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Cats/My cat's stomach is making gurgling noises and she is yowling!
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Question
Just recently, my 16 year old tortie, Cookie, has been waking me up in the morning by yowling very dramatically. The yowls don't sound like her normal yowl and she sounds like she is either sad or scared or perhaps in pain(that of which I am not sure). I wake up very worried and rush right to her. As I approach her to pet and coo her, I can hear gurgling noises coming from her stomach. They seem to only come about when she is walking. And as soon as I find her, she stops yowling and craves attention. Recently, one of my younger cats, Angel, passed because of liver cancer. She was seven and has been with Cookie for seven years. We also adopted a newer cat who is about 1 and a half and was just spayed so she is segregated in my guest room as instructed by my vet. Cookie never yowled before we adopted the new, female, gray tabby white mix. And my mom, the primary feeder of Cookie, is on vacation this weekend and the two are very close. Could Angel dying, my adopting a new cat, and my Mom on vacation have anything to do with Cookie's behavior? I may just take her to the vet. But if you have any ideas, please tell me so I can get a general understanding of what may be happening to my cat. Thank-you!
Katie,
This cat should be seen by a vet to rule out any medical reasons for this behavior. If the vet finds nothing wrong clinically or in urine and blood tests then I can offer tips on how to modify behaviors. At 16 years of age your cat is roughly equivalent to an 80 year old human being so changes should be taken seriously and assessed promptly.
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 9 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | You were very kind to me in asessing my cat's behavior. She is doing much better now. After I got your reply, I gave her a lot of attention and frequent treats like cheese and cantaloupe (yes, she absolutely loves both) and withing the week, she got much better. Our new cat has also recovered so we let her have free reign of the house. Cookie seems much better. My hunch is that she missed our old cat and was "crying" for her. But now that there's a young cat in the house, Cookie is busy showing her the ropes. Thank you so much for your insight on my cat! Have a good holiday! | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Ali
Expertise
I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.
Experience
I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.
Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.
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