Help with recently homed stray

[eggemperor]

So I have been homing a cat for about 2 weeks now, I found him on a street nearby and fell in love immediately. He was super sweet, got accustomed to my room pretty fast, and has been enjoying things for the most part – until the last couple of days. A quick but important note: I live in a pretty tiny apartment with two other cats so he's been staying in my room for the most part. He's a bit hostile to one of the cats that is pretty social (the other one stays in her room and they don't interact at all) and at first he seemed indifferent but that has also changed in the last few days. He's been starting to meow incessantly and loudly while looking out the window (for hours at a time), is starting to bathe, scratch, and bite himself way more, and has gotten increasingly aggressive with the other cat. I've let him out of my room into the apartment but now he is starting to hiss at nothing and meow very loudly at all of the doors, and it's giving me the impression that he wants to be back outside and is getting super anxious about it.

I don't know what to do, I'm a first time cat owner and I guess this is what I get for picking a cat up off the street. The weird thing is he is neutered and is incredibly friendly with humans, so I think he was abandoned by a previous owner because he's a bit older. What are my next steps with this? I really wanted to keep him, but with all of these recent changes it feels like he doesn't want to be inside anymore. Do I wait this out, do I bring him to a shelter? Would it be dangerous and cruel to just let him back out onto the street? I would appreciate any help

 

[Sylvia Jones]

Did you take him to a vet so they could check to see if he has a chip? He may have an owner? Was he in good shape when you found him?

 

[shadowsrescue]

Please please please do not let him back out. I assume you took him to the vet for a check up and vaccines? That is a very necessary step before he should interact with the other cats. As for the scratching, has he been treated for fleas and other parasites?

Bringing a cat inside the home can take lots of time and patience. Also as far as interacting with the other cats, cats don't just automatically get along. There is an introduction process that cats much go through. I will attach some articles below that can help with getting him used to inside living as well as introducing to the other cats ( after a vet visit).

Why Is My Cat Shy Around Strangers? Tips for Anxious Cats

Cats can be shy around strangers for several reasons. A common reason is lack of experience with visitors when the cats were kittens. If cats were not introduced to different people during their socialization period (2 to 7 weeks old), they might be more apprehensive around strangers as adults...

resources.bestfriends.org

How To Successfully Introduce Cats [The Ultimate Guide] - TheCatSite

Introduce cats seamlessly into your household with our comprehensive guide. Gain insights into cat behavior, discover effective techniques, and make this journey as smooth as possible for your beloved pets.

thecatsite.com

The Do’s and Don’ts of Introducing Cats to Each Other | Jackson Galaxy

Bringing a new cat home can trigger the territorial panic switch in your existing cat. Follow these time-tested, fundamental steps to give you a significant leg up on the process.

www.jacksongalaxy.com

Cat Introductions Part 1: Before the Introduction

In my experience, bringing a new cat into another cat’s home can either be seen as no big deal, or a huge challenge. The truth, however, generally lies somewhere in the middle. In this series, we will explore the critical ins-and-outs of making this transition as smooth as possible for all...

www.jacksongalaxy.com

 

[eggemperor]

Did you take him to a vet so they could check to see if he has a chip? He may have an owner? Was he in good shape when you found him?

Yeah I took him to the vet, minus the fact that he was pretty skinny the vet said everything else was fine with him. No fleas, no disease, I gave him flea medicine, and yeah he was neutered but no microchip.

 

[eggemperor]

Please please please do not let him back out. I assume you took him to the vet for a check up and vaccines? That is a very necessary step before he should interact with the other cats. As for the scratching, has he been treated for fleas and other parasites?

Bringing a cat inside the home can take lots of time and patience. Also as far as interacting with the other cats, cats don't just automatically get along. There is an introduction process that cats much go through. I will attach some articles below that can help with getting him used to inside living as well as introducing to the other cats ( after a vet visit).

Why Is My Cat Shy Around Strangers? Tips for Anxious Cats

Cats can be shy around strangers for several reasons. A common reason is lack of experience with visitors when the cats were kittens. If cats were not introduced to different people during their socialization period (2 to 7 weeks old), they might be more apprehensive around strangers as adults...

resources.bestfriends.org

How To Successfully Introduce Cats [The Ultimate Guide] - TheCatSite

Introduce cats seamlessly into your household with our comprehensive guide. Gain insights into cat behavior, discover effective techniques, and make this journey as smooth as possible for your beloved pets.

thecatsite.com

The Do’s and Don’ts of Introducing Cats to Each Other | Jackson Galaxy

Bringing a new cat home can trigger the territorial panic switch in your existing cat. Follow these time-tested, fundamental steps to give you a significant leg up on the process.

www.jacksongalaxy.com

Cat Introductions Part 1: Before the Introduction

In my experience, bringing a new cat into another cat’s home can either be seen as no big deal, or a huge challenge. The truth, however, generally lies somewhere in the middle. In this series, we will explore the critical ins-and-outs of making this transition as smooth as possible for all...

www.jacksongalaxy.com

Thank you very much for the links yeah I took him to the vet for a check up and vaccines already – he was given those. He was checked for fleas and parasites, and has none of them, so I assumed his grooming habits are an anxiety tick. The vet said he was totally fine, and has had no problems even in a car and going to the vet! His only issue is with other cats – so the reason this behavior feels so strange to me is that it came out of nowhere. Honestly I didn't expect him being homed to be as easy of a procedure as it was so maybe this is him adjusting for the first time, since its only been 2 weeks.

 

[eggemperor]

Thank you very much for the links yeah I took him to the vet for a check up and vaccines already – he was given those. He was checked for fleas and parasites, and has none of them, so I assumed his grooming habits are an anxiety tick. The vet said he was totally fine, and has had no problems even in a car and going to the vet! His only issue is with other cats – so the reason this behavior feels so strange to me is that it came out of nowhere. Honestly I didn't expect him being homed to be as easy of a procedure as it was so maybe this is him adjusting for the first time, since its only been 2 weeks.

Additionally, he loves me. Like we get along super well, and I have no issues with him personally. His anxiety is peaking this week, and it really freaked me out. Hopefully I just have to be patient with him (something I will admit I struggle with)

 

[shadowsrescue]

You also can try calming treats or supplements. Composure comes in both treat formula and liquid. It can easily be mixed into food. I have used Composure liquid max on many many cats that I have brought into my home. Zylkene is another gold standard. It's a capsule that is opened and emptied into wet food. It works very well. Both can be found on Amazon or Chewy.

Feliway plugs ins are another help. They work very well to help calm a frantic cat. Do you play soft music for him?

Living on the streets is very dangerous for a cat. Most cats will adapt to inside living within a few weeks to months. Patience is key. Just remind yourself of the dangers he is exposed to if left back outside. He deserves a life of love. If you cannot care for him, please do call shelters. Putting him back outside would be quite cruel.

 

[fionasmom]

Like you, I tend to find pets on the street among those who have been abandoned or otherwise in need of help. My experiences have been exactly what you are seeing with the new boy.....2 weeks is only the beginning and it is not unusual for him to want to go back out. Some cats have huge reactions to wanting to go and it is something that you have to ride out with them. The last one I brought in reacted a lot like your boy....to the point where we expected to need to put the cat safe screens on the windows....and then suddenly got a look at what living inside meant and decided that it was something she could accept.

There are a lot of abandoned neutered cats on the streets unfortunately. Cats are disposable to many people who move thinking that the cat will "hunt" for food and survive. You did not say that he has a tipped ear, but he might have been part of a TNR operation. Don't put him back out on the street and if this really does not work out, look for a very responsible rescue group....hard in the middle of COVID 19...and see if they can help you find a home for him.