Expert: Jessica - 3/30/2010

Question
I have a chocolate point male siamese, who is almost 2yrs old. For some reason he is extrememly vocal, to the point of waking my neighbors upstairs from me!! He was always so quiet, but now every night he calls for hours at a time. Nothings changed in our household, and nothing works to calm him. Also before the calling started, his coat changed from an ivory beige, to almost completely brown (like his points). I've heard of slight color changes, but never this different. Do you have any idea, or suggestions, on what causing these things, or how to stop them?!! Please help me!

Answer
Hi Kellie.  As far as his excessive vocalization, it sounds like he may be suffering from some anxiety.  Siamese can be a little prone to this, especially if they are the only kitty in the household, as they suffer from separation anxiety when their owners are away during the day or are asleep at night.  You might consider getting him a buddy to keep him company during these times if he's an only cat.  Most Siamese breeders strongly recommend keeping Siamese with other cats.

Other possible treatments for anxiety include a pheromone product such as the Feliway Comfort Zone diffuser, a product that you plug into the wall, which emits a synthetic pheromone into the air.  It's odorless to us but has a calming effect on cats.  You can learn more at www.feliway.com.  Also, some people have success with flower essences.  I like a line called Spirit Essences, formulated by a holistic veterinarian and animal behaviorist (see www.spiritessences.com).  The Stress Stopper or Separation Anxiety Remedy may be beneficial for your kitty.  When none of these help, it may be time to talk to the vet about a prescription antidepressant that will help manage his anxiety problem.  Many cats only need treatment for a few months.  This seems to correct the brain chemistry in a lot of cases, and the cat can be tapered off of the medication once his behavior is stabilized.  However, some cats do require treatment permanently.

As for his color change, this is probably normal.  A few factors may be contributing to it:

1.  The gene that causes color points is temperature-sensitive.  Cooler temperatures cause darker colors, and most Siamese will have a darker coat during the winter months.  Their summer coats tend to come in lighter as the temperature is a little warmer.

2.  All Siamese darken with age.  Kittens and very young adults display a very drastic difference between their points and the rest of their body, but adults darken with each year of age.  Chocolates usually aren't too dark by two years of age, but this brings me to my third point:

3.  Genetics may play a role.  Some lines of Siamese darken more than others, just like some lines of Siamese have more vibrant eye color than others.  

I don't think his coat darkening is anything to be concerned about, but I would follow up on the anxiety issue with the vet if a buddy and the Feliway don't help.  Anxiety is really uncomfortable for the little guy to live with (and it will drive you and your neighbors crazy!).

Best of luck!

Jessica