Chatty cats can drive pet parents crazy

Dear Cathy: My dear friend has a 7-year-old rescue cat that never stops meowing. She tried using a collar for this purpose, to no avail. She loves her cat, but the meowing is driving her crazy. Can you offer any advice to stop the constant meowing? — Marilyn, via email

Dear Marilyn: Cats use “meow” and its many variations to communicate with people, not cats, so it’s great that her cat wants to “talk” to her. But too much feline vocalization can drive cat parents crazy. Here are some reasons for the excessive vocalization and how to handle it.

If the vocalizations have increased over time, ask your friend to take her cat to the veterinarian to rule out health issues or hearing loss. Also, older cats sometimes develop cognitive issues (similar to Alzheimer’s or dementia) that can make them more vocal — although 7 years old is young for a cat to develop these problems. If anxiety is the suspected culprit, your veterinarian can recommend supplements or treatments to reduce the excessive vocalizations.

Next, some cat breeds, such as Siamese, Burmese, Turkish angora, Maine coon and Tonkinese, can be very vocal. Mixed breed cats may have some of these traits. These cats have opinions on such things as to how long you have been gone from home and when and how often they should be fed. They are smart and love stimulating conversation but are easily bored.

Tell your friend to buy toys that make a cat use its hunting behaviors, and rotate the toys every two days, so the cat stays active. Simply put, keep the feline mind and body busy, and he or she won’t chat as much.

Cats may also use vocalizations as attentionseeking behaviors. Just like dogs, cats can train their humans to feed them, pick them up and pet them on demand. Anyone who has ever had a cat meow to go outside knows it’s tough to outlast a cat who is determined to get his or her way.

Tell your friend to schedule meal times to reduce demands, call the cat to her before the cat asks for attention, and wait for the moment when the cat stops meowing to pet or pick up. This basic training will help her cat learn that quietness equals attention and reduce the cat’s need to constantly educate her owner about proper feline etiquette.

I am not sure what you mean by “using a collar,” but please ask your friend to never scold or punish her cat. It’s ineffective and only turns a sweet, good-natured, friendly feline into an ornery and annoyed companion.

Dear Cathy: We have a 9-year-old, 14-pound female dog named Bernie. We believe her parents were bichons. We brought Bernie

Ben can be shy at first, but it doesn’t last long. He has ways of making you love him when you go for walks and play. The adoption fee for Ben is $50. Adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily at the Animal Foundation, 655 N. Mojave Road. Visit animalfoundation. com, email adoptions@ animalfoundation.com or call 702-384-3333, ext. 131. home when she was only 4 weeks old because of the desperate condition she and the rest of the litter and parents were in.

Our recent concern is that Bernie has become a hoarder. On her bed in our bedroom, she keeps growing a collection of socks and other clothing items. We have also found various items such as Christmas ornaments, kitchen sponges, even measuring cups.

There are no changes in her behavior or health. Is this a symptom of something more serious we should be aware of? — Grace, N. Massapequa, N.Y.

Dear Grace: While the behavior is not uncommon — many dogs like to grab and hide things near their beds — this is a new behavior for 9-year-old Bernie, so I encourage you to visit your veterinarian for a check-up. While she is not showing any other symptoms, pain is not something a pet owner can usually see, and new behaviors can be related to pain.

If she is physically healthy, then this could be a behavior issue related to anxiety or a newly developed compulsive disorder, both of which the veterinarian can recommend treatments for. I am inclined to think this might be the problem.

In the meantime, keep things out of her reach — socks and clothes in hampers and Christmas ornaments on shelves she can’t reach — to make sure she won’t swallow anything that could block her intestines and require surgery. She could be protective of her treasures, so put her outside before gathering up the items and putting them away. Don’t deny her comforts, though. Be sure you have safe dog toys to replace these items, so she is not further stressed.