Moved house and cat has really changed. Frustrating!

[WhatAPallava]

Hi,

Moved home on Oct 27th. Kept cat in for a week to get used to the new house then let him out on a Saturday morning....well he didn't come home for 3 days!
Since then he will NOT go back out. At my old home he was out all day then home for the night. He will sniff the door but will not step outside.

He has got really cheeky regarding food and eating - jumping up and trying to take food off of us, climbing up on the kitchen sides looking for food. He NEVER behaved like this before...I bought worming tablets and he had them but it hasn't made a difference. Like really blatant trying to get food all the time or snatch it out of my daughters hand - the first week he was ok, this seemed to start when he came home from his 3 day adventure.

Also in the early hours starts to cry outside my bedroom door and jumps and jumps until he pushes the door open...not sure if he just wants company or is meowing because he wants food?

I don't want to sound horrible but I wish he would start going outside again! He always did his toilet outside and now the house constantly stinks from his litter tray! Obviously I change it when he does something but...bleurgh.

He is 1 and a half and was neutered in May.....anything I can do to help him?
Does anyone think he sounds a bit insecure or scared?

I certainly do - sounds like he's had a trauma and is staying in to avoid it. (And occupying himself by eating/stealing.)

What's the environment like outside? And are there lots of cats or eg foxes out there?

Loads of cats round here :-(
Both neighbours on each side have cats, and one of them doesn't let the cat inside so he is wondering around (jumping on my bins and ripping open my rubbish...grrr...)

But there were quite a few cats where we lived previously...maybe he was used to them?!?!

It's a quiet dead-end road, goes in a loop and we back on to a cemetery! So pretty quiet lol.

Anything I can do to make him feel better?!?!

I agree it sounds like he's had some sort of trauma. If there are a lot of other cats out there, he might have been in some territorial punch-up or something.

How is he if you go into the garden carrying him, but not letting him go? So he gets used to being outside, but in a safe way? And then in time, you could gently put him down while you're out there - he'll probably either stay safe right next to you, or run straight to the house the first time. You need to try and build his sense of security outside, and if you're holding him, you'll be able to gauge how he's feeling - don't force him into staying out there or anything he's clearly unhappy with, and you don't want him to be worried with you, if he starts associating you with always being taken outside and being unhappy. The aim is to get him out there in a way that feels safe, so that in time, he'll be happy to go out on his own. (Also, this would be easier to do in good weather in the summer...)

Thanks for your reply.

Garden door comes off the kitchen so I try to leave it open whilst I'm in there to see what he does, he sniffs all over the door frame but won't go outside!

Sometimes he meows at the front door so I open it, but he just sits there and looks out! Bless him.

I think I will carry him around outside a little and see how he reacts, that sound like a good idea...

We have a toddler, she is obsessed with him, doesn't leave him alone!
Every evening I put her to bed guaranteed I will find him curled up next to her...he never used to that either maybe he feels safe with her :-)

He doesn't sound like a happy chap. I suspect you may have some mean toms around - and if you're in a quiet area which backs on to a cemetery, you'll also have foxes and other predators. They don't usually roam in full daylight but if he was out for 3 days and nights, he could well have had a run in with them.

Don't force the 'taking outside' as it could be counter-productive. If he currently has bad memories of outside, you don't need him associating you with them. If he reacts badly, best to let him stay in where he feels safe and take things at his own pace. And as EBearhug said, that will be easier in good weather - as soon as spring/summer comes.