Hi all,
This is the first time I've posted in this topic, but I really need help before my sanity departs for good.
My cat used to be very happy inside the house, and would sleep for hours on the sofa or bed, but has always gone out and is a very good hunter.
Over the past year, he's been increasingly reluctant to spend any time in the house, and is now at the stage where he only wants to come in to eat, and leave immediately after. He often smells of smoke (he's long haired), and I think he's found another family where he's spending time (thanks, other family!)
If I don't let him out, he meows constantly. I am not being hyperbolic. He's been meowing for three hours now, and it's driving me to anger. The problem is, by letting him out I'm teaching him that meowing constantly gets him what he wants, so I'm now at a bit of a crossroads - have a cat who I literally only see to feed (which is a shit option), or have a cat who is always meowing.
In addition to meowing, he scratches my dining room chairs (he's destroyed them, and is on his way to destroying the covers I bought for them). This is solely for attention/to try and get me to put him out, because he has a scratching post (which he also uses), and lots of toys (and gets played with by one of my sons, who the cat does actually like).
We're moving in a couple of months, and he's obviously not going to be able to go out initially as he'll get lost. I also cannot stand the meowing (three of us are autistic with sensory issues), so we need to fix this now.
What can I do to stop him wanting to be outside constantly? Is there a way to stop the constant meowing? I love this cat to bits, but he's not that nice to be around at the moment, and not only do I begrudge paying insurance, vet bills, flea and worm treatments, and cat food for a cat I see (if it were up to him) for less than five minutes every couple of days (because he'll stay out for days too), he cannot do that when we move.
He has a lovely home here, and was happy before. This shift in attitude has coincided with him smelling of smoke, so I'm almost certain he's got somewhere else that he's going. Please help!