What are the words to Alice Mo’s theme song? “Alice Mo, Alice Mo, something something something spaghetti-o”?
Alice Mo/ The calico/ Sure does love/ Her Daddy, yo! Catchy little tune, isn’t it?
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This is a request for tips from all readers:
I got a new cat a week and a half ago, he’s about 5 years old and he randomly makes this loud, repetitive noise, which is starting to really frustrate my husband, especially when he does it at 3am. Hubs thinks he does it when he wants canned food, because he’s seen Vincent do this in the kitchen, but I’ve seen him do it in many of our rooms. Just today, I’ve started to sneak up behind him and spray him with water when he does it. Is this a good idea? He sounds much like Tiggy does in this video. Somewhere, Tiggy’s owner has said that he seems to do this after eating, but I haven’t seen Vincent eat yet, except for licking some canned food dry. He just seems to do it at random. Almost like he’s lost in the house. But sometimes he does it after getting up from sitting next to us, and we haven’t moved! I’m hoping to find a way to get him to stop, as my hubs is getting pretty frustrated, and I was the one who coerced him into getting Vincent, our 7th cat! (What could I do? He’d been at the petsmart for MONTHS and months-no one wanted him because he’s ‘ugly’, his ears look like American curl/Scottish Fold gone wrong.)
It’s just so frustrating when they do stuff like that in the middle of the night, isn’t it? If it sounds like the cat in that video, then it’s similar to something that Jake or Miz Poo occasionally do. What we usually have to do is call to them (or, okay, sometimes I yell at them to hush it up)(in ruder words than that), and they generally come running and stop making that noise. So I guess what I’m suggesting (if you haven’t already tried it) is to call out to him and see if that stops the sound. I don’t know that spraying him with water will work, because you have to be consistent with that sort of thing. If he’s at the other end of the house and you have to run to him to spray him and he’s stopped before you get there, all he’s going to learn is that occasionally his human sprays him for no reason.
That’s my opinion on the topic – I’d like to hear what the rest of y’all have to say!
PS: It’s entirely possible that this is just something he does because he’s in a new situation – it’s only been a short time since you brought him home, maybe he’s still figuring his way around?
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The burning question: How does Newt the Patoot descend from his lookout post? Another one: How did Khaleesi’s working vacation go? And did her brood fret about Her absence?
Newt just jumps down from the top of the fence post – well, actually he does that thing where he stretches out along the fence post, then pushes off with his back legs. It makes my knees hurt to see him do it, but it doesn’t seem to bother his knees!
Khaleesi came through her spay just fine, and the kittens didn’t seem to realize she was gone. When they saw her Wednesday morning after she got home, they were like “Oh hi, Mama. Hey, that lady brought us a snack! SNACK TIME, GUYS!!!”
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I never thought to ask this before, but do mama cats still produce milk after being spayed? I’d imagine the dragons will still be pretty famished when Khaleesi comes back from the vet.
Also, (if the answer to the above question is yes) do you think you can get any video of Khaleesi calling “dinner time!” to her babies? I think I’d pretty much keel over from cuteness-induced shock from seeing a bunch of kittens rush to get their turn at the milk bar.
Spayed mamas do indeed continue to produce milk – as long as there are babies nursing, they’ll keep producing. In fact, when Maggie and her babies went to Petsmart, the cage cleaners and adoption counselors were under strict instructions not to let the babies nurse if they were out of their cages at the same time. And Lisa told me that she let a couple of the babies out to run around at the same time Maggie was out, and the babies were nursing in about 10 seconds flat!
I’ll try to get it on video, but Khaleesi usually does it so quickly that I don’t get a chance to get the camera put on movie mode.
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When Khaleesi is back from the vet, will she go back in with her babies? Or will you keep them separated while she heals up?
She’s back in with them. If she’d been bothered by them or uncomfortable, I would have kept her separate, but she wanted to be with them and I usually let the Mamas make that decision.
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I’ve noticed before, but haven’t said, that Ember really has the perfect name for her. She’s got that prominent M on her forehead and her white fur is snow white, brrrr, M-Brrrr Ember! Did you do that on purpose? Oh and her little orangey bits look like flames! Seriously perfect name!
I think it was because the orange on her made me think of flames. It is a pretty perfect name for her, isn’t it!
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So…Puff’s eyes are clearly changing to green….what about the others’ eyes? Any chance of any of them keeping their baby blues? (Scorch would be amazing with blue eyes! Or green eyes. Or amber eyes. Or whatever color eyes he wants. He is simply amazing!)
I don’t believe we’re going to get any permanent blue eyed kittens from the Dragons – they all appear to be changing. I’ve got a couple of close-up pictures of Norbert that show how his eyes are turning green. I’ll try to get closeups of the other kittens’ eyes soon.
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Norbert has earned a place of honor just like Stompers did! Your lion comment though made me think about the Wizard of Oz. Have you used a naming theme centered around that yet? Dorothy, Glinda and maybe Auntie Em for girls. Hunk, Zeke, Hickory, Professor Marvel, maybe even Toto.
I haven’t had a Wizard of Oz naming theme for a litter – but I did have a Dorothy!
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That baby has lungs! I assume meal times are quite noisy then.
Meal times are SO noisy! I try not to feed the babies in any particular order, but Arya is almost always fed first because she has the most piercing scream. Then Jon Snow, because he ALSO has a very piercing scream. Actually, they all have really strong lungs, so I get them fed as fast as I possibly can!
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Johnathon Livingston Snowgull!
Hahaha! I love that. 🙂
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Just came across this and had to share it with you…
I love the Hodor memes so very, very much!
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Is Jon Snow your first white foster?
Not at all, though there haven’t been a lot of them. We had Smudge Bunny back in 2008; I’m pretty sure she was our first white foster.
Then in 2009, shortly after Mister Boogers died, I fostered four kittens, who were all white. They hadn’t had any time with their mother before she was euthanized, and despite our best, desperate attempts, none of them made it. I wasn’t going to name any of them, but after the first two were gone I was so sure that the other two were going to make it that I named them Hamilton and Jefferson. I only took a very few pictures of them.
And HEY, wasn’t that an unexpected sad turn to this post?
In 2010 we had Los Gatitos, who were only with us for about a week; they were spayed and neutered before I got them, so we were basically just waiting for room to open up at Petsmart.
And then, last year we had Dandelion, who was a hot mess when we got her, but turned out to be one gorgeous girl.
It’s entirely possible that there have been other white fosters, but I think I got ’em all. And I should add that it seems apparent that Jon Snow is going to turn out to be a flame-point Siamese (mix?), since the orange has really started to come out on his ears and tail.
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I think Norbert and Ember look like they could have come from the same litter. They’re both small, they have the same almond-shaped eyes, rather than the big, round eyes that Scorch, Puff, and Ruth have.
I love the points on Ruth’s ears.
Norbie lurves that scratcher. See how his eyes look really blue here?
A closeup of Puff’s pretty, pretty eyes.
Craaaaaazy eyes!
Ruth looks a bit pouty here. Mama must have just scolded her.
Norbert, the little schemer.
See how his eyes are turning green?
Tough work, being this cute.
Ember gets a chin scritch.
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The Starks, hanging out in my lap. I love how they look so AMUSED at this age.
“Halp…am…being…crushed.”
“I BITE YOU! COME HERE, LADY! I BITE YOU! I GOTS TEETH NOW, YOU KNOW!”
Arya tries to decide whether to bite Brandon’s tail or Hodor’s ear.
She opts for Hodor’s paw instead.
Pouty baby.
“Enough of that camera, lady. YOU…”
“…put it away! AWAY!”
“Oh, are you still here? Hi! HI!”
Just like human babies, when kitten babies get tired, they rub their eyes. SO cute.
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One of Corbie’s favorite places to hang out – by the scratching post in the front room. Except yesterday, when it rained all day. Then he spent the day in the cat house in the back yard (he might have been protesting Stefan’s presence inside the house all day long!) I’m trying to convince Fred that we need a covered porch off the laundry room (overlooking the back yard) so that the cats can be outside on rainy days. (Fred is not convinced.)
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Previously
2012: Sights from around Crooked Acres!
2011: It’s time for those rambunctious, leggy monsters to go off and find their forever homes.
2010: It’s a rough job, but someone’s gotta do it.
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: She presents the belly, but won’t let you touch.
2006: No entry.
2005: Mia. (Warning: this is a sad one.)
Re: howling cat… Jackson Galaxy (of the show ‘My Cat from Hell’) has said that cats will do that sometimes if they’re a) bored or b) hungry in the middle of the night. Assuming your new kitty continues to make noises/howl even after adjusted to your home, Jackson would say to schedule a vigorous playtime of about 20 min with Da Bird or a similar toy to tire him out, followed by a meal to tide him over to the morning/breakfast. One cat who had a howling issue on the show ended up having a hyperactive thyroid, so once he was on medication to remedy that, the howling and nighttime activity stopped. Therefore, if it continues it may also be worth a trip to the vet for an overall checkup. I know my cat likes to walk around with one of her toys making a howling noise when she wants attention/wants to play (she’s quite the vocal kitty), but since she doesn’t do this after we go to bed, it’s not an issue. Good luck!
To Vincent’s new humans: Give him a chance. He’s been cooped up in a cage for God knows how long; he’s probably singing from the rooftops about his joy at having a real home and just figuring things out. When we got Bacall, she’d been at PetsMart for a while, and all she did for the first couple of months is stretch. Every step she took, there was a stretch incorporated somehow. It was over a year before she ever meowed.
We got a couple of howlers in the house. The one is our old man – at 18 years old, I am just pretty sure he forgets where everyone went. Mo is the other one – in his case it is usually “Hey – I killed a toy and look what I did”. I agree keeping him busy may make a difference. And keep in mind it has been a short time – he may just be vocal or he may be adjusting.
OMG – I am going to be laughing about something-something-something-spagetti o’s all morning now…..
Ashford still makes noises at night, starting about 3 am. It’s because he is bored and wants me to get up. Since getting Bean this has decreased a little bit but he still does it about half the time. Like one person suggested, I just call his name a bit sternly, he hops on the bed and I hug him close until he lays down and rests his head. Its my only way to communicate to him that I am still sleeping! If he continues I get up and put him out of the bedroom, closing the door.
You just have to let them know there is no reward for this particular behavior. He has dry food and water in the kitchen 24/7 so I know he is not going hungry.
Re: the cat making noises – my Lenny did that a lot when I first brought him home. Lenny also sat at the shelter for a long time – almost two years – and so being in a house was a totally new thing for him. The kitchen, in particular, seemed to mystify him; he would howl in there most often. As he got more comfortable in the house, he did it less and less. He still does it sometimes now, and at random times – right AFTER he eats is a favorite – and, as Robyn said, stops it when I yell at him to shut up. I would guess Vincent is just getting used to his surroundings, but I agree that calling out to him (or perhaps suggesting politely (or not so politely) that he zip it) could help.
I had a cat, Artemis, that would make that sound when she was getting ready to throw up – usually a hairball. She’s the only cat I have had that made that noise. If you look in the video, the cat is licking her lips and making a lot of mouth movement – kind of like she’s a little nauseous. May not be a cause, but I figured I’d throw that one out there (no pun intended!).
My old man Murphy also will do that, pre-horking.
For Vincent, the howling cat: I’d give him more time and I wouldn’t spray him with water. He may be expressing distress–possibly he’s just not comfortable with the new digs yet. I hope your husband can be patient with him until he settles in.
Our cat does that sometimes and actually wakes up running and yowling until she finds us. She’s always done it, but after our dog died it became much worse (they were best pals). She seems to need to know just where everyone is at all times.
To Vincent’s new family: endless thanks for rescuing this boy — and for being patient with him!
My Sam howled too, especially when he got older. I figured he was lonely and wanted attention, or he was going senile and forgot there were people in the house. We’d yell his name and he’d be quiet for the rest of the night.
My late Gabby girl did that, too, as she got older. I think when their hearing isn’t as good as it used to be, they make noises to keep themselves company.
Aidan used to do something very similar to this. We used to think it was because he was deaf and he was lost or felt abandoned. I would flick the light in our bedroom on and off (since he couldn’t hear us) a couple of times and he’d come into our room and go to bed. If we could see him, sometimes he’d jump a little if he noticed us. I really felt like it was a lost/abandoned thing. He was a pound kitten and was all alone in his cage when I rescued him. He was howling pretty bad in his cage, which is why I picked him, I thought no one would take a cat crying so loudly. He eventually was fine, it got really bad when we moved into a big house and he was dealing with stairs and stuff for the first time but as he got older it pretty much went away. I don’t think punishing him is the way to help the problem, especially if it’s due to feeling abandoned. I would try to help him find you and cuddle with him as much as possible, or as much as he wants. But that’s just Aidan, every cat is different.
“Alice Mo the Calico sure does love spaghettios… Yo!” WHAT? It could happen! Norman LOVES spaghettios. Yes, I know Norman loves everything but it could still happen 😉
In regards to the howler, he needs time to get used to his new surroundings. He could be hungry or lonely or just wondering where everybody went. Don’t spray him with water, by the time you wake up and get the water and find the cat he won’t be howling anymore. He won’t make the connection between the water and the howling. It will just make him mistrust you.
If you listen to the Jonathon Livingston Seagull video with your eyes closed, it sounds like you’re at the beach. The fan in the background becomes the sound of crashing waves, plus the “seagull” cries. You could probably put it on a loop, sell it as white noise and make a fortune.
About the howling cat: When my Leo was new here, he would call like that when he lost sight of me and didn’t know where I was. He’d call and call and I’d call back to him and he’d come running, like “Whew, there you are!” Not that he wanted on my lap or to be pet, but he wanted to make sure I was still around. I think spraying that kitty is about the exact wrong thing to do. Just call to him, answer, and he’ll stop. Leo hasn’t howled in ages, I think it only took 3 or 4 months before he stopped entirely, though he backed off from doing it so much after the first month. Started several times a day, then maybe once a day, then every few days.. Though some kitties will ‘sing’ like that while carrying toys, calling them usually stops that too. That’s my two cents!
Ooo a covered porch sounds awesome! Your kitties need a catio! 🙂
Re meowing cat – Jackson from Animal Planet’s “My cat from hell” has a book out, or u might call him. He’s a “cat whisperer” and helps people figure out how to deal with dif behavior problem/issues
One cat calls like that when she’s found her favorite toy (which usually gets hidden), or she wants someone to come play with her in the hall. I usually call to her in hopes that she comes into the living room. Right now I don’t because I want my neighbor to be annoyed and move. The other cat has a not-so-loud hunting cry when she’s playing with her plastic rings. Unfortunately, though, she’s started doing that to wake me up to feed her which doesn’t go over well. She’s just started that, but I wasn’t home because I was stranded at my mother’s when my car broke down. It’s hot now so they’re all being quiet.
“Right now I don’t because I want my neighbor to be annoyed and move.”
I know this is a serious topic but this made me laugh out loud.
I’ve got howlers that simply want my attention… sometimes they have a toy they are proud they caught, sometimes they are ‘lost’ in the house and don’t know where we are (we are ALWAYS in the same place) etc.. we call, they come, all is right with the world.
however 3am is not something you ever want to encourage. NEVER give what is desired. Heck even negative attention is sometimes wanted over being alone. Spend a lot of time playing with him right before you go to bed. Wear him right out to the point of panting if you can. DaBird is great for that as are other (oh great, we’ve got someone howling at us as I type this) wand toys. After he is tired feed him and go to bed. He’ll eat, groom and then sleep, and hopefully get through the night with out getting bored.
if ignoring him for a few days and wearing him out doesn’t work, you might want to look into a timed feeder. Have something that goes off and gives him food at 2:45 – aka right before he becomes a pain, so you aren’t rewarding and he’s got something interesting..
For what it is worth I had a kitty who woke me up at 3am every morning, and I got her broken of the habit by giving her so much attention she couldn’t handle it.. I held her and cuddled her and kissed her to the point it annoyed her right off the deep end.. she learned that if she does x she gets y, and she doesn’t much like y.. so she doesn’t do x..
I have nothing to contribute to the yowling advice, but wanted to say that I played the video and my cat awoke from a dead sleep to come find out what was going on!
Also, Corbie is gorgie.