Moved to a new place.....Problems with my cat, need help.

MarcelMarechal

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I got a cat a few years ago, she was a rescue that basically spent the first year of her life in a basement alone. She was behind mentally, everything is new and scares her. I have had her for 7 years now almost and she hasn't really changed. The only person she likes is me, she is afraid of any person that comes to my place. She is anti social and always hides. I just moved into a new apartment and we have been here for 3 months. She started out scared and eventually got a bit better but now everything went down hill. I have her litter box set up nice, I clean it sometimes twice daily. It is near her carrier. She always has fresh food and water. She went from warming up to the place to going in reverse and now she is scared and acting like she has been abused. All she will do is hide in her carrier or hide in my room under the blankets on my bed. She has been pissing and shitting on the floor in my room and on my clothes, bed in my room and won't go to her litter box that she already has been using and knows where it is. She will only eat, drink or use the box if I am in the room or close to her. She will hide and go without food and I have to manually take her out of the carrier to make her eat, if she even does or I have to put the food in her carrier. I just don't know what to do because the quality of life for her acting this way is not good and it makes me sad. What am I going to do =(
 

ArtNJ

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Sounds like a good case for medication.

Is your apartment noisier because of COVID 19? Everyone being home and all that. That could have triggered the backsliding. Or maybe a neighbor got a dog/cat and she can hear/smell it. In any event, it does sound a bit beyond your ability to handle without help, so definitely see if your vet will prescribe.

Good luck!
 

FeebysOwner

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If she basically became the same after you moved her as she was before the move - and now 3 months in, she is changing behavior, there is very likely something that has changed about her environment, similarly to what A ArtNJ suggested. See if you can find out what that might be and if you can rectify it. There are things that will bother a cat by far more than us, and given her background this may be especially true for her.

In the meantime, perhaps get something a bit bigger than a carrier to place her and all of her necessities in - a crate or cage, or even a bathroom. And, give her some comfort items with her scent on them. If you are at home all day, spend as much time with her as possible. When not home, buy a baby gate to block the bathroom door so she can still look out to see something besides the bathroom walls. Spend time with her multiple times a day, even sitting nearby her on the floor and if nothing else read a book out loud, albeit softly and calmly. You can also try to play soft soothing music so that is what she primarily hears when you are not with her, in case it has to do with some sort of new noise around your apartment.

There is something NEW going on in either your apartment or very nearby.
 
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ArtNJ

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She could be sick as well. When a skittish cat gets sick, that could make its tendencies worse. Another reason to check in with the vet.
 

6x16inside

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I got a cat a few years ago, she was a rescue that basically spent the first year of her life in a basement alone. She was behind mentally, everything is new and scares her. I have had her for 7 years now almost and she hasn't really changed. The only person she likes is me, she is afraid of any person that comes to my place. She is anti social and always hides. I just moved into a new apartment and we have been here for 3 months. She started out scared and eventually got a bit better but now everything went down hill. I have her litter box set up nice, I clean it sometimes twice daily. It is near her carrier. She always has fresh food and water. She went from warming up to the place to going in reverse and now she is scared and acting like she has been abused. All she will do is hide in her carrier or hide in my room under the blankets on my bed. She has been pissing and shitting on the floor in my room and on my clothes, bed in my room and won't go to her litter box that she already has been using and knows where it is. She will only eat, drink or use the box if I am in the room or close to her. She will hide and go without food and I have to manually take her out of the carrier to make her eat, if she even does or I have to put the food in her carrier. I just don't know what to do because the quality of life for her acting this way is not good and it makes me sad. What am I going to do =(
Ask your vet for Clomicalm.
Mine had me try that when my newly spayed female began going for the juggler of my neutered male and I couldn't stand it.
You might not care for her being so doped up but it should be temporary.
 

havecats

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Have you tried Feliway Calming Diffusers? They also have a spray you can use on their bedding and places where they hang out. I have used the Feliway Diffusers when bringing in new cats and also for a feral cat and it does help. I did use another brand of spray from my local pet store and it worked okay too. Hope things get better for your kitty soon!
 

SlightlyIvy

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I was reading one of Michele Negeilschneider's books (she calls herself the cat whisperer), and all of these are good advice. From what I've read, trying to build her confidence up may help too, while to confining her to a smaller space that she can "own" so to speak. Play, even briefly is good, giving her things to "kill" so to speak, might help her build confidence. also, to keep her from using the bathroom where she shouldn't, try putting paper plates with kibble (or bits of whatever you feed her, treats even) on the spots she most frequently uses. The conflicting instincts will most likely get her to stop going outside the litterbox. It is a natural instinct for cats to want to 1). bury their waste and 2) not pee or poop where they eat.

Once she is settled in this smaller space, (should you choose to do that) you can slowly reintroduce her to the rest of your apartment, increasing her territory bit by bit.

Also make sure that if her litter box is covered, uncover it. They don't want privacy like we do when they use the bathroom.
 
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