- Joined
- Jun 25, 2022
- Messages
- 14
- Purraise
- 12
Hello,
I saw a post earlier about anxiety relating to a cat introduction, and it encouraged me to share my feelings as I’m really struggling. I have posted before about my cat and her need to be outside. Long story short, as we live in the Uk she is an indoor/outdoor cat, but she is obsessed with going outside. She is a rescue, had her for eight months, still young at 2yo but already had two sets of kittens. Now neutered. My theory is that her temper at for the outside will always be there since she spent her kittenhood outside.
When she is let out, which she gets plenty of access to, she will stay out, and often out of site, and cannot be lured. She often tries to bolt outside at nighttime too. She is not a relaxed kitty who lounges. She is an adventurer and I often don’t see her for huge lengths of the day. It stresses me out so much that it’s affecting my work, and even my marriage. I wonder where she is all the time, and call for her.
I have had to change my work status and go back to the office after years happily working from home because if i dont have any windows open she will start following me everywhere and pacing in front of me to get out.
We tried limiting outside time but it got even worse. She became desperate to go out. We tried keeping her in permanently but her anxiety increased tenfold. The compromise is she gets access to the outside all day, and then stays in at night. However she STILL tries to get out at night. She has gone to great lengths to do so including jumping from our first floor bedroom window.
I now live in constant vigilance and have all windows shut all the time even in our current heatwave while we swelter (no a/c in England). When she is inside she is also constantly vigilant. She is in a crouched position and often pacing.
it makes me feel like a huge failure and my mental health is suffering.
I saw a post earlier about anxiety relating to a cat introduction, and it encouraged me to share my feelings as I’m really struggling. I have posted before about my cat and her need to be outside. Long story short, as we live in the Uk she is an indoor/outdoor cat, but she is obsessed with going outside. She is a rescue, had her for eight months, still young at 2yo but already had two sets of kittens. Now neutered. My theory is that her temper at for the outside will always be there since she spent her kittenhood outside.
When she is let out, which she gets plenty of access to, she will stay out, and often out of site, and cannot be lured. She often tries to bolt outside at nighttime too. She is not a relaxed kitty who lounges. She is an adventurer and I often don’t see her for huge lengths of the day. It stresses me out so much that it’s affecting my work, and even my marriage. I wonder where she is all the time, and call for her.
I have had to change my work status and go back to the office after years happily working from home because if i dont have any windows open she will start following me everywhere and pacing in front of me to get out.
We tried limiting outside time but it got even worse. She became desperate to go out. We tried keeping her in permanently but her anxiety increased tenfold. The compromise is she gets access to the outside all day, and then stays in at night. However she STILL tries to get out at night. She has gone to great lengths to do so including jumping from our first floor bedroom window.
I now live in constant vigilance and have all windows shut all the time even in our current heatwave while we swelter (no a/c in England). When she is inside she is also constantly vigilant. She is in a crouched position and often pacing.
it makes me feel like a huge failure and my mental health is suffering.