Why is my senior male cat moaning, meowing, and restless?

Oh dear, poor Prince! I'm extremely concerned that he is vocalizing and has been in and out of the litter box. As a male cat, he's at an increased risk of developing a urethral obstruction, which is a blockage that prevents him from emptying his bladder. Some cats can develop partial blockages, which allow them to still dribble small amounts of urine, but even this are a major problem. If Prince has a urethral obstruction, this is an immediately life-threatening emergency. You should take him to an emergency veterinarian right away for treatment. There are no home remedies or temporary treatment options for this issue. This article has more information about urethral obstruction in cats: https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/urinary-obstruction/. I hope this helps and that everything goes well for Prince!

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.

Poor Tony! He could definitely be experiencing a urinary tract infection, bladder stones, or even a blocked urethra and unable to urinate. Since he is crying and hissing, I am really concerned that he is hurting and possibly unable to urinate. I would have your vet take a look at him. Your vet will be able to check his bladder and his urine and get him started on the proper treatment plan to help him feel better. If a blocked cat is left untreated, it can cause serious damage to his kidneys. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better soon!

Nighttime vocalization in older cats is often due to an underlying medical problem such as hyperthyroidism, chronic kidney disease, or high blood pressure. I would recommend taking Samson to the vet for an exam and lab work to check for these problems. If a problem is found, starting on appropriate treatment will often resolve the vocalization issues.

It could be related to stress associated with the move to your new home but could also be caused by some dementia due to his age. It could also be caused by something like hyperthyroidism or liver/kidney disease. If it continues than he should be examined by your vet to determine the cause. Your vet can run blood-work to help diagnose and then determine if treatment is needed.

If it is an abrupt change in behavior, it could signal some kind of discomfort, physical, such as a bladder infection or some other ailment making him painful, or something mentally distressing him, like a strange cat outside, being in a new place. If he seems fine physically, i.e. eating, drinking, eliminating normally, being his usual self, I would keep an eye on it. If you see any symptoms of illness, get him in to see your vet as soon as possible. Check around and see if you can identify when/where it is happening and if there is anything that might be causing him to vocalize.

Vague behavior changes like you are describing can be the first sign of illness in an older cat, so if you feel something is wrong I would encourage you to see your veterinarian again. Blood work might be recommended to rule out kidney or liver disease. The vomiting could be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease or even an intestinal mass and if the blood work is normal an abdominal ultrasound might be recommended. Finally, the vocalizing and hissing could be a sign of pain from something like arthritis and there are some supplements and now pain medications that can be used in cats.