Howling after encounter with stray.

[slvrwhispr]

One night about two weeks ago, Cody was sitting in the open screened window (he's an indoor only cat since we have an apartment) when a stray cat jumped on the ledge from the outside. It spooked the daylights out of Cody, but the cat didn't attack him at all, with the screen being there to block them. Since then, at all times of the day and night, he'll randomly sit on the window ledge and let out a howl. It doesn't sound like he's in pain, but he had a six month check-up at the vet scheduled so I made sure to ask about it, and he's perfectly healthy. The vet said not to worry, but he's my baby. He had never made this noise before the encounter with the stray. What happens is he jumps up on the window sill, stares outside for a while, then lets out that howl, jumps off, and hides under the couch. Every time he does it, I look outside, and I don't see any signs of anything out there. He'll come when I call him afterward, but he seems skittish. Any ideas...?

[Cleo]

Is Cody in heat? or has that been taken care of?

If so, I'm thinking he is either howling for the attention of the other cat ... or letting it know that the window and all its surrounding territory are his. Hopefully the skittishness will subside. Do be careful though with other cats coming up to your window (not that you have control over it) for transmission of viruses, etc. Although that shouldn't be a problem if your Cody has all his shots. Recently my Molly had a temperature and a gastrointestinal upset going on. She, as well as my Keeks, are strictly indoors but the vet asked if she had come in contact with another cat through a screened window. Kind of hard for us to do being on the top floor but apparently things can be passed.

Good luck and give Cody a *reassurance that the house is HIS castle kitty-kiss from us*!!
Cleo

[slvrwhispr]

Cody's neutered; we had it done shortly after we adopted him. He was a year old in April. And luckily we live in an area where there aren't very many strays. I've only seen that one, and I've only seen it a few times. And he definately knows the castle is his, lol. The only thing that was concerning me was the fact that I'd never heard this kind of meow from him before, and the skittishness. He wasn't even this skittish when we first brought him home. This definately makes me think twice about wanting to get another cat. I really don't think Cody would handle it well. I was considering it, because when school starts again I'm going to be gone a lot of the day and I thought Cody might like not being alone all the time. But I really don't think it would be beneficial to him now. I dunno. What do you think?

[Cleo]

I thought I would have kept my Keeks as an "only child" too (despite the fact that her brother lives two floors down). My Molly was a rescued stray who ended up home with me thanks to the two leads for adoption falling through. And I say "thanks" with meaning because while it was a little rough in the beginning, they are inseperable now and I have no regrets at all. Keeks was a year plus a few months at the time; Molly was 4 months. They are a year apart, 2 and 3 yrs. old, both females and at this moment - 12:30 AM my time - are bouncing off the walls together!!

I would suggest bringing another cat into your family before school starts so you can introduce, monitor, etc. while you're home mostly.

I'm not sure what the howl could be, maybe one of the experts can answer you better than I have on it but I'm still inclined to think it's a territorial call.

Good luck!
Cleo