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Expert: - 3/19/2011


Question
Hi, My cat, Annie is approximately 13 years old.  A few weeks ago she starting talking and howling a lot more.  She never usually howled, but she has always been a talker.  It has progressively gotten worse.  Up until yesterday she was eating, playing and drinking water and affectionate.  Today she was not interested in her cat nip, being brushed but still ate and wanted attention.  I don't know if it is possible for a cat to become obsessed, but she seems obsessed with running water.  She drinks a little and then sits and watches it.  If turned off, she cries.  I have not been sleeping much due to her crying all day and night.  I don't think she is sleeping either.  Can I give her anything to help her sleep, like benedryl?

Answer
Heather,

At age 13 Annie is geriatric, which means she may be suffering from a medical issue due to her age.  I would be concerned if she were drinking more water than usual and peeing in her litter pan more than usual.

I think a visit to your vet is in order. I do not like the idea of giving a cat any more medication than is absolutely necessary, let alone benadryl.  You can see what your vet says.  Although I understand why the crying may keep you awake, there is a solution (which you probably will not like): You can go to a travel store and get those soft ear plugs people in First Class use on Trans-Oceanic flights.  The only drawback may be that you may not hear your alarm clock, either.

Please let me know what your vet finds.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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