Very vocal senior cat not letting either of us sleep
My cat Smokey, 10y/o long hair grey cat, has always been very vocal, and we’ve occasionally had adjustment periods during which he doesn’t seem to want to sleep and will just meow all night. I’ve tried increasing playtime, variety, toys, change in diet, etc. But he seems to just need a few days to settle in.
Recently, I think I’ve hit a bit of a wall. Our living situation has changed drastically over the last year- I’ve gone from living with a partner in a fairly large apartment with Smokey and two large dogs, to just the two of us in a house with 7 other people and a few other cats, who are restricted by house rules to their owners’ rooms for the most part.
I have fielded a few complaints about Smokey from my roommates about his meowing, and the only thing that seems to help is spending more time with him at home when I’m not at work; I suspect he’s lonely and bored. I work 9-5 Monday-Friday and used to have a very active social life but have cut back to spend more time with him.
The last few weeks have also been tumultuous- we moved to a bigger bedroom in the same house next-door to the one we were in, the last occupant moved out and we don’t have a new roommate in my old room yet, and a new roommate moved in downstairs who has a cat, which I’m sure he can smell. We also just started a Gabapentin prescription intended to help with his separation anxiety. This doesn’t seem to help with the nighttime meowing unless I use a good deal of it, which is not a solution I prefer.
During the times I’m home I let him wander around the floor we’re on since it’s just us till I find a roommate to fill my old room. But he won’t be allowed to do that with a new person so I’m trying to get him used to staying in our bedroom at night. He is loudly unhappy about being limited to the bedroom. If I let him out into the hallway he almost always eventually gets bored and starts meowing at the door to the rest of the house, which gets us in trouble with my roommates.
He just meows at the door almost all night. Sometimes he will sleep a few hours first if I give him Gabapentin but he’s at it again by 3 or 4am. I am starting to feel the effects of sleep deprivation. I can’t afford to take time off work to deal with this; I don’t have PTO like that.
So what’s the solution? Do I suck it up and try better earplugs? Consider getting another cat (very risky for me financially right now)? Get a different prescription? Rehoming (I think this would be devastating, but I want what’s best for him)? Help!!