I wish we could just talk about it

[cellio]

Baldur has become more vocal of late. It's not just since Erik died; it's been building for a while longer. But it has gotten worse, maybe because of that or maybe coincidentally. The vet can find nothing wrong with him (other than that he's almost 19 years old); she suspects senility. Near as I can tell his vision and hearing are still ok -- at least, he chases the laser dot and hears a can of food being opened from a floor away. But he'll stand in the middle of the hall, yowling piteously and failing to respond to being called. If I go get him he stops for a while, usually. It's weird.

Alas, he has been doing a fair bit of this in the middle of the night of late, which is wearing. Tonight I shut him in the basement -- with plenty of warm soft stuff to sleep on, food, water, litter, and a light, of course, but still... He cried for a while but seems to have settled down. We'll see if it lasts.

I don't want to have to do this every night. I want my cat to be able to curl up on my feet (or, of late, my arm) while I sleep. This feels like I'm failing both of us.

Sigh.

Comments

[eub.livejournal.com]

Jasper does similar calling (and did it before we lost Narshie), though not so much as to keep us awake. We've heard the same possible theories as you have... Dunno.

One thing is that he doesn't *start* the calling if he's already in the room with us. So if he can be convinced to be there, that helps matters.

[cellio]

I put Baldur on the foot of the bed when I'm ready to retire, but at some point during the night he jumps down and then the crying starts. Even if I put him back on the bed he doesn't necessarily settle down. :-(