Fifi howling - pain or senility?

[yola]

Many of you will know Fifi's history; she has had a non-spreading tumour on one of her front paws for a couple of years. We had 2 operations to remove this but it came back in the same place. The options at the time were to leave or to amputate and as the growth wasn't enlarging we decided to leave it and monitor carefully.

Since then, and to the surprise of the vet - as biopsy showed it was non-spreading - there seems to be a 2nd but currently very small tumour developing on her other foot. Neither of these look to be causing pain, she's walking quite normally.

My concern is her behaviour though. She doesn't move from the same spot . . . has been several months now that she sits face into the corner of a door frame, only moving to eat her biscuits and drink her water/milk. Everything else - toiletting etc, is normal. If we move her and place her on our laps she will purr, wrap her paws around our hands and generally be the loving little puss she was in the past.

She's always cried periodically but recently this has become prolonged, extremely loud and quite bloodcurdling - to the point that she's waking the boys in the night who are on the 2nd floor whilst Fifi is in the basement - several times a night. She always sits up and stares at the door/door frame corner when she does this.

I visited the vet, concerned she might be in pain, so she was given a long-lasting anti-biotic jab and a course of Metacam (anti-inflamatory as she's had a touch of arthritis in the past). The howling has got worse.

So - my question is, is Fifi starting to suffer from dementia? Is she deaf/loosing her sight? IS she in pain - do animals in pain cry like that? Is she pining for my dear old Balie who we lost in June? The howling has increased since then but is it just co-incidence?

I'm quite at a loss as to where to start with this, and before we embark on any stressful vet visits - she really doesn't like them - I thought I'd seek some advise from fellow cat owners who may have experienced something similar.

[angieh]

Oh Yola, this is so hard for you all. Poor Fifi. She seems to be fixated on this place where she sits ..... that can't be right. Could you ask your vet for the name of an animal behaviourist?

Merlin, who as you know was over 23 when he passed, did cry at night on occasion but he could always be soothed and it never became a regular thing. I really can't think of anything else to suggest.

[dandysmom]

Firstly, Yola, so so sorry to hear this. I'm inclined to go with the feline dementia from what you've described. I think if she were in pain she'd not be eating/toileting as she is. Deaf or losing sight: well, my Misty gradually went blind and deaf with such cleverness at disguising it that I had no idea ... and absolutely no howling. But cats don't generally howl in pain if I'm not mistaken; and they are very very good at disguising how they feel.

This isn't answering any questions, I know; just nattering on from my own experience. Patches, who died at 20, had started that horrible wailing at night, but other than that seemed normal for a geriatric cat.

Hope someone will have another slant on this; (((hugs))) to you and dear old Fifi ...... I know you're really busy but do try to come on a bit more and let us know how you and the boys are... you're missed.

[Elaine]

Have you thought about having her blood pressure checked? Winston began to let out with blood curdling yowls, especially in the middle of the night. I used to get up, fetch him and bring him to bed with me and he'd usually settle down. I too thought it may have been dementia but took him to the vet, as you'll remember he had CRF at that time. They checked his bp, and that was the cause. Once on meds the yowling stopped.

[alexgirl73]

have absolutely no idea Yola, just wanted to let you know that I'd read this and I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for a simple solution for you and poor Fifi xx

[MrsH]

We had a cat Cleo who suffered from dementia. She spent hours every day just sitting in the landing window, only moving if she was picked up. However, unlike Fifi, Cleo had lost all sense of when to recognise that she needed to eat and she only did so if we placed her directly in front of her bowl. She also lost all sense of needing to wee etc. and a couple of times had very unpleasant accidents which didn't actually seem to distress her at all. It was as if she had lost all recognition of bodily needs, but she never howled or made any other noises.

It's hard to say if Fifi might possibly be suffering senility, I suppose all cats are different in their response to any situation. I hope you find answers and support soon, I'm afraid we had to let Cleo go as she became just too difficult to manage in our situation as we were both working full-time and it broke our hearts to see her when we returned at the end of the day and saw her still sitting where we'd left her in the morning when we set off for work.

((((hugs))))

[dandysmom]

Oh MrsH, what a sad story. How old was she?

[MrsH]

Originally Posted by dandysmom

Oh MrsH, what a sad story. How old was she?

She was not quite 16 Eileen, not a exceptional age at all.

[niki71uk]

does the noise sound like a seagull or a fox????? just wondered as toby who is 17 does this,the vet said it was probably senility,i had ADVOCAT for him,but it didnt work.he dosnt do it so much now,which is strange,as he doesnt gt the meds

[farthing]

I also think it may be worth getting her blood pressure checked. Donald started having turns where he attacked everyone, we got his blood pressure checked and it was on the high end if normal, still after going onto benazacare he has had no more turns. Samson started yeowling in the night and it turned out he was hyperthyroid ( his blood pressure was normal). It may well be dementia but I would advise a blood test, t4 test and blood pressure check to rule out any condition that may be treatable.
I hope it turns out to be something you can deal with.