Dear Sinéad, Siouxsie and Thomas:
I have a few questions about my two cats. I got them from a lady who had a baby and did not want them anymore. They are not brother and sister, but were raised together. They are 8 and 9 years old now. Nelson is a black and white male. Zoey is a gray female. They were both declawed and fixed by former owner. I have had them for two years and they seem very happy. Nelson eats more than Zoey and is about 5 pounds heavier, I suspect. He is the more cuddly one, while Zoey follows me around the house everywhere I go, but she is very skittish. Zoey hates to be picked up and will only allow you to hold her if she gets in your lap. Nelson comes and finds me when he wants to be cuddled or petted or fed. I can pick him up easily and will actually turn himself toward me to be picked up. The cats chase each other around the house sometimes and sound like elephants upstairs. They will hiss at each other sometimes while doing this ... why?

Why does Nelson often sit in a room by himself and MEOW over and over again as loud as he can while looking up at the ceiling? Zoey does not do this. Nelson will do this until I find him or call his name from where I am. He does this at night a lot too while in the hall outside my room. He does this constantly, it's like he got lost in the house and I have to find him. Nelson also will bump his head into the headboard and stares at it or at the wall. What's this about?

Last night he sat in the kitchen and was meowing loudly, over and over. Then he walked around the perimeter of the room over and over again, then he kept licking his bottom, dragged his butt on the floor(only once), then was scratching the carpet. I watched him and followed him around all night to make sure he was okay. He went to the litter box and pooped three times. The stool looked a little loose. He then went under my bed and went to sleep. He is back to normal today: No butt-licking, dragging or weird behavior. He was next to me purring again and did not seem as uncomfortable as he did last night. The other night we gave them a can of Friskies chicken wet food as a treat and then last night he did that crazy butt thing, licking etc. Zoey did not do this and Nelson is acting perfectly normal now. What happened to him?

Just to let you know, Nelson loves to watch TV and Zoey "says" hello to me every morning. It really does sound like "Hello." The kids actually hear it too, so it's not just me. I say "hello" to her every day and this "hello" meow is not like other meows that they do. It really sound like she is imitating my voice. It is so funny! I have a talking cat. She only does this in the morning and won't do it if anyone but myself or the children are there. Why does she do this?

Thank you.
Tricia

Sinéad: Well, Tricia, you've got quite a few questions here, but have no fear! We've got some answers for you, too.

Siouxsie: First of all, you mentioned that Nelson and Zoey have very different attitudes about being picked up and held. This is perfectly normal in cats. Sinéad and I are littermates and we've been together since birth, but we too are quite different in this regard. I love to be picked up and held. I even ask Mama to give me shoulder rides! But Sinéad doesn't like being picked up at all, and she'll tolerate being held for about 30 seconds before she starts struggling to get away.

Thomas: I don't really care to be picked up all that often, either. It's not that Sinéad and I don't like cuddles--we just prefer to initiate the cuddling sequence instead of being grabbed and held when we don't feel like it.

Sinéad: If Zoey had been cuddly and lovey all her life and then suddenly didn't want to be picked up and held, though, that could be a symptom that she's in some kind of pain. Behavior changes are one of the few indications a cat will give that he or she is in pain or discomfort. But if she's been like that ever since she's lived with you, it's not a big deal ... and she'll love you and your kids even more if you respect her wishes to be cuddled on her own terms.

Siouxsie: The chasing games you mention are also perfectly normal. It's one of the ways that cats play together; it helps us exercise our hunting and chasing instincts, and it helps to burn off calories and keep us healthy. Even the hissing is a normal part of the game. As long as it doesn't escalate into flying fur and screaming, it's no big deal at all.

Thomas: Chase is one of my favorite games. I like to play Chase with Sinéad!

Sinéad: I wish you'd stop chasing me all the time, though! I miss our cuddling sessions, and it makes me sad when you run after me and swat me!

Thomas: I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you sad!

Siouxsie: Oh come ON! The two of you are making me want to cough up a hairball!

Sinéad: You're such a meanie, Siouxsie! Anyway ... Tricia, the next thing you asked about was the midnight meowing. Some cats tend to start doing the "meowing alone in a room" thing as they get older, and the reasons for that behavior vary. Some cat experts think it signifies that the cat is having a "senior moment" and maybe has forgotten where his family is.

Siouxsie: And the some cats, such as myself, just LIKE to sit in a room and meow because we love the sound of our voices and we think everybody else should be able to share the experience of hearing our lovely arias.

Thomas: Yeah, lovely arias. So lovely that Mama hears you yowling and caterwauling and says, "Siouxsie, be quiet!"

Siouxsie: Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Sinéad: This behavior is usually harmless. But because he's also having "episodes" where he bumps his head against the headboard or stares at things for periods of time, you should definitely mention it to your vet so he or she can check and make sure there's no organic cause (such as a seizure disorder or high blood pressure) for it. We think it's always better to be safe than sorry.

Siouxsie: Moving on to your next question regarding Nelson's bout of discomfort and butt-dragging: We think he ate something that disagreed with him. Cats can get upset stomachs--gas, diarrhea, bloating, etc.--as a result of eating food that irritates the digestive tract.

Thomas: You mentioned that you'd fed the cats a chicken-flavored wet food the night before the episode. Like humans, cats can develop allergies to certain food products or flavors. Also, most brands of canned cat food sold in the United States tends to be made using lower grades of meat (typically meat that is unfit for human consumption), as well as fillers and by-products that can irritate our tummies.

Sinéad: Every cat is different when it comes to what their stomachs will tolerate, so again, it's not unusual that Nelson got the runs and Zoey didn't. We always recommend to our readers that you feed your cats the highest quality kibble and canned food you can afford. High-quality food can be fed in smaller portions because it has more nutritional density, and the extra short-term cost will pay back in the long run with better health.

Siouxsie: We do have one caviar--em, I mean caveat--for you, though. If you do decide to switch cat food brands, sudden food changes can also cause stomach upset. If you can switch brands gradually, that will help everybody feel better.

Thomas: And if you're just giving canned food occasionally as a treat, it's worth it to splurge and buy some extra-special, high-quality food. Mama gave us duck au jus flavored gooshy food on my A-Day. Mmmmmm!

Sinéad: You tell us that Zoey says "hello" to you. That's really cool! I say "hello" to Mama, too, although my hello sounds more like "Hiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Exceptionally intelligent and wise cats, such as Zoey and myself, will sometimes learn human words and what they mean. We all know that humans tend to have a great deal of difficulty learning to speak telepathically (as we cats generally do to one another), so we try to be helpful and generous by learning your language.

Siouxsie: Grrrr! If your head gets any bigger, Sinéad, you're not going to fit through the doorways anymore! You're not the only cat around here who knows how to talk Human. I talk to Mama all the time! We have great, long conversations!

Thomas: Hey, I like to talk too!

Siouxsie: Shut your tuna hole, stripy-head! All you ever say is "fooood! fooooooood!"

Thomas: Mama!

Sinéad: So, Tricia, we hope we've been able to answer your questions. Basically, the behavior you've described is well within the normal range for cats, with the notable exception of Zoey's ability to say Hello to you. The only thing we'd urge you to keep an eye on is Nelson's meowing and staring behavior, as it could be a symptom of a potential health concern.

Siouxsie: Cats over the age of seven or eight years are generally considered to be in their senior years, although the typical well-cared-for indoor cat can expect to live 16 to 18 years without any major health problems.

Thomas: Senior cats should be monitored to make sure their weight stays within the normal range--as cats age, our activity level decreases and our metabolism slows down a bit, so we don't need to eat quite as much as we did when we were younger. Cat foods formulated specifically for senior cats tend to be lower in calories and have essential nutrients in a form easier for seniors to digest and assimilate.

Sinéad: And because Nelson and Zoey are senior cats, it's important to keep an eye on their behavior and make sure that their bowel and bladder habits stay on track. Any changes in elimination habits (frequent urination, change in quality or color of feces not related to a food change, urinating outside the box, straining to pee, etc.) can signal an illness that needs veterinary attention.

Siouxsie: Good luck, Tricia. We think Nelson and Zoey are very lucky to live with such a caring and loving family!

Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail Sinéad and Siouxsie at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the advice in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.