scared of everything

[freaknpink]

My almost 2yr cat Ransom is scared of everything.
He'll be in bed with me and I sneeze and he runs for his life. Loud noises, knocks on the door and even us coming inside will have him running till he realizes who we are.

Before I got him he was with people who had lots of kids and they fed him Lima beans most the time because they didn't think it was important to buy him food. He was left abandoned when they moved and my mother broke into the house to save him. He was covered in fleas to the point they were in his eyes. He was about 4mos old at this point and was very happy to come live with me. I know him being so scared has to be from the first 4 horrible months of his life but I thought he would outgrow this.
I'm not sure what I can do to make him feel calm and relaxed. I have two other cats both female and he gets very rough with them and makes them cry out.
I was thinking of getting one of those vest or plugins that claim to calm them but idk if they actually work.
I just want him to feel safe in his home here.

Any advice of similar stories would be great.
Thanks

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I would try a Feliway plug in to help him calm.  If he was separated from his mother and siblings too early its possible he didn't get the chance to learn when "enough is enough" in playing rough with other kitties.  My Glory was very skittish all of her life.  My mother nicknamed her Beans because she would jump up in the air "like a jumping bean" if she was startled.  She never really outgrew it; but was happy if she was in her safe places.  She preferred my bedroom, the garage and a few spots in the yard where she was hidden behind flowers and foliage.  It was just who she was.  

He may outgrow his fears in time; but I would be sure he has easy access to some places that make him feel safe.  Cat trees or high places are good as well as places he can feel hidden.

 

[freaknpink]

I have two cat tress at the moment and always leave my bedroom open for them. I'm moving in two weeks and I'm worried how he'll react more than my others as he's so easily scared. This is the only home they've ever known. Do you think it would be a good idea to have one of the plug ins ready to go in the new apartment bedroom in which I plan to have them all shut in there while all the moving is going on? I plan to first put all their things in the new room cat towers, toys, food and litter boxes so they smell scents they know.