Really Need Advice: New Home/owner, Same Neighbourhood, Outdoor Cat

[ckrizzy]

Hi everyone,

I need some advice. I have had my male cat (Scooter), who is about 1.5 years old, since he was a small kitten. Scooter is incredibly skittish with people other than myself. I love him dearly, but due to life circumstances that I won't get into, I can so sadly no longer care for him. He's an outdoor cat (and he loves it). He is friends with another male cat (Edward) in the neighbourhood (who is also an outdoor cat). My neighbour who owns Edward has agreed to take my cat, which I'm thrilled about. Scooter knows Edward - though sometimes their play fighting gets too intense and Edward hisses at Scooter. He also knows the neighbourhood. I will be moving and leaving the neighbourhood, which is when we will transition Scooter to his new home.

I'm so concerned about the transition and making Scooter feel comfortable. I want it to be successful for my neighbour and his current cat, and of course my cat. I got calming treats and two feliway diffusers.

Here's what I'm asking in terms of help:

- Do you have any tips of how to transition him to the new place/owner? I was thinking of arranging "play dates" and maybe overnight dates before I actually leave.
- I'm so worried about my cat coming to my apartment and waiting at the window I usually leave open for him. It breaks my heart into a thousand pieces thinking of him waiting for me there. Any advice to help him understand where his new home is? Maybe keeping him inside for the first week or two? My neighbour keeps his window open constantly for his cat to enter and leave, but maybe Scooter can be kept in a room alone for the first week or so.
- Any tips for the new owner to bond with such a skittish cat?
- Any tips for helping Scooter not get too rough with Edward. They overall have a positive relationship but things will be different when he moves in.

Any thoughts or advice about this? I am so worried about my cat adapting and being happy, given the fact that he's going to be so close to where he used to live and will also be an outdoor cat.

THANK YOU so much in advance.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Let me see if I can find someone to help you better than I can! This will be a bit tricky, and all of my cats since I became an adult have been indoor only.

 

[GoldyCat]

Does Scooter already go into your neighbor's house through the open window? If he's used to doing that it will make it easier.

Where do you feed him? You could try moving his feeding station to the neighbor's or have the neighbor feed him indoors starting a couple of weeks before you move. How much time do you have before you move?

 

[Sarthur2]

Has your cat ever been inside your neighbor's house?

Your neighbor really should begin feeding your cat now at her house so he begins to make the association and the transition. This might mean you need to close your window.

How much time before you move?

 

[kissthisangel]

I think you need to collaborate with your neighbour and take in turns feeding him. You should feed him less and less they should feed him more and more, the week before you leave, don't feed him at all. Probably he will return, even after you have left, but if the new occupants of your house do not let him in and feed him he will realise that the place where he does get food is his home. Hopefully the food will bond him to the new house and the owners, but if it doesn't work and you are concerned it may be better to rehome him at least 10 miles away from his old home with you. If this is the case, you could contact experienced foster organisations in your area to get some advice. The distance is because of the way cats roam. Because he is out-door if you re-home him closer he may still go back "home" and get lost from his new abode. I'm sorry that you have to give him up because you clearly care very much for his wellbeing.

 

[ckrizzy]

Thank you for your reply!! I don't think my cat goes to my neighbour's house ever. But I could start luring him there with food. I feed him once in the morning and once in the night (and he grazes the rest of the time).

I can definitely set that up with my neighbour. I have until Feb 1 to transition him, so luckily a lot of time.

Do you think my neighbour should give him treats or maybe start giving him his nightly food, then he can return to sleep with me? I think Scooter will be scared to be in his house with a human he doesn't know, feeding him, but maybe he'd still eat...

 

[ckrizzy]

And again - thank you for another reply. I am so worried that he'll get confused, scared, or lost, so I think that changing the feeding routine will be really helpful. I guess I'll keep some dry food in my place and he can have wet food at the neighbour's. The only issue is - it is winter here (I'm in Canada) so I don't let my cat have free access outside right now, since it's so cold (my neighbour does though). So I could bring him to my neighbour's for meals but I couldn't let that be exclusively where he eats.

I guess I'm also wondering - is this a terrible set up? Is there any way this can be positive for my cat or is it an inevitable disaster? I don't want to set my cat up for failure or my neighbour.

Thanks again!!

 

[ckrizzy]

I will move Feb 1 - so I have over a month.

 

[Kieka]

I'd agree with the slowly switch him over so that by the time you move all his meals have been at the new house for several days. I am a little concerned that the neighbor doesn't keep inside during the winter. If there aren't shelters set up for the cats you should probably purchase a nice shelter for your cat to use once you are gone.

 

[ckrizzy]

My neighbour is willing to sacrifice his heating bill so his cat always can come in an open window, all winter! So his cat is safe and comfortable. Are you concerned with that arrangement? Like maybe my cat will be confused/not return home and get too cold?

I will have to problem solve of how to get my cat to my neighbour's for feeding each day. I want him to know how to enter on his own rather than me carrying him over.

I also think that it makes sense for my neighbour to keep him inside for the first week after I leave, even with the feedings being at his place for a while. I just want my cat to get familiar with the surroundings. What do you think?

 

[kissthisangel]

And again - thank you for another reply. I am so worried that he'll get confused, scared, or lost, so I think that changing the feeding routine will be really helpful. I guess I'll keep some dry food in my place and he can have wet food at the neighbour's. The only issue is - it is winter here (I'm in Canada) so I don't let my cat have free access outside right now, since it's so cold (my neighbour does though). So I could bring him to my neighbour's for meals but I couldn't let that be exclusively where he eats.

I guess I'm also wondering - is this a terrible set up? Is there any way this can be positive for my cat or is it an inevitable disaster? I don't want to set my cat up for failure or my neighbour.

Thanks again!!

I don't think it's a total lost cause no. In your previous reply you mentioned that he grazes, it will be hard to set up a feeding routine if he isn't hungry. You would have to slowly reduce the grazing, and speak with your neighbour to agree a set time they put a meal down, take him over the first few times to introduce him to eating there. Think of it as breakfast at the same place before going to work. Or a lunch the same time every day. It will be hard work, but the more you can organise this switch the less likely he is to become confused. If he has never been to your neighbour's house, you should probably give them some used cat bedding to place around their house first so it smells a bit familiar. It's like a scent swap, but you don't want him to think your house is still his so just slowly transition all of his things to the other place once he's eating a meal there.

 

[ckrizzy]

Thank you so much - I will talk to my neighbour about arranging feeding somehow. I should probably start ASAP so it becomes a routine sooner rather than later. Do you think my cat will be satiated if he eats two meals a day, morning and night? He usually eats a lot at those times, but eats throughout the day. I don't want him to be hungry! I might need to do some dry food but just keep it not where his food previously was or something..

And I like the idea of transitioning his things (really mostly his scratching post and a blanket he likes to lay on). It will be so sad! But I am thankful that he knows the other cat already quite well, my neighbour is a good owner, and he knows the neighbourhood (for better or for worse).

 

[kissthisangel]

It won't hurt him to be hungry between meals as long as he is getting a decent calorie intake over the two meals I can't see anything wrong with it. Unless he has any medical problems you know of that mean he has to eat at a regular pattern, but I feel you would have mentioned those. I know you are worried about it, but try to relax when you do introduce new things to help the cat relax about it too. just going for a walk. totally normal.

 

[ckrizzy]

It won't hurt him to be hungry between meals as long as he is getting a decent calorie intake over the two meals I can't see anything wrong with it. Unless he has any medical problems you know of that mean he has to eat at a regular pattern, but I feel you would have mentioned those. I know you are worried about it, but try to relax when you do introduce new things to help the cat relax about it too. just going for a walk. totally normal.

Yes that makes sense. I'll work with my neighbour on that. And yes - I will try to relax!

Do you think it's a good idea to lock my cat in my neighbour's for the first week I have officially left? That way his new environment sets in more clearly?

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, in fact, he should really stay inside for a good month.

 

[ckrizzy]

Yes, in fact, he should really stay inside for a good month.

Good to know. Thank you ~ I'll see how this can work out with the other cat. I hope they don't kill each other!! They like to play together but my cat will often be too aggressive and the other cat will screech or hiss. I don't know if this is normal in the context of their play. I think my cat doesn't understand boundaries and is too rough with his play... Any tips on that?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

It is absolutely normal in the course of cat play. It can sound like WWIII, in fact. So long as no one is losing fur, and there is no blood on the floor, it isn't a fight, no matter how bad it sounds!

 

[ckrizzy]

It is absolutely normal in the course of cat play. It can sound like WWIII, in fact. So long as no one is losing fur, and there is no blood on the floor, it isn't a fight, no matter how bad it sounds!

Thanks for the info! There is some fur lost... but not huge amounts. I am just worried about the growling and screeching from Edward!! And occasional hiss. I shouldn't be worried about that? I want them to get along and play more gently haha.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Are both boys neutered?

 

[catman513]

I'd start feeding him over at Edwards right away.