Cat freaked out when we moved, HELP!

I had heard a lot of nightmarish stories about cats running off when you move, so I was very careful with mine. However, one of them completely freaked out and hid in the heater ducts of the house! I couldn't get him out, even my other cat, who he's very close to, didn't calm him (she's purring and loving the new house) After three days I finally managed to get him out of the heater duct, and he was so scared he dug his claws into me. I carried him to the garage and put him there, thinking he wouldn't be able to get into any ducts there. I left only long enough to take my daughter to school, and now I can't find him. Sadly, it looks like he went up into the rafters and tore his way out through the vinyl siding along the edge of the roof. I am frantic and devastated, and I feel so guilty. I thought he would calm down and be okay but he has completely lost it. He is 2 and a half and had lived his entire life inside our old house. Is there anything I can do? I am terrified he's going to try to make it back to the old house (70 miles away) and get killed, or just freak out and run around forever. Please help, does anyone have a similar story or any advice for me?

Oh, you poor thing! You must be so upset.

Please go to this web site http://www.lost-pets.org/ to read about how to find a lost cat. You will see that frightened cats typically stay close to the house but are too scared to come when their people call for them. You will see ideas on how to coax them out of hiding (perhaps even using a humane trap) and when is the best time to hunt for the cat (before daybreak).

I wish you luck in finding your scared kitty.

I would do one or the other:

1. Get a large dog crate and keep him in there for a few days with food, water, litter pan and let him quiet down.

2. Confine him in a bedroom or bathroom for a few days.

Then slowly introduce him to other rooms and supervise.


As far as finding him, you may have to get a Have A Heart trap (live trap) and bait it near the garage. I suspect he's close by but too scared to come out.

I am sorry to hear you are having a problem. I had the same problem when we moved. Do me a favor, try.......... actully I just read what I was going to tell you. Yes keep the little girl in a small room for a while, then open the door after a few days and let her decided if he wants to explore, I prmise she will come around. Good luck

I found my kitty! He wasn't outside after all but up in the rafters of the garage hiding on a boogie board! He finally came down for food, but still runs back up when he sees me coming. I can't get him down and he won't come to me so sadly I'm having to leave him in there, making sure both doors are locked, until he gets over it. I hope he will! The other cat is still fine and has not had a problem. I put her in there with him sometimes because he feels better with her around, but he still runs when he sees me. (he comes down after I leave to eat, and he's eating and using the litterbox just fine) I hope one day he will forgive me and calm down enough so we can have the special, close, purring relationship we used to have.

Thanks everyone for caring and offering advice. I appreciate it very much.

Sorry it took me so long to answer, I had a terrible time logging back in, it kept telling me my password was wrong but I couldn't get it to reset. I'm back now, for good I hope!

Don't worry about it, your kitty is just getting used to the change and maybe a little mad at you My cat was really mad at me after I tried to give her a bath...she wouldn't even look at me or let me come near her...but eventually she came back to sleep next to my pillow at night . Good luck and I'm sure your cat will love your new house soon!

TabbyTail,

I am soooo glad that he is okay!

To help get him used to you again, you should sit in the garage for 10 minutes (minimum) each morning and evening and read to him in a soft voice. Don't call to him or try to get him down. Instead, just ignore him. And, if he jumps down, don't move....just sit there and continue reading in that same soft voice. The more you try to persuade him to jump down, the less likely he will be to come to you. I think that you will find that ignoring him while at the same time sitting quietly and reading to him will help him calm back down.

Thanks for letting us know that he is okay. We were all so worried about him.

Thank you for caring, you're all so nice!

I will try what you say, I hope he will eventually get over it but it's worrying me since it's been so long. The other cat is still just fine, I don't understand why he took it so hard. I just went in there to feed him, and he was on the couch but ran back up into the rafters when he saw me. I saw his head sticking up and I talked to him in a sweet voice, and was so sad when he hissed at me As I walked away I think I heard him growling. He hates me Is there any hope he'll ever get over this? It really hurts, and I feel so bad. I wonder if he'll ever be himself again. Thanks for all your advice. I'll keep checking back in.

I would try going in there very slowly talking very soft to him bring a small bowl of boiled chicken with you and sit that down near him do that for a few nights but each nite move the bowl closer to you cats usually can't resist chicken...turkey or tuna.When you get him to come close to you do the chicken again but this time put it in your hand and keep still .It will take time but the trick does work. I had to use it on my sisters cat who climbed a tree and it worked very well

I don't want to hijack your thread but since I am sort of having the same problems I figured I would post it here instead of starting another thread.



We moved about a month and a half ago. Most of my cats have settled down okay. Only two are still skiddish. Igor is not all that bad he is just not used to the noises outside. My other cat Button has become frightened of the other cats in the house. She hisses at all of them. She mainly stays in my daughters room 99% of the time. She only comes out long enough to eat and use the litter box. My daughter even put a small litter box in her room because she is in there so much that she was afraid she would go on the floor. For reference Button is spayed, UTD on all shots and she is three years old. The problem started about a week or so ago.

Now most of my cats are indoor/outdoor cats. Button was one that did come and go whenever she wanted. Do you think it is the lack of freedom that has turned her nasty? She does not try to go outdoors at all but she is in and out of my daughters room so fast I don't think it even occurs to her. She does lay on her window sill and look out all the time. She always was sort of a loner cat. At this point Igor is the only cat she will even let near her and Igor is a littermate. She is fine with all the people she owns

Should I take her outside to see is she will calm down. I have a fairly large cat carrier so I was thinking of putting her in that and letting her sit in a cool place by our deck so she can get used to the noises and smells outside. Do you think I should do that? I am afraid if I just carry her around she might get scared and scratch me and run.

I am not sure what to do. Normally six of my eight cats are indoor/outdoor. Right now only two are going in and out. Two more are wanting to go out but have not yet. I think the crowed conditions might also be making Button cranky. There are plenty of places for the cats to roam inside but they mostly stay in the livingroom and sun porch.

TabbyTail I hope your baby settles down soon. I am sure it will just take some time. I am glad that he was in the garage and not lost.

One of my cats took missing after I let her out after we moved and was gone almost two weeks. I was so upset. My mother lived next door to me where I used to live and I had asked her to keep an eye out. She did show up there. She is back home now and is fine. She sticks close in the yard now and she always comes in before dark

I am back to say ,the advice finally worked! He finally came close enough to let me pet him, and while he backed off and even hissed at first, he has gotten a lot better. I finally got to pick him up, he didn't resist but did struggle immediately to get down and I let him go as not to have him mistrust me more. He's going to have to come back to himself in his own time He was always very cuddly, purry and loving and I hope he can be again. It makes me sad he has blamed me so much for the move!

I also think seeing the other cat come running to me and get food helped, if he had to wait to get down from the rafters he'd miss out on the soft food!

Thank you all for your help and caring. I think he's going to be all right now!

Good luck to everyone else having problems.

BRAVO

Thanks for letting us know the good news!

I am so happy hear that from you!! I heard you story and it made me sad. He is not even my cat. lol Many hugs for you and your baby!

kittylova

cats warm your soul!

Asecret it might be that there are pet stains (old) on the carpet or in the house. I would invest in a black light and shine it around and see if there are any telltale green flourescent stains. If there are, then attack those stains with www.urine-off.com or another enzyme cleaner.

Also invest in a few comfort zone room diffusers and plug those in as well to calm your cat. Cats like routine, and when you change their routine, no matter how slight or drastic there are always reactions on the part of the cat.