My cat's meowing & urinating after dog died: stress or kidney?

I recommend a urine screen to determine his urinary tract health and any cause for pain or discomfort in this area. Kidneys are only rarely damaged by urinary obstruction but if there is evidence of issues, a blood test may be required also. Wet food, calming supplements and pain relief may be recommended depending on the results

HI and thank you for reaching out at Pet Coach. Howling like this can be related to senility in older cats (which, unfortunately there is nothing you can do about that). It sometimes can also be related to high blood pressure. Kidney disease is one of the diseases in older cats that can cause hypertension. I would recommend to have your cat's blood pressure evaluated. Thank you.

Congratulations on taking such good care of Katrina that she has lived such a long life! I would recommend starting with having your vet examine her to what might be going on. If Katrina isn't showing any other signs, then I would recommend having your vet recheck her blood work and check her blood pressure. Cats that have kidney disease can develop high blood pressure which can cause howling. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It's possible Ginger is responding due to the changes in the household. To help her cope, keep her on a routine, set aside 30 minutes a day for playtime and give her lots of attention. Monitor her closely for any signs of illness and have her examined if needed. Most cats will get back to normal within a few weeks. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

That’s a tough one! I don’t think the vet would think you are wasting their time as it’s always beneficial to have a physical exam and I think in Stinky Pete’s case, it would be beneficial. Hyperthyroidism can cause increased activity and increased vocalizing and is common in older cats. Older cats can also get dementia which presents the same way. Lastly, older pets can be more prone to anxiety, just like older humans. The vet may test the thyroid and go from there based upon the results. Many of these cats will get sedatives at night if anxiety is suspected. You could also try a pheromone diffuser called Feliway. There is also a prescription diet called Calm which some cats respond well to. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

While loss/grief can certainly cause behavioral changes in cats, losing weight, not eating and urinating everywhere make me worry there is an underlying health condition such as a urinary infection that is causing him distress. Not being neutered can also lead to marking behavior/stress if there is a female in heat nearby. It is a good idea to have a thorough exam done along with bloodwork, X-rays and urine tests potentially to determine if there is any health issue. If he checks out healthy, spending more time together may help him to relax some, as well as using a pheromone diffuser such as Feliway to help with the marking behavior/stress. If you think he'd benefit from a friend, gradually introducing a new cat may help as well, but can also be stressful.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Lilith. I agree that two months is a bit for grief, especially if they were not bonded. I see that she is an older girl, and so the first thing to do is take her into a vet for a health check. Even though she appears healthy, a sudden change in behavior can be the first sign of an illness. So have her seen by a vet in the next few days. I would also get a Sentry calming collar and a Feliway diffuser. Both release calming pheromones, and that may help with her behavior. While at the vet, if she checks out healthy, the vet can discuss other strategies to deal with this. I hope this helps!