# Very vocal british shorthair



## Debbie P (May 23, 2018)

just wondering if anyone else with a British shorthair has a very vocal cat? 
Cookie is nearly a year old but since we got him home he’s become more and more vocal! He meows like mad for his food.. if we go in other rooms he meows for us, in the mornings he meows .. even if he comes into a room he does a meow to announce himself ! If he’s being ignored (I fell asleep on the sofa the other day he was in my face meowing at me!!) When I did research on breeds it said British weren’t vocal but he is constantly making noises lol ... it’s no problem just wondering ...


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## Mrs Funkin (Mar 12, 2018)

I have no clue about BSH behaviour but our moggie tabby is the same  I just talk back to him, or sing.


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## LeArthur (Dec 20, 2016)

Arthur only meows when he wants something. Usually it's when he's staring longingly at the birds on the guttering. I feel as though he's telling me "Muuuuumm, go and get the tasty looking birdy, I want to play with it and then eat it!".

I have heard cats only meow as their way to talk to humans, they don't meow to each other.


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## Loki&Baelish (Jul 7, 2018)

Our bsh Baelish is 15 weeks old, only really meows when he wants a stroke, makes little gremlin type noises when he's playing and we get the odd meow when we are feeding him. In comparison to Loki the bengal who is 14 weeks, he's virtually silent.


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## sandy-cat (Feb 24, 2018)

I also can't comment on BSH but my moggy is extremely vocal. He announces himself when he enters a room or jumps up onto furniture, calls for food, miaows to wake me up in the morning and engages in conversation with me. When he's unimpressed or bored (or I'm ignoring his pleas for food because he's already been fed) he has a sulky little "moo" sound that he makes which is extremely cute. He also chatters at cats from windowsills. I think it's a character trait - not sure if it's because he has a bit of Bengal or something in him!

Edit to add: I've also heard that cats only miaow to humans, and I think it's a behaviour that gets reinforced - i.e. if you respond to a cat's miaow, it will keep doing it as it gets a response. Maybe that's what's happening with your cat?


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## Elaine b37 (May 25, 2014)

I am always amused when I read that BSH are not vocal, no one told Cody that piece of information because he is extremely talkative! going for a wee he tells me before and after, going for a poo he announces before after and sometimes during! is about to eat his dinner - another announcement, wants to be brushed, some treats, to be played with - all accompanied by loud shouting! He actually has different sounds/voices for different scenarios which is helpful to know what he is asking for!

He usually spends most of the night on the end of my bed, he often decides for me when my bedtime is, last night I was watching something on youtube a little later than usual, Cody stands at the door and squeaks, I dont get up so he stands on the coffee table and squeaks louder, still no response from me so he hopped up on my knee and shouted in my face! at that point I asked son to give Cody some treats to shut him up so I could finish what I was doing (I know I have said this before on here, but I would _never _have bribed my children with sweets when they were young like this - what is wrong with me!!)

I think Sandy-Cat does have a point though because we do tend to answer him, and I do talk to him constantly especially if sons are out and I am in on my own, sometimes I sing to him - I dont think he is too keen on that though, my small revenge for his bossiness!


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## Catdoodler (Jul 31, 2019)

Debbie P said:


> just wondering if anyone else with a British shorthair has a very vocal cat?
> Cookie is nearly a year old but since we got him home he's become more and more vocal! He meows like mad for his food.. if we go in other rooms he meows for us, in the mornings he meows .. even if he comes into a room he does a meow to announce himself ! If he's being ignored (I fell asleep on the sofa the other day he was in my face meowing at me!!) When I did research on breeds it said British weren't vocal but he is constantly making noises lol ... it's no problem just wondering ...


Hi Debbie. Did you figure out anything? I adopted a bsh she is 7 months and all she does is talk talk talk. At night she comes in and gets in my fave too. 
Thanks


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Catdoodler said:


> Hi Debbie. Did you figure out anything? I adopted a bsh she is 7 months and all she does is talk talk talk. At night she comes in and gets in my fave too.
> Thanks


Both the BSH cats I had were very chatty with me. One or the other would follow me round the house miaowing, and only when I gave them my undivided attention for half an hour were they satisfied.


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## SILVERKINGS (Jun 17, 2019)

Both my bsh trill to each other, and chat in their little way to me, think it depends on the character of the bsh


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## Julienap78 (Oct 18, 2019)

This is Bailey, he's 15 yrs old, and hardly ever meows. Has always been a quiet one since he was a kitten.


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## Treaclesmum (Sep 26, 2011)

He is lovely, very cute, I love his little white chin! 

My British Blue is quite vocal, she meows when she wants to leave the room if door is shut, she mews and whines if you pick her up, and when Jumpy plays rough and tumble with her. Also yowls in the cat run if she sees another cat outside. She is not a lap cat though, Jumpy is my only lap cat.


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## Tetley&Kenco (Aug 21, 2019)

I have two BSH kittens, nearly 6 months old.

Tetley chatters away as he does everything but hardly meows

Kenco meows very loudly all the time to get my attention, for food, if he’s in another room and he wants me to come through! He’s very noisy !


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## Marinecat (Oct 19, 2019)

Debbie P said:


> just wondering if anyone else with a British shorthair has a very vocal cat?
> Cookie is nearly a year old but since we got him home he's become more and more vocal! He meows like mad for his food.. if we go in other rooms he meows for us, in the mornings he meows .. even if he comes into a room he does a meow to announce himself ! If he's being ignored (I fell asleep on the sofa the other day he was in my face meowing at me!!) When I did research on breeds it said British weren't vocal but he is constantly making noises lol ... it's no problem just wondering ...


I also have a vocal bsh Ronnie if I talk to him he meows back if I ignore him he let's me know he's there if he wants to play he starts meowing and racing around it's a natural trait with bsh


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## Mobydee (Nov 12, 2019)

Any tips will be extremely appreciated. 

My BSH Lilac male (Prince) is driving me insane. He is a 4th generation pedigree. His cries of meow are simply making me want to drill a hole in my head. He isn't neutered as i wanted to breed. I've had him since he was 6 weeks. He is fully upto date with vaccinations, flea & worming.

He just meows constantly, day & night. He is both indoors and outdoors. My garden had a very large outdoor cat run which i purchased from OMLET, in the night he stays out, as he started spraying around the house at 8months old. He isn't much of a ladies man, he would rather eat food than mate with a female, has previously been unlucky with 3 females so far. 

He is a very greedy cat. He easily eats 1 can of whiskas in 1 sitting. In the last 6 months, my partner and i have gradually reduced his portion sizes. He is now having 3 set meals, mix of wet pouches amd biscuits. 

He will meow outside from 5am non stop until he comes inside. It is soo loud, i hear it in my bedroom at the front of the house at 6am thinking i'm imagining it all. Even then while hes running to come inside he is meowing. My cat run is 21ft long by 9ft wide which connects into my keter shed, it all ready for winter, he has a cat tree, fully lined inside floor with carpet and hay. 

Its been 2 weeks now, he will wee in his litter tray but decides to poo in the cat run, onto the concrete slabs. He will dig up his litter tray like a fox and completely destroy it in 1 night. I bought a large litter box, complete with lid. The litter would be half soaked over night. 

We bring him in, he will meow. After hes fed he will still meow. We give him raw feed twice a week still doesnt seem to fill him. We introduced goats milk to help fill him, doesnt work. He will just drink a full bowl worth and still meow. He just doesnt stay still and go to sleep. The second we get up he will follow out the room. He would be fast asleep on a rare occasion, the second the fridge opens hes there already. 

I have a female silver tabby bsh, who is 7 months. She is the complete opposite to him. She spends the day sleeping without a sound. 

I just dont know what do anymore. I dont want to rehome him as my 7yr old daughter is besotted over him. It would crush her. It wouldnt be fair on him or the new owners. 

Any advice pleaseeee!!


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## Treaclesmum (Sep 26, 2011)

How old is this poor boy? Is he a registered stud? If so he should be matched with registered females, and when not mating he should have some help with his hormones, I think there is an injection he can have? I'm not sure as i'm not a breeder, but if he is unhappy then I would recommend getting him neutered. This would help him feel much calmer.


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## Mobydee (Nov 12, 2019)

Treaclesmum said:


> How old is this poor boy? Is he a registered stud? If so he should be matched with registered females, and when not mating he should have some help with his hormones, I think there is an injection he can have? I'm not sure as i'm not a breeder, but if he is unhappy then I would recommend getting him neutered. This would help him feel much calmer.


He is approx 13 months. Big boned and chunky. Im not a breeder, but bought him and another female so they could mate. I love cats as does my daughter, it was mainly to help with her autism. so this would have been once a year breeding. But females dont really take to his charm, i had to rehome the female he came with, she ended up withdrawn and depressed and lost a lot of weight because he would just gobble all her food, pounce on her aggressively, forcefully try mating her even then he wouldnt know what to do.

Introduced him to a friend who had a queen on heat. She didnt take a liking to him. So my aunt had a 3yr old queen who was also on heat, she didnt take a liking to him either, even after several visits they didnt get on. My silver tabby is neutral with him. The vets said he is a very needy cat. I cannot express how much ive spent on him, how much everyone fusses around him, especially family and friends.

This was him in the summer, sat on my daughter play shed.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Mobydee - your boy doesn't sound as though he has a suitable temperament to be a stud. Only the best examples of a breed should be used for breeding with. Was he sold to you as being on the Active Register or as a pet? If the latter then you should not be breeding with him. The breeder will have had their reasons for selling him as a pet.

The constant crying sounds as though he is very stressed and at the mercy of his hormones. Poor unhappy boy!  A cat kept as a stud needs a lot of females to keep him from getting frustrated.

He may even have some health issues - have you had him tested for the genetic diseases that can affect the BSH breed? e.g. PKD and HCM ? (both these are serious diseases and any cat you consider breeding with should be negative for these)

Personally I would take the advice of Treaclesmum and have your boy neutered. I am sure once his hormones have settled he will be calmer and happier.


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## Mobydee (Nov 12, 2019)

chillminx said:


> @Mobydee - your boy doesn't sound as though he has a suitable temperament to be a stud. Only the best examples of a breed should be used for breeding with. Was he sold to you as being on the Active Register or as a pet? If the latter then you should not be breeding with him. The breeder will have had their reasons for selling him as a pet.
> 
> The constant crying sounds as though he is very stressed and at the mercy of his hormones. Poor unhappy boy!  A cat kept as a stud needs a lot of females to keep him from getting frustrated.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply. He has been a little shit since he was 12 weeks old. He just doesnt stay still. Even though he is full, he will go looking for that something special. The second the room is left alone, he is on the dining table looking for food.

He was bought from polish breeders, my bsh father is a polish british short hair. Typical big boned and chubby, but lilac. Contacted the breeder for help, she was baffled. In her 5 years, she has never come across a litter or kitten as bad as mine.


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## LeArthur (Dec 20, 2016)

Mobydee said:


> Thanks for the reply. He has been a little shit since he was 12 weeks old. He just doesnt stay still. Even though he is full, he will go looking for that something special. The second the room is left alone, he is on the dining table looking for food.
> 
> He was bought from polish breeders, my bsh father is a polish british short hair. Typical big boned and chubby, but lilac. Contacted the breeder for help, she was baffled. In her 5 years, she has never come across a litter or kitten as bad as mine.


How much are you feeding him and what?


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## Mobydee (Nov 12, 2019)

lea247 said:


> How much are you feeding him and what?


He has 3 sheeba pouches a day. All 3 occasions has purina one chicken biscuits mixed in. Inbetween his meals, his bowl will be topped with purina one biscuits. He has goats milk once a day. Raw gizzard feed twice a week as a treat. But im thinking of moving onto raw permanently.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I'd certainly take him off all the dry food (the "biscuits") straight away as dry food very high in carbs, which will be causing dips and highs his blood sugar levels which in his case could be contributing to his erratic behaviour. Purine One dry food is not a good make & is very high in carbs.

He will do much better on a high protein, low carb diet and it will be much healthier for him - either a good quality wet food or properly balanced raw.

As he is so ravenous for food all the time have you had his blood glucose levels tested for diabetes? He is younger than the average age to get the disease, but in your place I would want to rule it out/

If, as you say, he is a "little shit" then he is not a suitable candidate for passing on his genes, is he? Imagine if he fathered kittens who were all like himself with his hyperactive behaviour? That would not be a good contribution from you to bettering the BSH breed, which should be your main aim when you breed pedigrees. Even if you only breed from him once, it still makes you a breeder and him a stud.


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