44 years old, 9 days late for period but i have cramps. pregnancy test negative. could this be perimenopause? can you still get cramps with no period?

It is common for menstruation to be delayed at age "44", b/c of aging eggs which require more stimulation to ovulate. Cramping may be caused by a ruptured ovarian follicle, but any delay in ovulation will cause delays in onset of menstruation. See a reproductive endocrinologist for ovulation induction, as pregnancy at this age is significantly reduced.

We can not draw too many conclusions from one late period. Monitor the cycles over the next few months to see if a trend occurs. Perimenopause is a vague term used to describe the changes that occur before hitting true menopause.