New cat yowled all night...any ideas?

[greencat]

If he was raised in a hoarding situation, he probably does miss other cats.  Cats usually only become actively anti-social with other cats when they are raised as only cats or had to live on the street for awhile - where all other animals are competitors instead of company.  One of my cats is like that - she is only intermittently tolerant of my other pets.  However, since you say you're in a studio apartment, I wouldn't advise another cat.

Since he's standing on your bed yowling - he probably wants your attention.  Interact with him and see if you can get him to get comfortable enough to allow you to scratch behind his ears until he flops over - after that, he should fall asleep (on your hand, of course, because he's a cat.)

[Kaora]

I'm with others-- sounds like he's just new, maybe a little scared.  I'd only be concerned if it went on longer than a couple weeks, though.

Let him have his space when he wants it, give him cuddles when he wants them, and voila, new friend kitty.

Also, this thread is not complete without pictures!

[Shea]

I will take some pictures, I promise .

He did yowl a bit less last night, but I think some of it is food-oriented. I'm a deeper sleeper than BF, so with the earplugs after I fell asleep I didn't hear him until about 6:45 this morning, but BF said kitty woke him up in the night and ran directly to his food bowl. I'd fed him before we went to bed, because I'm trying to get him on a feeding schedule. I'm giving him about 1/2 cup dry kibble mixed with a 3 oz can of wet food, once in the morning and once at night. He's a smallish cat, no more than 10 lbs (I think about 8 is probably more accurate), so from what I've read that's enough food for him. I hope that he'll get used to the feeding schedule and not wake us up at 3 am demanding breakfast. At least not too often .

[guihong]

I'm wondering since he came from a cat-hoarding situation, if he had to battle for food and make a lot of noise?  Poor thing, I hope his weight and nutrition was OK .

[AuntyT]

I POD all those that say try a nightlight or two.  I'd look after my brother's cat for a few months every year and he (the cat) would always cry at night, especially during the first couple of weeks.  I noticed though when I turned on a night light for him, near his litter box, the crying stopped - except for the night that the bulb burnt out. 

[greencat]

Since he's a small cat, and it sounds like he may be slightly underweight, you should probably leave out dry food for him overnight.  Unlike dogs, you typically don't need to monitor the food intake of cats - few of them will eat themselves fat. 

[Outdoor Girl]

Since he's a small cat, and it sounds like he may be slightly underweight, you should probably leave out dry food for him overnight.  Unlike dogs, you typically don't need to monitor the food intake of cats - few of them will eat themselves fat.

You haven't met my Peggy.     I was very excited this morning for there to be food left in her dish for the first time since I got home on New Year's Eve.  My friend who was feeding my kitties would give them extra just in case she missed a day so little Miss Piggy got used to eating too much.  I call her 'The Rotund One'.

But yes, I agree that you could leave out more kibble for him to free feed and it might help with the yowling problem, too.

[Shea]

Since he's a small cat, and it sounds like he may be slightly underweight, you should probably leave out dry food for him overnight.  Unlike dogs, you typically don't need to monitor the food intake of cats - few of them will eat themselves fat.

I'm not sure that's best in this case, I have left out dry food for him overnight, but he doesn't seem to realize it's food, or at least he won't eat it. He still yowls, even if there's dry food in the bowl. At the shelter he was always fed kibble mixed with wet food, and that's what he's used to.

[PastryGoddess]

Since he's a small cat, and it sounds like he may be slightly underweight, you should probably leave out dry food for him overnight.  Unlike dogs, you typically don't need to monitor the food intake of cats - few of them will eat themselves fat. 

*snerk*
I have a 17 pound cat sitting on my feet at the moment

[Amara]

OP, are there several hours between his dinner time and the time you go to bed? I mean like four or more hours. If so, consider giving him a bedtime snack of dry and wet food fifteen minutes before you head off to bed. It can be smaller than his regular dinner or the same size but that might help hold him until you get up.

[magicdomino]

OP, are there several hours between his dinner time and the time you go to bed? I mean like four or more hours. If so, consider giving him a bedtime snack of dry and wet food fifteen minutes before you head off to bed. It can be smaller than his regular dinner or the same size but that might help hold him until you get up.

Along the same lines is to split his meals into smaller, more frequent portions.  I'd do that only if he is still driving you nuts next week.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Feliway yet.  It's a feline pheramone that basically tells the cat, "This is a safe place."  Try the spray first; you can switch to the plug-in dispensor if it turns out you have a nervous kitty.  Amazon has the best prices if you can stand to wait.

[doodlemor]

Everyone has offered excellent advice.

I'd just like to add a nice tablespoonful or so of catnip, pinched so that the scent is stronger, and scattered on his bed or someplace not too hard to vacuum.

[Shea]

Thanks for the advice, everyone! I left the bathroom light on overnight for a few nights, since he seemed to view the bathroom as his "safe space". He's been getting steadily quieter at night since that first night, and as of last night only started meowing around 6:00 in the morning, because he feels that is breakfast time . He's a little vocal generally, but the night yowling seems to have been just a part of his settling in process. He's steadily getting more trusting of me and BF, and he's adorably playful (loves the catnip mouse!)

I will be posting pictures in the Cuteliness thread as soon as I get some good ones.

[oceanus]

awwww, so glad he's settling down.   

[mmswm]

I've had several night-yowlers (I used to be a foster home for a cat rescue group).  Almost all of them responded to lighted toys. They make several different toys that light up when the cat bats them around.  They also make a laser toy that you can set to go off at random intervals.  Having something to do might make the nights go by better for him.

I also second the suggestion for Feliway.