Expert: Jessica - 8/20/2005

Question
Hello,

My cat is 18 years old and about a year ago began to howl for no apparent reason. He'll just let out a very loud series of 5 to 10 howls and then go about his business. He does this indoors and out. When he sees me he'll stop and meow once normally. I think he's lost much of his hearing. Perhaps that has something to do with it.

Thanks
Dale

Answer
Hi Dale!

Because of your cat's age, the first thing that comes to my mind is Feline Cognitive Dysfuction Syndrome (CDS).  It's about the equivalent of the human disease Alzheimer's.  This has long been diagnosed in dogs.  Though rather uncommon in years passed, with our cats living years longer these days, more and more cases of CDS in cats are being diagnosed.  It typically occurs in cats over 15 years old.

Not all cats will experience all symptoms, but some of the most common ones follow:

+  Overvocalizaton
+  Litter box problems
+  Disorientation (get "stuck" in a corner, etc.)
+  Circling
+  Hiding
+  Not recognizing familiar people
+  Unprovoked aggression
+  Hiding
+  Hallucinations in some cases

It's not painful for the cat, and they can still live with a good quality of life.  Fortunately, there is a treatment that can slow the progression of the disease, and even reverse some of it.  It's called Anipryl.  This is the same medication that has been used to treat Alzhiemer's in people, marketed for dogs.  Many vets are now using it safely off-label for cats.

It's also possible that he could be suffering from a little separation anxiety.  That may be supported by the fact that he stops meowing when he finds you.

There's a product called Feliway that can work wonders in some anxiety cases.  It's a synthetic facial pheromone that can help reduce stress.  It's available at pet stores, or through their site, www.felineway.com.  I prefer to use their plug-in diffuser, called Comfort Zone, to treat generalized anxiety.

If that doesn't help and the problem escalates, you might want to talk to your vet about possible antianxiety medications.  There are a number to choose from.