Outdoor Cat Moves With Us To The City?

[Skullvapor]

Hello,
We just recently moved the suburbs to an apartment in the city. We have tried taking our cat on walks but he gets scared. Where he used to meow infront of the door to be let out, he now meows randomly and chaotically runs around the house. He also has been pooping in the wrong areas (we will put him in the litter box and he will poop there then jump out and poop outside). I have tried opening my windows and letting him breathe the fresh air as well as played bird noises which he loves but it isn't enough. We have decided we could try to get him a play set (he is declawed from his previous owner so he can't climb) and I have been playing bird noises for him. I am going off to college and I will no longer be around to give him everything he wants in two days. I worry about how stressed he will be without me (I also feed him a second meal in-between when my parents leave and I come in because he won't eat old food which is something else I don't know how to deal with). Is there anything I can do? I am trying to convince my parents to adopt a second kitten. He is about 15 or 16 years old (he will live forever) and a kitten shouldn't be intimidating to him.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

"Recently moved" says it all, really. Cats are so territorial that moving just disrupts their entire lives. Patience and time are the keys here. Many an outdoor cat has made the successful switch to indoor only, although there is a period of adjustment which can vary wildly from cat to cat, but "recently" isn't in there anywhere. He'll get used to it, but until he does, your entire family will know about it!

Just as he will adjust to the move on his own time, he will adjust to you leaving. And don't worry about him forgetting you. He won't. He'll be thrilled to see you when you come home and fret for a few days when you leave again. Tell your parents to give him lots of love for those first days!

As for the extra feeding, there are many timed feeders on the market. You can find them at Chewy and Amazon, and I'm sure many others. Just google "automatic pet feeders" and you'll have a "cast of thousands" to choose from!

Think long and hard about adopting a kitten just when you are leaving. Successfully introducing cats is a process that can take weeks or even months. Make certain that your parents are up for that! There would be nothing more horrible than to bring a kitten home, then return it to the shelter. I'm going to give you the links to a few articles. A couple are about introducing cats to other cats, and a couple are about reducing stress in general.

How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
Introducing Cats To Cats

Six Surefire Strategies To Reduce Stress In Cats
Potential Stressors In Cats - The Ultimate Checklist

Welcome to TCS! When you have a moment, click on this link New Cats on the Block and introduce yourself and your cat! AND the kitten, if you decide to adopt a friend for your cat. OH...make sure that your parents know that they can bring any issues to us as well!