New Cat (8yrs) Screams all night & day! HELP!

I just got a new kitty 2 days ago. He is a Ragdoll and had been living at an animal sancuary for about 2 yrs because his owner gave him up.
He acts good, eats and potties well. And plays, but whenever I get up and leave the room he cries and whines. Then I tell him to come to me and he just keeps on yapping. Until I sit down with him.
At night he does the same thing.
Is there something I can do to help him feel more comfortable? When will he stop?
Please help, I need advise.

He is possibly feeling insecure, and this may die down. You could try Feliway or Rescue Remedy - Feliway would be plugged in, but can take up to a month to work. Rescue Remedy is drops that can be put in food or water, or put on the cats ears. You can also take the Rescue Remedy yourself!!

Sounds like he's having separation anxiety issues. The Feliway plug-in would help him to relax a little, but chances are it will not solve the problem. I would take the kitty to the vet first to make sure there are no physical problems--or at least give the vet a call and see if they have any suggestions on how to help him feel more secure in his new home.

I figured that was the case. I just feel so awful I don't know what to do! Where can that be bought? Petsmart or PetCo? I will look into it. Thank you for the suggestion!
Would it be wrong if I were to put him in the garage at night with a litter? I have a large box linned with towels that he could sleep in out there. I am worried because my husband wakes up at 4:30am every morning for work and I don't leave home until noon (I work part time), so I am afraid the cat will wake up when my husband leaves and not go back to sleep and keep me up with his whining! -That happened this morning.
Any suggestions? Thanks again!

You might want to take him to the vet, to make sure he doesn't have a medical problem. But I think that it is possibly a psychological issue. He was given up by aprevious owner and then at the sanctuary for all that time. He is probably worried that you may leave and not return.

He sounds like he has abandonment issues. Ragdolls are very bonded to their owner. He had to have been crushed when he was dumped off. I would invest in a snuggle kitty for him as well as start wearing a thick pair of socks when you exercise and get that sock all sweaty then put the sweaty sock in the pouch of the snugglekittie. Give the snugglekittie to the cat when you aren't around.

Also just spend quiet time with him, set up a routine so he knows he can count on you at specific times to be there. Use the feliway comfort zone room diffuser and look into the bach flower remedies as well- for him you want to go and visit this website and research the best blend to give him I would NOT put him in the garage- that will make him worse. Give hubby a pair of earplugs


Spirit Essence

I read your reply and you suggest not putting him in the garage. What should I do with him at night? Just let him roam around whinning?

What is this Snuggle Kitty you talk about?

And have you tried (well on your cat) the Spirit Essence before?

Thanks for your help!

This cat sounds like he is terrified of being left alone. I can only tell you what I would do since I work with traumatized cats a lot. I would not leave him alone. I would let him sleep with me, I would sit with him while he ate. I would play soft classical music in the background for him- anything with harps is really good to soothe an anxious cat. I would not leave him alone in the dark, I would burn nightlights. Yes, I have used natural remedies on cats here that have gone through trauma, sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, But it NEVER harms.

I would sit on the floor where the cat is and read to him quietly. I would give him a Snugglekittie I would put anything I could in the room with this cat that had my scent on it heavy so he knows he isn't alone. I would set up a routine and stick with it, food at the same times each day, scooping pans, giving water, same bowls same place, let this kitty know he can depend on you when everyone else in his life has let him down.

I would also take him to the vet to be sure he is 100% healthy and that would include a full exam and bloodwork-

Hissy,
One thing I don't understand that he is doing is he'll be sitting with me playing or I'll be petting him and he'll just get up and walk into the other room and start crying. Why would he walk away from me if he is scared to be alone?

i think if he is walking away and crying, he is expressing his greif over the change in his life
while being adopted is a good thing, he had a routine where he was, and people he probably got attached to, and to have all that suddenly be gone can be very upsetting to a cat, any cat, but much more so for a sensitive one as he seems to be.

as hissy said, do not leave the poor baby alone!! that would be devastating for him!

if you can, find out what his normal routine was at the rescue and see if you can talk to the people who interacted with him. find out how they spoke to him and what they said, if you can imitate them for a bit he may find that re assuring. cats do not like change at all, they are creatures of habit. find out what his normal habits used to be, and try to duplicate as much as you can, at least to help him make the transition.

in time he may find he prefers your routine better. with your hubby leaving at bed at 4:30 and you sleeping in, he may find he loves to snuggle with you for that time. talk to him and let him know you are glad he is there, and tell him you are sorry he is missing the things he had gotten used to, they may not understnad your words, but they DO understand your feelings. if you empathise with him, he will feel more loved and understood.

if he cries when you get up to leave the room, matter of factly pick him up and take him with you to where ever you are going. keep up a running conversation with him so he knows that you are there for him.

it may seem like a lot of work, esp for a cat you just met, but believe me, it will be worth every second!! he will get over his fears much faster. please please do not do anything that would make him feel as if you have rejected him!!!


good luck
hugs
althea

Sounds like he really needs you these days, even if he leaves the room and cries... It's so difficult for animals, since they can't understand what's going on around them in the same way we do; I'm sure he must feel very anxious. Anyhow, he lost everything he had. How difficult that must be, even if he has a new owner who loves him... He still lost it all. That takes a while to get over, but I'm sure he'll get better in a while. Just give him some time and be as patient as you can.
I agree with the others, putting him in the garage may just traumatize him more. I can't see anything good coming from that. Use earplugs, and keep him in bed with you. And after a while your cat may just bond with you extra strongly!

Poor kitty. That sounds so much like Tolstoy. He is nearly 3 years old and has been with us for a month. Before that he was the apple of an older lady's eye - they had lived together since he was a kitten and he was an indoor only cat. Suddenly she went away (had to go into hospital) and he was in the apartment alone and visited briefly just twice a day for feeding. His owner never came back - sadly she died unexpectedly.

Then Tolstoy was taken back by his breeder and for very good reasons (not to do with the kitty) had to go into an outside pen.

He was distraught. He is a very loving boy who was clearly very loved by his lady; when he came to us he YIOWED everywhere for two whole days. If we called to him he would come running to us - he didn't want us to leave him alone.

He very quickly settled down and is now the most loveable, wonderful companion. I think it helped him that we have another indoor cat who bonded really quickly.

Tolstoy was only alone for two weeks - your poor kitty must have Tolstoy's issues multiplied by all that time he was alone without a permanent home. Give him time.

My first cat did this for almost a year after I got him...no amount of Feliway could help me. The things that finally worked like an absolute charm to calm him down was adopting another cat. He feels mroe secure and less lonely with a buddy! I don't know how many cats you have, but if he doesn't settle in, another cat is definitely something to consider.