Expert: Brandy - 1/16/2007

Question
Our beloved Davey is a female cat.  She will be 19 years old this March.  She is very skinny, but quite spry.  She has a very healthy appetite.  For the last six months she will approach her water bowl and meow very loudly, look around, and then drink.  She does not do this when she eats, however.  This very loud meowing (very guttural and low, but LOUD)has now extended to her bed.  Every time she climbs up on her bed, she gives out with this type of meowing.  Her eyesight is reasonably good, as is her hearing.   She still has her normal voice or meow when she is "talking" to us or being her normal self, but what is this loud meowing about when she drinks her water or lays on her bed to sleep?  It is so loud it wakes the entire house.  Thanks for any information you can give us.  -Joe

Answer
I had to wait a bit until I could figure out what exactly could be going on with your wonderfully antique cat, but I'm stumped.

My cats are 10, 9, 8 and 4, and we recently lost our 15+ year old, and I think that it's simply a cat becoming an eccentric.  It's something that mine, at least, seem to take a while to work on.

My oldest had this 'thing' about only drinking water from a cup filled to the brim located next to the sink. That's it. Nowhere else.

My others are hoarding plastic, stuffing themselves into the fireplace, and pretty much seeing how far they can train us and the dogs.

Your cat sounds wonderful. Just picture a feline Bette Davis, wandering the house, checking her areas, making sure all is the same as it was yesterday (because all cats are routine).  Since she is healthy otherwise, her LOUD meowing could simply be her announcing 'I am going to drink some water, and it BETTER BE FRESH!', and 'I am now going to sleep and EVERYONE BETTER BE QUIET!'. She's probably not worried about her food, which is why she's probably quiet about it.

You have to admit that it makes you smile, and pretty soon you'll look forward to the announcements from your cat.