HELP! Is my cat loosing her mind?

This is a rather long story but i think all the details are necessary.

I moved from an apartment to a town house 18 months ago. I have 3 cats, all spayed, all happy well adjusted cats. When we first got here everything was fine, my cats adjusted to the change really well.

I used to walk them around the back yard a few times a week.

They are strictly in door cats other wise.

Anyway, the problems began when Mimi started wanting to go out. ALL the time. It's gotten to the point when every time i get up she will rac to the door and just wait there... and the last few weeks she has started digging against the door. It's almost as though she's onsessed with going out side and nothing is enough for her.

I let her out now in the morning for a few hours. I put her in her harness and let her roam around outside in the front of the drive way. There's a small patch of garden and i leave the laundry room door open for her and she usually sits in there when she's had enough of the outside. There's a bird feeder and water and some food....

She's just so different now. She used to be really enthusiastic about things but it seems as if she's just a shadow of the cat she used to be. I can't understand what has gone wrong... She is cranky. Short tempered. Most afternoons she just lays for hours on a chair and just stares blankly.

Any attempt i make to play with her she immeadiately thinks she is going outside....

She still sleeps next to me at night on her sheepskin... and she gets along really well with the little kitten we just adopted/rescued but she just seems unhappy and vacant.

We have loads of toys and it's not as if there's nothing to do around here... there's always something going on. We have 4 foster cats so ... some where in the house you can bet a game of catch is in progress at any given time of the day.

It's just emotionally draining when everytime we get up to do anything she races to the door and whines to go out... and the worst thing is the urgency to go out seems to be getting more intense everyday....

My husband made a comment the other day that perhaps she's driving herself nutts ... what should i do? i can't let her out here because its a communal garden and she could so easily go missing, and we've had a few cases of strangulation around here.... so i just don't dare....

and to make matters worse next month i'm moving back to the apartment and she won't have any access to an outside at all! I do intend to take her to my mums place a lot because she lives near by and has a nice high walled garden with a lovely fish pond.... i just am really concerned for her mental health as she just seems really different from how she was a year ago.

any suggestions?

Have you tried feliway yet?

Has there been another cat roaming your neighborhood lately? Are you and hubby getting along ok? Is the new kitty getting some of Mimi's personal attention? Have you been stressed out since before this behavior? Just some things to consider...
I feel for Mimi, she sounds very unhappy & upset about something and sometimes we humans just don't understand. I imagine we can be as frustrating to them as thier behavior is to us sometimes.

Originally Posted by TunaQueen

Has there been another cat roaming your neighborhood lately? Are you and hubby getting along ok? Is the new kitty getting some of Mimi's personal attention? Have you been stressed out since before this behavior? Just some things to consider...
I feel for Mimi, she sounds very unhappy & upset about something and sometimes we humans just don't understand. I imagine we can be as frustrating to them as thier behavior is to us sometimes.

Click to expand...

I know.... i just can't seem to figure out what it is.... everytime i just bend down to touch her she heads for the door....

Me and DH are actually thinking about a trial separation which is why i'll be moving back to our apartment. i'm not sure if that is the reason though as she started this almost as soon as we got here...

i haven't tried feliway except when we first got here. The reason for that is that it's so expensive in Dubai and i also thought it was more for peeing and scratching....

There are no new cats that roam outside and the one that does live outside she has befriended and they sit together in the mornings and evenings sometimes.

I wish there were animal behaviorists in Dubai but as far as i know there are none.

She actually gets along really well with the new kitten. There were only a few hisses when i introduced the kitten to my cats....

*Me and DH are actually thinking about a trial separation which is why i'll be moving back to our apartment. i'm not sure if that is the reason though as she started this almost as soon as we got here...*

Our kitties can be very perceptive to emotional changes occuring in our lives, even the most subtle ones. If you were unhappy about moving into where you are now, Mimi most likely picked up on that and resigned herself into not getting too comfy there. She probably picked up on the anxiety between you and DH too and it confuses her. The outdoors gives her a sense of escape and focuses her attention on more pleasant things, like fresh air and sunshine. I think though that once you've moved, you might begin to see her change back into the old Mimi, although it might take some time and lots of attention. She will probably go through some separation anxiety right along with you and the key here is patience. Don't get too upset with her, lavish her instead with your love so she knows "everything will be ok".
If a behaviorist or plug-ins aren't an option, consider getting some fresh catnip or (if you can stand the smell) valerian root. Her attention needs to be redirected towards something interesting going on inside instead of 'out there'. Not all cats go for catnip but I've yet to see one who didn't adore valerian root. Wean her from her walks a little at a time. Going outside is reinforcing her desire to flee and will make it harder to adjust to the new surroundings she'll find herself in. She needs to "re-bond" with you and see you as her world for awhile.

She probably has become obsessed with something she sees outside, maybe birds? This type of behavior is what caused me to allow Pixel to become an indoor outdoor cat, with lots of controls....You probably don't want to permit this...I hope it calms down for you all soon.

TunaQueen- thanks for the diagnosis. It's given me a bit more prespective on what might be going on. MiMi has always been the brains of the operation and has always been very attatched to me.

My husband is actually a pilot so he is away quite a bit... and i do notice that she is a little less testy when he is not here actually

Today she curled up on my leg and slept for about half an hour....

I do think that she will settle down a bit after we move. And when we move back to the apartment i will definetly be using the feliway.

It just not easy to pay every one enough attention and not loose my own mind!