I think my adopted cat is unhappy with me

[geekai]

Hello everyone

I adopted a cat from a shelter 2 weeks ago and I'm scared she isn't in the right place.
She was taken from her previous owners for mistreatment (they apparently were hoarders and had a lot of cats but I don't know anything else about the situation).
When I got her home she tried to jump out the window which was closed, fortunately. And she was very very scared at first, she wouldn't let me come close or anything despite her letting me pet her at the shelter and she was also shaking like a leaf.
We made some progress since them, she goes round the apartment and she doesn't hide as much but two things really worry me.

First she pees and poops right besides the litter box. I know cats need time to adjust but I also know they're very clean. At first I thought she didn't like the box so I bought another one, now she has two and she knows where they are because sometimes she will go into the box and play with the litter. However she systematically pees and poops right besides the box, and I mean right beside it.

The other is she meows and cries a lot. At first she would only do so during the night but now she does during the day as well, long cries that sound like a baby's cries. The last couple days she did that while looking at the window.

So I wonder if the problem is that she wants to go outside?
If it is, then it's a big problem because I live in an apartment and I don't have an access to the outside or even a balcony or anything. And I know I need to take her to the vet by the end of the month, and internet says that for the litter problem I need to take her to the vet but I'm anxious about this because she doesn't really let me approach that much and I don't know how I'm gonna manage to catch her to take her to the vet.

Anyway, has anyone ever had such problems? All my friends that have adopted have had super friendly cuddly cats right away and I feel like I'm the only one that has a problem with my rescue.

 

[maggiedemi]

Is it a Jumbo size litterbox? My cats will only use Jumbo/Giant size, they won't even go in Large size.
Also, is she getting any wet food? If a cat eats only dry food, that can cause them to go outside the box. Also, constipation could cause this, so maybe try some hairball treats, food, or paste.

 

[geekai]

Hi thanks for your answer.

The first litter I bought is big, it's 53 cm (20 inches) x 39 cm (15 inches) x 56 cm (22 inches). I don't know if that is considered jumbo but it's one of the biggest that was available. It's also a top entry litter box and she has gotten in before.
The other one is just a regular 42 cm (16 inches) long box.

And she is eating wet food only as a friend of mine said that dry food isn't really that good for cats.

 

[maggiedemi]

It's also a top entry litter box

My cats would never use a top entry box. Here is their favorite one:
Van Ness High Sided Cat Litter Box, Giant, Color May Vary - Walmart.com

 

[IndyJones]

Do you have a balcony on your suite? I would not let her out unsupervised though because many cats fall off balconies and badly injure themselves, high rise syndrome is the term for this.

Not sure if your condo allows it but maybe attach some bird feeders near the windows.

 

[geekai]

My cats would never use a top entry box. Here is their favorite one:
Van Ness High Sided Cat Litter Box, Giant, Color May Vary - Walmart.com

Thanks I'll try to get one similar then

Do you have a balcony on your suite? I would not let her out unsupervised though because many cats fall off balconies and badly injure themselves, high rise syndrome is the term for this.

Not sure if your condo allows it but maybe attach some bird feeders near the windows.

I don't no, the only access to the outside that I have is a small area outside of my kitchen window. It's the top of the restaurant that's downstairs. And it would probably be really hard to go get her if she wouldn't come back in by herself because the window is pretty high. Also the plastic roof is sometimes opened by the restaurant's owners so I don't think they'd want a cat falling on their face haha

 

[IndyJones]

As for the box, have you tried a shallow Rubbermaid container? Like the kind for storing shoes under the bed. Some cats prefer these to litter box sized ones.

 

[kittyluv387]

Considering her background I don't think any of this is abnormal. Don't be so hard on yourself. She was probably neglected and not socialized all too well. And now she's in a new place yet again. Give her time to adjust! I recommend you try out the feliway plugins. They may help calm her down. For her litterbox problems yes try taking her to the vet. It sucks but you would have had to take her anyway since she's newly adopted.

 

[vince]

From her purported upbringing, your kitty might not know the intended purpose of the litter box. You can help that by burying a piece of her stool in the litter instead of throwing it away and doing the same with a paper towel that you use to wipe up any urine. The smell might give her an idea what to do in the box if she doesn't know.

 

[aliceneko]

Keep on doing what you're doing - it sounds like you are doing a great job of caring for her so far. It's still two weeks since you adopted her which is very very early days, so just hang in there! Particularly due to her background, as others pointed out, it'll be natural for her to be more nervous and skittish - and believe me, as the owner of two former semi-ferals I know what those anxieties feel like in the first few weeks! If it makes you feel any better, Toffee and Fudge are now nearly three and are happy and confident (bar still being scared of strangers, but with us, you wouldn't guess they were former ferals) lap cats. I sat with them and socialised them until they were comfortable enough to come out of the cage they were adopted with, and then did the same with the rest of the house. Play time is a great way to bond and I'd also recommend Feliways or putting classical/calming music on loudspeaker to relax her. Do keep us updated

 

[Sylvia Jones]

We would love to see a picture!

 

[molly92]

This also sounds like a situation where Cat Attract might help (add it to clay litter-it's a Dr. Elsey's brand product). You can also put puppy pads around the litter box to make cleanup easier while she's adjusting.

I think it will take time to adjust, and extra playtime might help. You can also look into getting a leash and harness and going on "walks" if you think she might be interested in that.

 

[Hellenww]

The other is she meows and cries a lot. At first she would only do so during the night but now she does during the day as well

She's used to being around a lot of cats and might be looking for them. Have you tried meowing back to her and talking to her? As she becomes more secure I'm sure she will be less desperate.

As for the vet visit, no matter when you do go the visit will be stressful. The sooner you go, the sooner you can both get over it.

 

[geekai]

Thanks kittyluv387 ! It's the first time that I have an animal that is my own so I really just want her to have the best life. I have one Feliway plug, I didn't notice much of a difference but.

Vince: I did try a few times to put it back in the litter but that does not seem to help, she still pees and poops outside.

aliceneko: thanks that is very reassuring haha I do try to talk aloud and everything, talk to her so that she gets used to me. And yes I'll let you know how everything goes

molly92: I will definitely look into puppy pads and cat attract that sounds like a good idea. And yes actually I did consider taking her on walks in the future, I feel like I need to get her settled before trying to get a harness on her. Playtime is a bit difficult, I do try everyday with rod toys and just regular old shoe lace but she is a bit scared of things that move so it's not easy.

Hellenww: I thought about that, I do try to meow back and talk to her most of time when she meows, except at night where I try to ignore.
And you are definitely right about the vet haha I need to woman up and get an appointment.

I joined a picture for those who wanted she's quite a small cat and the lady at the shelter said she wouldn't grow more, I don't know if that just her or if she was malnourished before but yeah. Her name is Shadow by the way.

Thanks for all your answers, it's nice to be able to talk about this!

 

[Willowy]

What kind of litter are you using?

 

[molly92]

Playtime is a bit difficult, I do try everyday with rod toys and just regular old shoe lace but she is a bit scared of things that move so it's not easy.

Oh bless her heart! She doesn't know how to be a cat yet, poor thing! Her previous situation must have been pretty extreme. Just keep being patient like you have been. Avoid lots of direct eye contact. Talk to your local pet store and see what their return policies are (mine you can return anything, even opened, as long as it's more than half way full), and you might just try out a bunch of different things to see if you can find something she really loves and win her over a bit faster. Could be treats, toys, cat nip, etc.

You're definitely not the first person who's cat went through a difficult adjustment period. Cats have their own timelines for when they decide to be trusting, and it's not always predictable, so hang in there!

 

[danteshuman]

Here is where I say some hard truths & I’m sorry for it/them:

1) the socailization window for cats is very small. If you try to tame them after 3-4 months old they will never behave like house cats. The best you will get is a reformed feral. That isn’t your (or the poor cat’s) fault!!! It doesn’t make her (or you) a bad cat/bad owner!!! Since you don’t know her history this is a possibility (& it sounds like it to me.) I would try for a couple of months first.

2) she may not be the right cat for you. ..... but she may have the perfect home out there! Reformed feral learn best from other cats. Plus they do cuddle you (on their terms) but it is great to have a snuggly house cat you can pet most of the time. Adopting a well socialized kitten would be ideal for her ;along with a catio!) However again it may not be where you are. You may need a well socialized 3-6 month old kitten in your life, not a difficult case cat.

3) it is possiable the shelter pushed for her to be adopted in a wrong fit home over not being adopted at all. I would go back & ask to speak to the people who worked with her. I would want as much information as I could.

Last here is my one failed adoption story with a happy ending:

I adopted Cassie as an adult. The Danish shelter told me she was an adult indoor cat (& my danish speaking x-father in law.) So I took her home to my one bedroom apartment. She was awful! For 6 months she was the 1 more month cat. She pooped in my potted plant, broke things and was generally uncuddly. Finally I reached my breaking point and said she could go back or live with my in-laws (who had a home where she could go outside all she wanted!) My x-in-laws adopted her and she was ecstatic!!! She could finally roam outside like she needed to, people only expected a few pets plus my x-father in-law thought when she nipped his very calloused hand she was just playing!!!! She was finally in a home that fit her! She lived a long happy life & the in-laws lived her. She was never meant to be my cat. After that I played it safe & only adopted kittens. In my experience cats choose you.... we just got our wires crossed. Cassie chose Johann not me!

Your cat may be very traumatized and a cuddle bug. Or she may be happiest being a barb cat. Either way I would give her 2 big boxes (& if you can a window catio or st least a screen she can look out if? Maybe an open window with lattice cut to size in front of the screen (so she can’t escape) but can look/smell outside.

 

[danteshuman]

She may be happiest being a barn cat.

 

[molly92]

She may be happiest being a barn cat.

I think it's too soon to tell. It's only been 2 weeks, and this does not sound like a feral cat to me, just a scared and confused one. A feral cat would not meow, and you wouldn't have made this kind of progress so quickly.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but you may also have her in too large a space right now. Most cat socialization guides recommend some kind of confinement in the beginning because large areas get overwhelming quickly. You may want to confine her to one room and let her fully settle into it before letting her explore the rest of the apartment again. Being able to see everything that's going on at once in "her space" helps build a stronger sense of security.

 

[danteshuman]

In my post I stated giving her a couple of months. At least 2 probably 4 because of all her teams. The barn cat thing was correcting my spelling error.

Scared kitties love boxes! So take a box, put it in it’s side with the flaps folded in, put a bed or towel on the bottom & then drape a towel over the entrance to cover 3/4 of the entrance. Giving your kitty a safe place to be.

Some feliway could help.