Feline Behaviorist Pam Johnson-Bennett is the author of a number of award-winning and critically acclaimed books, including Think Like a Cat and Psycho Kitty. The innovative methods described in all her books are based on Pam's unique way of training by actually understanding the way a cat thinks. She makes numerous television appearances including CNN, Fox News Channel, and National Geographic specials, as well as being a popular guest on many nationally syndicated radio programs. She is now considered to be one of the leading experts on feline behavior.

Q: Sometimes, for no apparent reason, our five-year-old neutered cat will howl at the top of his lungs. Often he does this in the morning. I will be upstairs eating breakfast and he will go downstairs and howl. I thought maybe he wanted his litter cleaned, but we clean it often and a few times we've cleaned it the night before, but he still howls in the morning. I've tried giving him more food or water, even treats, but he still continues to do it. Sometimes when we are in the basement, he will go upstairs and do the same thing -- howl. I'm not sure if he's trying to get the dog's attention or ours, but we've tried everything. He seems fine when we go to see what he wants -- he's happy, his tail is up and he's happy to see us. I'm not sure if something is wrong or not, but he seems happy. Any advice? Is my cat just weird?

A: No, your cat isn't weird at all. He's displaying behavior that is very typical of many cats. To be on the safe side though, make sure your veterinarian has ruled out any potential medical cause for the howling.

In the wild, there are many cats who might howl when they find themselves alone and in search of their colony members. As you've seen, he seems very happy when you find him.

The best way to deal with this is to just sweetly call out to him when he's howling so he can locate you, or at least know you're close by. You don't necessarily have to go to him, but just call his name.

You can also work on building up his confidence a bit by engaging in regular interactive play sessions, using a fishing pole toy, as well as leaving activity toys around for him to discover when you're not there. For example, you can create an interesting toy just by placing a walnut or a small ball inside a box. You can also buy or create cat tunnels and hide toys inside.

I'd also suggest you try using the Feliway Comfort Zone diffuser. This product contains analogs of feline facial pheromones. Facial pheromones have a calming effect on the cat, and he'll assume those pheromones are his own. Feliway is available at pet supply stores. Finally, it's a good idea to have a cat tree for him so he can climb up and oversee his domain from an elevated vantage point.