To rehome my cat?

[Nicecupofcoco]

hi all, I’m at a bit of a loss with what more I can do with my cat, she’s 5 years old, we got her towards the end of last year. She had been given up for rehoming by her previous owner as she was a house cat but wasn’t happy as a house cat, tried to escape, stopped using her tray correctly etc.
So we adopted her from
the rescue centre, we have a small secure garden and all was ok, until we started letting her outside.
She is very anxious around the neighbour hood cats and there are so many in our area, that each time she goes out she comes into contact with at least one other cat. This sets off a lot of anxiety and stress and she genuinely looks fed up.
We use Zylkene with her and plug ins. A lot of the time now she won’t go out, and if she does, tends to stays in the garden, she’s constantly looking out for other cats and her tail tends to be low.
Some times I wonder if she’d be better living elsewhere where, I know she will always likely run into cats no matter where she is, but round here there are so many, terraced houses and a lot of cat owners. I also know she may be in the rescue a while and I would hate to do that to her, but do feel she could be happier in a different home.
Any ideas on what more I can try? Or any advice?
Thanks for reading, I know it’s long!

Maybe keep her on and get shit loads of enrichment toys? I don't think cats transition well from being indoors for years to outdoors. And terraced streets are bad for stressy cats because of the concentration of cats.

Make her a house cat, get a catio if you can. Giving her up because she doesn’t like other cats outside makes no sense, going back into a cat home would be traumatic

Not sure how you have even arrived at rehoming?

She goes out, okay she gets a bit anxious but she's only been with you a short time. Rehoming her will only make her nerves worse.

Try Felliway plug in. Give her loads of fuss. Make sure she is indoors overnight.

Make her a lovely catio, sounds ideal for her.

either cat proof your fence so she cant go over or a caito. Dont rehome her, cats that have been rehomed mutiple times are never likely to find a forever home.
My oldest cat she used to go outdoors happily but now shes older (14) we have to go outdoors into
the garden with her and she will follow us around.. soon as we go back indoors she follows us in she cant stand being outside on her own even with our other 3 cats!

Is there part of your post missing? I don’t get how you’d be at the point of rehoming just because she rarely goes out and she does she just sits in the garden. I know you said she’s anxious but what does that actually mean? I have one cat that never goes out, he was previously a house cat and hasn’t changed his behaviour and another that does occasionally but only really chills in our garden. They don’t have to roam to be happy! Just keep indoors fulfilling with lots of toys and places to climb and hide. Rehoming is only something I’d consider if the cat was aggressive, toileting everywhere or something like that.

Yeah I think I know really, that we could never give her up! She’s so loved!

I think sometimes I just overthink it and worry she could be happier on say, a lovely quiet street, or out in the countryside somewhere, where she had more freedom to roam, I know that even if she went back into the rescue, she’s not guaranteed a home like that though.
Thanks for the advice, we do tend to go into the garden with her as she seems happier that way. I like the idea of securing the fences further.
I’ll get some more toys too as I worry she might be bored on the days she doesn’t venture into the garden, she loves a big fuss, only her terms
mind!
Thanks all. 😊

@Bitzeeso anxiety wise, she does alot of pacing to the cat flap and back again, she’ll look out as though she wants to go, but seems reluctant.
Also when she’s had a bit of a run in with any of the neighbours cats, she will hide herself away upstairs and very reluctant to come back out again. She uses the tray correctly but holds her wee for days when she’s anxious, the zylkene has helped with this though. But behaviour wise she’s ok, loves a fuss on her terms.
I know I can see how I’ve just been overthinking it which is silly, I think I just expected after being an indoor cat in her previous home and not liking that, that she would love venturing off. I suppose I just worry she will become unhappy over time.
Thanks for your input.

She will already be traumatised from being surrendered and living in a cat home in the past, you have to accept that rescue cats take a long time to come around, and there is no guarentee that the reason she was given up is even true, she could have been abused for misusing the cat litter etc. Stop over thinking it and just give her space and time and most importantly, a forever home with you

Nothing to do with anxiety, but our (very happy, very confident) cat spends most of his time when he's out in either our garden or our immediate neighbours' gardens. He's always within shouting distance and is often napping on next door's garden furniture. Our previous girl cat was exactly the same - loved being out but used to spend a LOT of time sunbathing in the flower beds or under a bush.

This boy was a stray kitten (has been with us since April last year) and I think he likes knowing he's "home" where the snacks are! Also the garden is a massive space full of exciting things to a cat - bugs to chase, the wind blowing, different scents, birds etc. We have a big lilac tree and seeing him - and our previous lovely girl - chasing the blossom as it starts to fall is utterly charming.

Agree with PP about keeping her in overnight - we have quite a lot of foxes round about and although we live on a very quiet one-way street I wouldn't be keen on the cat being out when we're in bed. Our previous girl was pure white so very visible to traffic but even then we would always call her in for bed. Your cat is more likely to want to be in now the weather's getting rubbish anyway. Our boy is ginger and needs a lot of playtime on rainy days or he's a total PITA, full of orange cat energy - he will play by himself with his "mouses" but really likes running around after ribbons.

Our rescue cat had never been outside before; we live backing onto a field and she went insane when she could first go out. Unfortunately she decided to reward us with treats (birds and mice) so now she has a collar with a bell (she doesn’t understand why she’s lost her edge!) and she’s in at night. This has made her more settled as she actually can’t go out whenever she wants, so it takes the anxiety of ‘do I want to’ away a bit.

If you gave her up she’s end up even more traumatised and anxious. It’s sad you even contemplated that.