ah man, cat problems rant or whatever...
So, Smokey was an indoor only cat until he was like 2, then at our next house we lived at about a year i allowed him on the roof through my window a lot and in the back yard a couple times. The next house we lived in, probably a year and a half or two years, dont remember, had a cat door that was already installed. So for those ~1.5 years he was indoor/outdoor whenever he pleased. The NEXT house (yeah we moved a lot) didn't have a cat door and has several outdoor cats living nearby and all our cats are declawed (my mom insisted because shes mean). We tried to not let them out at all, which lasted about 2 weeks because smokey would walk around yowling to the point of being hoarse every night at midnight and we kinda wanted to sleep. After living there for about 4 months i have now moved, with smokey, to college. The last few weeks before moving i was trying to harness train him in so i could take him out at my apartment, but the ideal situation is to have him be a chill indoor cat because he always wants out at inconvenient times and would yell at me the whole time i ate dinner or something.We moved last monday and after the couple days that he hid under the covers most of the time, he's been okay with being inside and not yelling at all. Today is thursday, and monday night, i got hot and opened the window a little to get some air. He all of a sudden remembered that the outside is a thing and started meowing at the window and door for upwards of an hour until i finally got him to lay down and petted him until he fell asleep. he has meowed the two nights since then, and last night it was for 2.5 hours, and i have to get up constantly and try to put him back on the bed and make him stop meowing because obviously my neighbors are trying to sleep.
I know the best way is to wait it out until he decides that his protests are useless, but he doesn't give up being annoying easily. I moved here to washington from idaho and he screamed nonstop the first 6 hours in the car and the last 4 he could only do it for a couple minutes at a time because his throat hurt. i thankfully don't have morning classes but after being in the weld shop till 10:30 i need to be able to get to sleep before TWO IN THE MORNING. last night he even took two short naps and got up and kept meowing. am i doomed to deal with this for a month or something? or longer? we aren't even supposed to have pets here but i got an exception
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I took basketkase's advice and got some canned air. Still a couple hours until he usually starts so i guess we shall soon see
1263It is in his best interests to stay inside. I wish you peace as I have an outdoor cat who has his way any time of the day! Lol!
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145791They do make a kitty Prozac if you think it would help get him used to being indoor only. My Sissy had started that howling for what treason I do not know. We lock her in a small bathroom or our laundry room and that seems to help. Good luck to you. Hugs. Nan W
11927Basketcase asked if he's been fixed. Neutering can make a calmer cat and a huge difference.
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10173I have moved house so many times that I need to take out a calculator to work it out!
One cat moved with us 13 times. She hated the car ride, but happily settled in wherever we moved to.
Have you told him that he is now an inside cat and he must stay in your room to keep him safe for you to come home to.
Cats do understand if you explain something to them in simple terms. Make sure that he is listening as they are better at turning off than teenagers are.
I used to hold my little boy's head and make him look at my face when I was telling him something important. Then he listened.
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1941Oh how I feel for you. Basketkase has given a great idea and she is very knowledgeable about cats. I know that I have used a similar idea but it was a fine mist of water to help a cat behave in the house. I moved house last year and left my cat with the house as my cat had been brought up with fields in the front and back of the house. Now I have a very busy main road and no fields. My son in law and daughter get fed up with Tuppance (cat) walking up the roof in the night and shouting outside their bedroom window waiting for it to be opened. She then needs to be checked to see she is by herself and not with a mouse or rabbit... I am sure that you and Smokey will settle but its the settling in a new place that takes time. Knowing Cute you will get lots of help. Good Luck and enjoy your course
115749Vicki has given some good advice. I moved one cat long distance and have said, no matter how painful, I will give away the cat before doing that again to a cat. It was awful. (He cried so many hours he got laryngitis.) The pill that was supposed to help him sleep most of the trip hyped him up and he was paranoid for two days after arrival at our new home. He sweated so much from the panic and paranoia that he dehydrated and his fur was greasy slick. It took two weeks for him to get over that part! Never again. And I'm very attached to my cats. I hope you two settle in nicely and soon!
66908Sounds like he is stressed (I know you have to be as well)......I would buy a can of canned air and everytime he yowls put your finger on the trigger and let out some air.......he needs something to interfere with his frame of mind and reset it and this may do it.......I have trained our high strung cat this way, you don't even have to say anything, just spray the air.....hopefully he will respond as Sammi does and stop the behavior.....only use the air for this reason, so he doesn't get used to it and then continue.......is this making any sense? Then you must not ever let him out again.....you will have to be vigilant in this as cats are creatures of habit......I am assuming he is fixed, right?
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