Hi everyone!

I have a beautiful 4 year old silver bengal called Luna. Luna is the most affectionate cat I've ever met and has a real funny personanility.

Unfortunately Lunas 'yowling' is completely out of control, I hoped it would get better as she got older but this is not the case. She will do it for hours on end incredibly loudly. I had about 5 hours sleep last night and I'm really struggling to cope with it.

Luna has been neutered, she's an in door cat (I've given her the option to go outside but she hates it) I have tried everything, rewarding her when she's quiet, buying lots of entertaining toys, new beds, different foods etc and it's now making me and my partner argue. I tried to get a get behaviour therapist but none were available in my area.

Can anyone PLEASE offer any help or advice? I'm considering trying to let her outside again as im wondering if that could help? I also don't have a cat flap so could anyone offer advice as to how to get your cat back in the house easily? (She doesn't tend to listen to me!)

Thanks so much xxxxx

Welcome to the forum. I really hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you have a bengal! And bengals yowl and howl. That's just the breed. You cannot shut them up -- believe me, I've tried! Mine howls at the top of his lungs whenever he wants something. Yes, in the middle of the night as well. When I read bengals are "vocal," I thought it meant we would carry on these great conversations. I had no idea it meant that the neighbors could hear him screaming a mile away!

Letting your cat outside is NOT going to make a difference except that you won't hear him. He will still yowl when he comes in the house. And letting your kitty outside can lead to other dangers -- being stolen, getting into a vicious cat fight, killed by cars or other predators. I read an article yesterday that many purebred outdoor cats are being stolen. Let's face it -- few people have seen a bengal and are fascinated by the spots. I befriended my bengal in a heartbeat, and never knew he had a home 5 houses away. The owner eventually gave him to me as he was out of town a lot. He had let Raiden roam the neighborhood, although I had never seen him up until that time. Unfortunately, Raiden looks for trouble and got into 6 bad cat fights, infections, trips to vet, torn ear, scars all over him. When I took him, we were kept awake 24/7 because I would not allow him outside to roam free. We built a large cat enclosure on our deck and we take two walks a day around the neighborhood. It does not stop him from yowling and crying. It's just what a bengal does! And cats do not tend to listen! A cat behaviorist is not going to be able to quiet your bengal.

Giving my bengal treats will quiet him down for a little while. Taking him for a walk will keep him quiet (napping) for an hour or two. I will say he has gotten a little better over time as he used to start his howling about 1 p.m. to go out on his walks. Now it's more like 5 p.m. and I take him out around 6, so I don't have to listen to him for too long. And right now, at 5:31 p.m., he is laying a few feet away, being quiet, watching me, waiting for me to get up and motion for him to come downstairs and get his harness on and we go out the door.

The one thing I have learned after having cats for 50 years is that a bengal is not an ordinary cat! They are more like a 2-year old toddler -- and they stay that way for 15 years or so!!!

If you cannot hang in there and deal with this ... and it continues to cause friction in the household, re-homing may be the answer. Since i've had Raiden, I've gotten used to trying to tune him out. It isn't easy, but he knows what "it's not time yet," or "go lay down" means. Spend some time teaching your bengal commands and perhaps he may actually learn them. I know what you're going through.

Hi Sherry,

Thanks so much for your response. I was aware that bengals can be noisy however she was always quiet at night but over the past few weeks it has been far worse than usual. I'm taking her to the vets tomorrow for a check up to check everything is OK.

She literally does it for hours and hours, the only time she keeps quiet is when she comes for a cuddle or is playing. How did you get your bengal to walk with a lead on? Luna hates her lead and refuses to move when shes wearing it.

Thanks

Make sure there are no neighborhood cats coming around the outside of your home at night. Your indoor kitty can smell, if not see, this kitty. Bengals need sleep as well. I don't believe anything is physically wrong with your baby, but there is some annoyance keeping her up at night howling. Mine will, at least, sleep through the night, although he gets me up at least once.

5 Hours sleep would be a normal night for me

But anyway... the solution of putting an indoor cat that hates the outdoors, outdoors to solve a yowling problem is non-sensical. I mean basically at that point it's kind of an expulsion of your cat, against her will. And it's going to greatly shorter her life. Who would that benefit? You may as well rehome her at that point.

Taking her to the vet is not a bad idea when there is a radical behavior change, although generally when a cat is hurting from something they go the other way, and become reclusive and with less energy.

Questions:
1. How is she set up for the night? Does she have access to your room? Does she have food and water? What sort of sleeping options does she have?
2. What is the temperature like in your house right now?
3. When she is yowling, what is she doing? Is she looking out a window? Is she sitting with her toys wanting to play? Is she staring at an empty food dish?
4. What sort of noises might be outside your home at the time she is yowling? Are there other cats outside?

This is obviously a problem that a lot of Bengal owners have or do suffer from. One solution to get your cat to sleep better is to change your routine a bit (if necessary) to make sure there is a long hard playtime, followed by a meal, then bed time.

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The little monsters 3

Could be worth getting yourself an outdoor security camera to see exactly what is going on in your garden at night. I've had recurring issues with foxes upsetting one of mine. I've had to replace some fencing panels and change the gate to try to block them coming in. Nothing can stop them completely as they are very good at jumping even six foot fences! However it has stopped the parents bringing their babies in our garden at night as they used it as a play ground! Disturbed Jagger every night who would then start howling in the middle of the night!

But it could easily also be another cat coming around - either will upset Luna.

If she doesn't go outside there are deterrents you can get to scare off foxes and cats from your property - I couldn't use them really as they stressed my two out and would have to run out in the morning to get it all in before letting them out in all weathers! Fortunately the fencing and gate has worked wonders this year though!!

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

Don't worry, after a while you will tune it out so well that you'll only notice the silence. Suspicous silence.

We have 2 bengals who are both very quiet. They have access (and are confined by fencing) to our yard during the day so I think they might burn off lots of energy that way. The sleep on our bed at night, generally sleeping all night. So more play time and access to your room (if she doesn't already have that) might help.

We have had success with A LOT of playing right before bedtime. Tires them out good and they'll be more apt to sleep well rather than being up all night.
We have also had a lot of luck with Feliway plug-ins.
Good luck.

I'm not sure if it's something you're willing to do, but I would consider getting another bengal.. I couldn't imagine how lonely one would be. When either of mine are howling (usually a second or two only) it's almost like "Raava/Vaatu come play with me" The other will perk up and run over and then they start chasing each other... so truthfully aside from a normal chatty bengal, she may be very lonely.