Insomniac Cat, Help!

[Teerdrop]

Hello all,

Apologies if this thread has been covered but I'm quickly approaching my wits end. I adopted my now 3 year old kitten, Max, from petsmart at 16 weeks old. I believe he was born feral but obviously didn't spend much time outdoors.
Since adopting him he has been indoors 95% of the time. As a kitten we tried a harness, but after relocating his outdoor time is really limited to when he escapes. Typically after escaping he will wail at the door for a day or 2 and move on.
Lately he has been not only wailing, but picking at the base of the front door with his claws for WEEKS. To the point that occasionally his claw gets caught in the key hole of the door.
Being that I have room mates, I can't allow this behavior to continue. I haven't been able to sleep through the night in almost a month and I'm no longer sure what to do.
Help!

 

[danteshuman]

He is meowing to come in or out?

 

[silkenpaw]

He’s a handsome guy. I’m assuming he’s wailing to go out. I think that you need to get him a pole toy such as DaBird and play with him in the evening to tire him out. Hopefully that’ll make him forget about the outside. I’m sure others will have more suggestions.

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Yes, his tipped ear signifies he was feral. Also answers my question, if he's been neutered.

I've never used it, but some people find Feliway helpful. There's a few different types, so read up on it before you buy. Also, there are calming treats that might help.

Has there been any changes in your apartment that might have triggered his current obsession to go out?

This article might be helpful, though not so much with the scratching part.
How To Stop My Cat From Waking Me Up At Night (step-by-step Plan)

I'll also post these ones too:
How To Set Healthy Boundaries For Your Cat
How To Stop Your Cat From Scratching The Furniture
The Five Golden Rules To Bringing An Outdoor Cat Inside

 

[Teerdrop]

He is meowing to come in or out?

Definitely to go out.

 

[danteshuman]

Then sadly it is a habit to break. If you keep him inside he will meow worse for a while but eventually adjust. You can do what you can to bring the outdoors in.