I adopted a new cat and he seems to be bored. What can I do to make him more comfortable?

[bitesizeemma]

He came from a larger apartment and there he had a feline friend. Now he's with me and my roommate. I've bought him some toys, and he's using the litter box pretty well. So far no accidents. Although his eating habits have changed. It's weird, he seems to spend a lot of time stalking around instead of sleeping. Last night I kept him in my room and I don't think he got one bit of sleep all night. I woke up a few times to check on him and he was just sitting there or lying there, eyes wide open. He also seems to prefer my roommate's bed compared to the couch I'm being forced to sleep on until I get my own bed. Which sucks because he's my cat. Anyway, got any tips on how to make him feel more at home?

 

[txcatmom]

Since cats are so territorial a move to a new place is a huge deal for him.  He might also be missing his feline friend.  I know as a human the first night in a new place it is always hard to sleep and I imagine that would be true for cats as well.  He probably wanted to explore and see if there are any other cats.

As far as making him more comfortable...just having things cats love helps.  Here are some ideas....

*  A clean litterbox.  We scoop twice per day to keep the cats happy.

*  Independent play toys, but also interactive play with the humans.  We use wand/fishing pole type toys to provide a "hunting" sort of experience for our cats a few times per day.   (Some cats like chasing the red dot from the laser pointer.)   This helps us bond with our cats and helps them get a lot of their energy channeled in appropriate ways.  It also helps them sleep better at night.

*  A window they can look out of....a bird feeder outside near the window if possible.  Mine all love watching birds.

*  If you can afford it, many cats love a "cat tree" or "cat tower" for climbing and resting on.  Like this....


*  The best food you can afford and fresh water....treats given out by the humans never hurts with the bonding.  (You mentioned his eating habits changed.  If you have any concerns about that I'd encourage you to start a thread in the Nutrition section.  Folks here are really knowledgeable and helpful about cat nutrition.)

I'd probably prefer a bed over the couch too, but if you made a little box with a soft blankie....or even a laundry basket with some soft towels in it he might sleep near the couch for a while. 

Of course, if he enjoyed his feline friend before he might enjoy one again.  I know not everyone can have two, but just an idea to keep in mind.

Good luck with him. 

 

[orientalslave]

Play with him, lots.  At least three times a day for 10 minutes - use a clock, 10 minutes seems a very long time to start with.  Use something like Da Bird.

Also provide some high-up places for him to sleep - cats usually prefer those.

Finally cats are naturally active at dawn and dusk so some night-time activity is to be expected.

 

[ekoampeace]

Lots of play with him when you can, and give him lots of attention.

With my cats it helped when I gave them a special place of their own, like a cat tree. I also bought a cat bed and sprinkled it lightly with cat nip now they lounge all day on it!

Like orientalslave said, cats are naturally active dawn and dusk. Motorboat my old kitty who sleeps in our room, actually doesn't sleep when we go to bed. I've woken up to find him staring out the window or just watching invisible spots on the floor.