Transitioning an Outdoor Cat, Playtime and Depression

[Dian]

We adopted a 5 year old cat two weeks ago. He is the sweetest, most mild mannered cat. But after we adopted him, we found out that he used to be an outdoor cat. We realized this because He spends a lot of time scratching at doors and begging to go out and the rescue then told us his history. It has subsided a bit but he walks around meowing/whining and trying to lead us to doors or just scratching on his own. He calms down a bit when we open the windows and he can look out the screens, but eventually he jumps down and tries to get outside again.
We do not live in a safe enough area to let him out and my son has allergies to the chemicals in flea and tick treatments so I am hesitant to try a Catio or harness training. Plus, I am afraid that it will only make it worse and may not satisfy his need to free roam.

We also have tried to play with him and have bought an endless array of cat toys, tried boxes and paper bags etc. He is not really interested. At most we can get him playing for a few minutes in the morning when he has pent up energy and starts running around like a mad man. But that’s it. The rest of the day he roams and meows and sleeps. And the first few days he was with us, he was very affectionate and slept on us a lot. Now he’s a lot less affectionate. I am getting worried that he’s depressed.

What other suggestions does anyone have? Could it just be a matter of waiting it out? Is there any hope of it stopping altogether?

If we do decide to try a harness, has anyone had success with an all natural flea Treatment?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
You might check on Only Natural Pet, they may have a flea treatment.

For him, you could consider trying cat music. It might not seem as though it's having much effect initially but it can be quite useful in helping cats to be more relaxed

 

[Jcatbird]

Calming music is a great idea. Outside is filled with sound and stimulation. Music may be a good substitute and more relaxing that outdoor stimulation. Something to occupy his mind. Challenging him can help. Have you tried the games that hold treats? He has to work to get his reward which mimics hunting instincts.An outside cat is often chasing a bug or even watching the leaves blow in the wind. Online games for cats may help. I used some that I could put on my phone and then just left the phone where the kitty could chase the things on the screen. The fly and the fish ones were popular here. Clicker training is also a way to get him to focus on other things and to look for more attention from you. Bonding time. Feeding time is also a bonding time if you keep him company during part of his meals. I would sit on the floor with him and maybe even put the dish beside you or hold it in your lap to make sure he is close to you. Feeding is something he might have done with other cats. Speaking of other cats.... have you considered getting him a friend cat? Did he have a buddy at the rescue? He could miss that. He may also be reacting to another cat or animal outside that you are not aware of. My BJ, Lady and Misty get very antsy if another cat is outside. In fact, they are responsible for showing me a lost kitten that needed help. I really would not be surprised if he still needs adjustment time. He went from outside living to a shelter and then to you. That’s a lot of moving to new environments for any creature. Love, patience and try some of these methods. If none help, please keep us posted so everyone here can help with the tips we have learned while working through similar experiences. If you do decide to harness train, do it inside until you are certain that he is comfortable with it and can NOT escapes the harness. Capstar pills are not a natural flea remedy but might be something you could try if needed. A bath can work too but that’s not always easy and could not be done after every walk. A flea comb is a big help and could be done after each walk but does not guarantee all fleas will be gone. Flea lights might be an added help. I really suggest you give him more time as your best option. You might also try encouraging him into one room for a little while. Having a whole house to roam could be a bit nerve wracking at first. I’m really not sure if he is under stimulated or over stimulated. I find that new arrivals need a “sanctuary” space to decompress even if they have been here a little while. They always return to being more calm and affectionate after a night or even a couple of hours of in their own space. A bedroom might work well. I hope something here will help.

 

[Dian]

Thank you for all of those amazing suggestions! We have tried many of the toys you suggested. He is not good oriented at all, so treats and cat nip toys don’t work. And we have also tried online games and TV and he loses interest. At this point, we have tried so many things that the cat is probably sick of us! He now leaves the room to sleep- where he used to sleep with us. We did give him his own space initially but that actually made him very anxious. He was constantly scratching and meowing at the door to get out. Once we let him roam the house, he calmed down a lot.
As you said, it’s only been 2 weeks. We will keep at it and hope in another week or two we see some improvement and hopefully get some affection back the way it was last week.

 

[Dian]

Oh- and just to reply. Yes- he used to live with another cat but both the Previous owner and the rescue said he could “take her or leave her.” So I’m not sure another cat would help. He’s used to hunting!

 

[Furballsmom]

Try sitting on the floor - ignore him/don't look at him, and work on your computer, and sometimes read out loud with a happy voice. He might not react right away, but cats are curious and it may distract him after a while, plus he'll enjoy it whether he looks like he is or not. Also, do try the music - there's Spotify, classical harp music, RelaxMyCat and MusicForCats as sources. If you have an alexa you can tell it to play cat music .

You might want to lighten your expectations. Keep repeating things, because he notices even if it doesn't seem like it. Don't give up so easily.

Additionally, it sounds to me as though ignoring him may be something you need to do (mostly by avoiding direct eye contact which can seem aggressive to cats, until he's completely comfortable with you and his new home), which is to say I think you could be, as you mentioned, focusing on him too much. He needs emotional space, and if you just go about your daily routine and leave him be, other than sitting with him now and then and reading to him now and then, he will have a better chance to find his mental balance sooner.

 

[ArtNJ]

I'm not clear you actually need flea and tick treatment if the cat is just going in the catio. I've never had a cat with fleas, and when I had two indoor/outdoor cats, only one brought home ticks. They aren't everywhere, they are in specific areas.

All of that said, a catio will not necessarily end the desire to go out the front door and have freedom to explore. Its a nice thing, but it doesn't necessarily end the whining. Really only time will do that.