and stare at it even when I don't have it turned on, and Mandy will hide around the corner and pounce on it.

 

[ilovemysphynx]

hmmm sound like it could still be hormones that is what Leo does when Athena is in heat, Maybe there is A female near by?

I am glad to hear you have found A new baby, but I must say I do fear that there was not enough time between the new guy and Harry's fip and I fear that it is still in the house? They say to wait at least 1 month even if you have cleaned everything. I do hope all is well.

 

[havingalook]

He's probably just trying to get used to his new surroundings. He's gone from being in a familiar place with his siblings/ other cats, to being in a new home with no feline friends.

I am glad to hear you have found A new baby, but I must say I do fear that there was not enough time between the new guy and Harry's fip and I fear that it is still in the house? They say to wait at least 1 month even if you have cleaned everything. I do hope all is well.

I was trying to type that but you phrased it better than I can.

 

[Mews2much]

I agree you got a new cat to soon.
My vet always says to wait 2 months if there has been a cat ith fip around and to clean all the rooms taht the cat was in very well.

 

[ellie4-12]

Hmm.. My vet told me to wait 20-30 days. He was well aware that I brought him home when I did and didn't seem to think there was a problem. I have a very small apartment with all wooden floors. I cleaned everything a few times with bleach.

But I can see your concern. FIP is such a strange myserious disease... many people have different opinions on how long to wait.

 

[Mews2much]

The bleach was a good idea.
That is what my vet says to use.

 

[zoes mom]

Sounds to me like your cat could be in alot of pain? I would check his temperature out. I sure hope all gets better for you and your cat soon!

 

[PitRottMommy]

I think a sense of being lonely as well as hormones could have alot to do with his calling. Some cats will keep testosterone for many months AFTER a neuter, so don't expect anything to happen too quickly.

What I would recommend doing is investing in a Feliway Diffuser, if you haven't already. If you have a small apartment, start with 1. You may need to increase to a second diffuser if your home is larger than 1000 feet, however.

The feliway diffuser will release calming pheromones into the air, alot like what your companion would have experienced while with his mother, to help calm him down. This may be a short term fix or may be required for longer term benefits, depending on how long this behavior lasts.

 

[susi794]

I subscribe to Dr. Jon's online cat newsletter and he has talked about the howling thing--says it's almost always from a sexually active male--calling for a mate. If he was just neutered, he probably still has a lot of testosterone--another friend of mine had a boy that did the same thing--but he would quit if Ryan got up with him and they snuggled on the couch--but when Ryan would go back to bed, Anubis would start howling again, evidently it was because he was lonely--he bought another kitten and no more howling! Dr. Jon says to be sure you don't acknowledge the howling, because then he realizes it is an effective tool and will use it whenever he wants to pull your chain...but that is easier said than done. I agree about the Feliway--try spraying some on a teddy bear that he can snuggle with too. Won't hurt to try it. I also have a fling-ama-string which uses batteries which last seemingly forever--my cats LOVE it--play with it for hours if I leave it on. Good luck with your little guy--hope it works out for you!

 

[heather]

Hi ellie! I just wanted to say I hope Tommy adjusts to his new home. Does he get along with your other cat? I forget his/her name- the whitish one? Hopefully like the others said once his testosterone goes down he'll stop the howling.

 

[Haji the Sphynx]

I hope things are slowly getting better.
I don't have much advice to offer, but have you taken the kitty to the vet yet? Just for a new owner check up? I take Haji to Dr. Seiebert at the Cat Doctor in the Third Ward and they are always so nice and answer all my questions...although I'm sure you already have your own vet!

 

[georgehairlesson]

I have recently brought home my new boy sphynx. He is a year and a half old and despite his many problems getting used to my house.. a complete sweetheart.

There is one difficult problem though. He will NOT stop making extremely loud calls and whines. I have had a sphynx before and it's nothing I am really used to hearing, and I have no idea what to do about it. In the beginning it seemed that it was a nighttime behavior.. howling in the evenings around bedtime. Then, it progressed to howling before we go to bed.. and now it seems like he falls into these howling sprees more and more frequently. His howls don't sound leisurely but more panicked and freaked out. Like I am dunking him in water or something.

My first thought was maybe it is attention based.. but when I try to pick him up he just runs away and continues howling. For a while I had a bathroom system in which I would put him there if he refuses to be quiet, and that would work out pretty good. But in these last few days it seems that he gets out of the bathroom and is WORSE than before and it breaks my heart to keep in the bathroom so often.

I don't know what I should do about this. Today he spent most of his time howling near the kitchen. He got into my high up cabinets and all over my dishes. I give him plenty of food! two different dry varieties and canned!

I am so stumped and really just want this to work. Ben and I have been taking turns being the "positive one" but I'm afraid there will be a day to come where we both are so angry we just throw him out the window

In his previous home.. He had 2 cats and a litter of kittens living with him. There were cages that I think they were kept in.. (not sure how long each day?) and when I took him home I was given a can of his normal wet food.. and from the size of it- he was eating ALOT of food each day.

Another thing is- when I visited him in his home (2 times) he definitely was quiet. very quiet. I had to ask the owner if he ever talks.. He was ALSO just neutered about 10 days ago.. So possibly hormonal?

Please let me know if anyone has any idea. I really want to keep him but I am also extremely concerned about others complaining to my landlord if the noise doesn't stop.

I'm confused. Did you just get a new kitty?

 

[georgehairlesson]

I have recently brought home my new boy sphynx. He is a year and a half old and despite his many problems getting used to my house.. a complete sweetheart.

There is one difficult problem though. He will NOT stop making extremely loud calls and whines. I have had a sphynx before and it's nothing I am really used to hearing, and I have no idea what to do about it. In the beginning it seemed that it was a nighttime behavior.. howling in the evenings around bedtime. Then, it progressed to howling before we go to bed.. and now it seems like he falls into these howling sprees more and more frequently. His howls don't sound leisurely but more panicked and freaked out. Like I am dunking him in water or something.

My first thought was maybe it is attention based.. but when I try to pick him up he just runs away and continues howling. For a while I had a bathroom system in which I would put him there if he refuses to be quiet, and that would work out pretty good. But in these last few days it seems that he gets out of the bathroom and is WORSE than before and it breaks my heart to keep in the bathroom so often.

I don't know what I should do about this. Today he spent most of his time howling near the kitchen. He got into my high up cabinets and all over my dishes. I give him plenty of food! two different dry varieties and canned!

I am so stumped and really just want this to work. Ben and I have been taking turns being the "positive one" but I'm afraid there will be a day to come where we both are so angry we just throw him out the window

In his previous home.. He had 2 cats and a litter of kittens living with him. There were cages that I think they were kept in.. (not sure how long each day?) and when I took him home I was given a can of his normal wet food.. and from the size of it- he was eating ALOT of food each day.

Another thing is- when I visited him in his home (2 times) he definitely was quiet. very quiet. I had to ask the owner if he ever talks.. He was ALSO just neutered about 10 days ago.. So possibly hormonal?

Please let me know if anyone has any idea. I really want to keep him but I am also extremely concerned about others complaining to my landlord if the noise doesn't stop.

I really really hope your new kitty is ok.

 

[CoolSphynx]

I think a sense of being lonely as well as hormones could have alot to do with his calling. Some cats will keep testosterone for many months AFTER a neuter, so don't expect anything to happen too quickly.

What I would recommend doing is investing in a Feliway Diffuser, if you haven't already. If you have a small apartment, start with 1. You may need to increase to a second diffuser if your home is larger than 1000 feet, however.

The feliway diffuser will release calming pheromones into the air, alot like what your companion would have experienced while with his mother, to help calm him down. This may be a short term fix or may be required for longer term benefits, depending on how long this behavior lasts.

Ellie, I'm so sorry you're having a tough time with your new guy. I agree with Sami & can't say enough good things about Feliway. Some of my nuttiest fosters have calmed down with Feliway, to such an extent that I'd not have believed it had I not seen it. Sometimes within hours. The cheapest I've found them is on amazon.com and we have diffusers on in rooms where the cats spent most of the time and a bathroom used for confinement. In addition to the diffuser, the spray can help by spraying it on his bed, placemat (not in food of course), in the carrier before the vet, even on your clothes about 5-10 minutes before you hold him, etc. They work well together, but If you have to decide btwn the diffuser and spray, go with the diffuser.

The move, neuter, and new people are probably overstressing him and I hope he'll settle down as he feels more comfortable with you. Also, make sure he has lots of places he can hide under or next to (even if it's just a box with the flaps closed) in both the bathroom (if confined) and around the apt.... Good luck!!