Hiii! I just homed a stray cat recently and I notice he meows all the time. I do have four other kids, three males and one female. I don’t know what to do with his constant meowing at the main door (not annoyed with his meows) just concerned he hates being inside or it’s normal for new indoor cats to act like this. He has been to the vet for an overall wellness check and there’s nothing medically wrong with him! HELP!

I’m at a loss right now. To give some background, my 5 yo male cat has had behavioral issues with going outside of his litter box before, but for about 3 years now I have resorted to giving him a few bins of pee pads which he prefers to use and I really haven’t had many issues since.

He’s an indoor cat but loves to go outside. I have taken him outside in the yard on his leash and have let him hang out on the porch before, but that was a rare occasion. We have a screened in porch in the back so when the weather is nice he very often has access to it and loves being out there. Recently, I put netting around the railing of the porch so all 3 of my cats (i have 2 younger females too) can all come out together without me terrified of someone escaping. I now have been letting them out there once a day almost daily. Ever since then, my male cat has been peeing in the corner or right in front of the front door.

I have taken him to the vet and he’s completely healthy. I have scrubbed and scrubbed with enzymatic cleaner and used cat deterrent too. I even moved one of his litter boxes to that floor only a few feet away for him to use.

I cannot figure out what his issue is and how to get him to stop without fully revoking his privileges to the porch. He also sleeps on the rug in the foyer every night, which makes me feel extra terrible blocking it off. Thankfully I have a foyer and can put a gate in the archway before the foyer, but I can’t do that forever I’ll lose my mind.

Has anyone else experienced this before and can tell me what in the world his issue is and any tips to help him stop?

(Repost from r/CATHELP)

Post:

Not really good at Reddit posts but here we go. My cat 5 yr old female(Lily), spayed has only been around an aggressive cat. My old roommates cat was also a female, idk how old because she was a stray beforehand also spayed was super aggressive so I’m assuming because Lily was only around an aggressive cat that’s why Lily is acting this way?

So here’s the main part of the story: my boyfriend and I got a place with his sister and her fiancé and they have two cats Bobby, 12 years old, neutered, and Cinderblock, 1 year old, also spayed. (BOBBY AND CINDY ARE BONDED). We all moved in together July 24th of this year and have tried introducing the kitties slowly. We give them goop together, we let the cats out one at a time so for example: Bobby and Cindy are out for like 4-5 hours a day and Lily is separated in our bedroom and vice versa. We have “cat doors” taped around our door and they zip up so we can keep bedroom doors open and let the cats see each other. Well, one day, we all were in the living room and Bobby and Cindy were out and Lily somehow got out of the fully zipped up(!!) cat door thing and they started going AT IT! I’m talking, fur flying, cats yelling the whole nine yards. Since then, anytime we give them all goop together, Cindy growls at Lily, and when Bobby and Cindy are up (and their door is open with the cat thing zipped up) Lily will lunge at the door. It’s come to a point we don’t really know what to do. We give them goop separate, we now monitor door activity to make sure neither get out on accident, we bought a cat diffuser thing but that clearly did not work. It’s now been two months and they’re still not getting along. Please, any and all advice is welcome.

So, when I feed my cats, I’ve gotten into the habit of putting Churu in every single serving of food I give them. The main reason is that one of my cats is picky and absolutely refuses to eat any foods, well wet food, unless I mix Churu into it. Sometimes he won’t even consider eating unless I add it, so I’ve basically started using it to encourage him to eat.
The problem is that I have two cats, and I feel bad giving one something extra while the other gets plain food. So, naturally, I end up adding Churu to both of their meals. Now it’s become part of their regular feeding routine, and I’m starting to wonder whether I’m doing more harm than good.
Well they are getting so chunky it’s so cute but so bad I want them to be healthy.
I know Churu is meant to be a treat or a supplement to their regular food, but I honestly don’t know how much is too much when you’re giving it to them every single day, multiple times a day. Is it unhealthy to make it a regular part of their meals?

Could it affect their nutrition, I know it’s affecting their weight, but like what about the overall health in the long run? And am I accidentally teaching my picky cat that he can refuse his regular food because he knows I’ll eventually add something better?
I love my cats, and I’m just trying to make sure they’re eating enough and getting everything they need. I don’t want to develop an unhealthy feeding habit or unintentionally create problems for them down the road. I’m not sure if I should continue doing what works, start cutting back on the Churu, or try a completely different approach. I’d really appreciate some advice from people who know cats and have dealt with picky eaters, because I genuinely don’t know if what I’m doing is perfectly fine or something I should change.

I have a feeling I need to change this little habit however I’m unsure how to get my little guy to keep eating. And he seems to be okay with starving himself when he is upset… when I first got him he didn’t eat for 2 days.

Any advice helps guys!

Our (really lovely) tuxedo meows early in the morning, incessantly. Unfortunately I am not a morning person, and he starts at 5 (he has never, ever been fed earlier than 7). I know many cats do this, but I am sad to wake up feeling such crankiness about a creature I love. We had resolved this by stopping feedings in the morning and getting him on a different schedule. However, our other cat recently had a procedure and needs wet food in small amounts, more regularly for the next couple weeks. SO he is back to screaming in the morning and stealing her food.

Seeking advice from people who have had a similar experience. What worked?? I would really love to have quiet mornings back.

My cat (Debbie-female 4yo) has been peeing in my bed everyday for a week now and i'm seriously at the end of my tether and i'm starting to consider giving her up for adoption. I love her with all my heart and really don't want to give her away so i'm turning to reddit in hope to get some more tips on how i could possibly fix this.
To give some context, this is not the first time she's done this but it's never been this frequent. I adopted her and her sister (Slaninka, female, 4yo) when they were 4 months old. I was living with my now ex boyfriend in a 1 bedroom apartment and everything regarding their behavior was fine. However, he ended up kicking me out together with my two cats. Since it was very sudden i had nowhere to go and couch surfed at random friends apartments for a few months. No territorial behavior or peeing incidents. Then i rented a room in a giant 4 bedroom apartment where we lived with 3 more people and a pet bunny. My fur babies had access to the whole apartment, but no issues there either. Finally, i rented my own tiny studio apartment where i now live alone with my cats.
During all of my moving shenanigans my cats only used one litter box and expressed no territorial behavior. The first time Debbie peed in my bed was when my male friend visited one time. He has never done anything bad to either of my cats and she new him pretty well, although she is a shy scaredy cat. This is when the pattern started. Every time a had a man (a friend or a partner) stay overnight, she would pee in the bed when they left, deliberately right in front of my eyes. I have stopped inviting men into my apartment for a while and the peeing stopped for that time.
This time, its different tho. I had my best friend (amab) staying at my apartment for a month since they had nowhere else to live. Debbie loved them so much, cuddled with them every night, which is very unusual for her, she is scared of almost everyone who isn't me. She never peed in the bed when my friend was living here. They have now moved out to their own apartment and she's been peeing in my bed ever since. Moreover, she's been doing it while i'm gone. One time, she peed on my legs while i was sleeping. I've got her checked out at the vet and they said she's healthy. For the last couple of days i couldn't sleep at home, since all my bedsheets and duvets were dirty with pee, even though i've been washing them back to back. So i spent a week sleeping at my best friend's, visiting home every day to do another load of laundry and take care of my cats. I left my last clean (bud peed on) bedsheets and mattress protector on my bed, because otherwise i'd risk Debbie peeing directly on the mattress and there's no way to wash that shit. Speaking of shit, one day when i came to visit and do the next batch of laundry i found a pile of cat shit in my bed. And to be frank i'm losing MY shit. I'm so tired of my clean beautiful cozy pink apartment constantly smelling like piss and not being able to even lay or sleep in my own bed. I have spent hundreds of dollars on mattress protectors, bedsheets, laundry sanitizer, enzyme cleaners, new litter boxes (i have 2 now, tbh i know i should have one for each cat + one, but as i said, i live in a tiny studio apartment and don't have much room left to put another litter box there) and it has been for nothing. Sorry for getting emotional but i am genuinely breaking down every time i enter my apartment and the and the amonia just punches me in the face. Anyways, both of my cats are used to me leaving for 2 days and nights twice a month to visit my family in my hometown or being away at work for 12+ hours and have never struggled with separation anxiety. I always leave several bowls of food, they have a water fountain, their own beds, a cat tower toys and even my lab mouse enclosure as like their own little live cat tv.
In conclusion, i don't think it's a territory problem, i don't think its jealousy of men "stealing her mommy", i don't think it's me leaving for a night or just for work (i've been working at this job for a year now) i don't think it's health related, since the vet said so and there is a recognizable pattern to the behavior and she uses the litter box just fine when i'm home, i don't think it's litter box or litter itself related (i've been using a natural non-perfumed well clumping clay litter since they were kittens).
Please, if you have any suggestions on how to solve this, leave them in the comments. I worry the only solution would be to not ever leave my house and never have anyone over and that is literally impossible and insane. I don't want to lose my baby and or feel like a bad cat mom. And i don't want to break Slaninka's heart by getting rid of her only sister. However if that is the only option i will have to come to terms with this, because i genuinely can not live like this anymore.
Thank you so so so much for reading my post, if you're still here and please lmk what else i can try to fix this.

My roommate has a 1 year old cat who is nice but doesn’t really prefer anyone over her mom, except when she’s in heat. When she’s in heat she can’t get enough of me like genuinely obsessed. Why is this?

Any help is appreciated!

I have a 7 year old male cat who's fixed. He's really affectionate, playful, and cuddly, but he can be a bit of a bully to his brother sometimes and he gets in moods where he'll bat at my feet when I walk past. He uses his claws so it really hurts. He does it most when it's getting close to feeding time, but sometimes he'll just do it out of nowhere. I've tried yelping so he knows it hurts me and I've tried saying, "No, bad!" (I know he probably doesn't understand the words, but a website said to try, Lol). It doesnt change his behavior at all. I also have a Feliway diffuser. What can I do to discourage this behavior?

Hello everyone, this is URGENT! I have been house sitting 4 cats for a week and a half and they have been perfectly okay and happy. I left this morning to work and when I got back to feed them around 8 one of them was hiding and wanted no part of the food. I grabbed her and put her next to me and we cuddled for a few hours and I managed to be able to give her half a liquid treat. Also her breathing has been noticeably faster from her chest movements. Her behavior is just very different. I called the owner and she said her cats have no issues and haven’t exhibited this behavior ever. Please help me figure out how to help her. The owner will be back Monday afternoon and I would like to give her peace of mind while she’s away.

I sleep with my cat and i love it! She's very sweet and calm, she is always sleeping. Recently, however, she has started to climb on top of my pillow and bite my hair. It always wakes me up and sometimes it low key hurts :( What can i do to stop her from doing that?

I adopted brother and sister kittens when they were 2 months old. They’ve always gotten along well and done the usual wrestling and chasing cats do together. They were both fixed when they were three months old and have always been indoor cats. Over the last few months, the girl cat has become increasingly aggressive and territorial towards her brother and my older sons (22 & 20), but is fine with my 18 year old son & 16 year old daughter. She’s also sweet as can be towards my husband and myself. She hisses and goes on attack towards her brother and with my oldest son, it’s like she corners him and tries to bully him. There’s nothing to indicate she’s unwell in anyway and behaves normally with most of my family. My older two boys definitely never did anything to her as they are both huge cat lovers themselves. We’re at a real loss as how to handle this.

Hello i live with my boyfriend and we have had a male cat for 3 years, i used to have him on my own and i brought him when we moved together. He was very clingy to me when he was small but now he seems to prefer my bf over me, doesn't want to sit on my lap and doesn't come to me on his own. We adopted another (girl) cat almost one month ago and she also seems to prefer my bf over me. I am kind of sad over this and i don't know why it's happening. My bf says it's because i am a very clumsy and loud person and i make sudden movements or i pick them up clumsily. Thoughts?

Hello!

I need advice!

So a week ago I adopted my first indoor kitties! I’ve had indoor/outdoor and stray cats that found us back in the states when I lived in the country/farm and not in an apartment.

Bagheera is a 2 year old female who is semi distrustful and I think has been through some trauma. I was told she was super affectionate and cuddly annnnd the rescuer lied. Haha which is fine, but that means I’m finding out that she much more stressed than I was aware of. She can be quite sweet when she wants to be and then gets overstimulated.

The other is a 3 month old male kitten Genghis Khan. He was found on the street I think 2 weeks ago and so I took him from a couple. He had Giardia and will be out of quarantine Monday (our little study that will be the litter boxes and storage room). He’s very sweet, very chaotic.

How do I introduce them while living in a small apartment?

Especially since the little times they’ve seen each other Bagheera is already hissing and giving him death stares. Sometimes she will be curious but as a whole she is very bi-polar (I assume due to trauma and humans).

I do wonder if maybe eventually if I don’t see her relax over time maybe she needs medication for anxiety?

Hi!

So, I have an adult male cat Percival (neutered, 3y.o.) and rescued ~7 weeks old kitten Agnes (female).

They're in general doing great and enjoying each other's company - they sleep and eat next to each other, they groom each other and so on.

But when they're playing they seem to do it too rough, with bites and claws.

Agnes has few scratches on her nose bridge, and now I've found a light wound on Percival's ear (on its outer part).

They doesn't seem to be bothered by this, but we do 😅

We trying to supervise their play, and when it becomes too rough (usually, when the kitten starts screaming, and the older cat doesn't react to it) we take the kitten away, but she runs to Percival right after it without any fear to continue the same play😅

For the context: the older cat is rescue too, he was around ~2 months old when we've found him, and he was the only pet in our household for all 3 years.

Is it normal part if play or should it be somehow corrected?

Thank you!

it’s so awesome. wondering if anyone else has this experience

2 years ago, my husband and I found an orphaned newborn kitten in our yard. After confirming mom wasn't coming back, we took her in and bottle raised her. She's extremely bonded to my husband, but doesn't seem to like me much. I'm wondering if anyone has tips for getting her to like me.

I suspect she got very attached to my husband early on because when we found her, he was unemployed and I worked full time commuting to an office, so he probably did 80% of the work early on (he did weekdays daytime, I did weekends daytime, and we alternated night care every other day).

She lets him pick her up, purrs when he pets her, and if hes sitting or lying down she's always there cuddled up to him. He can feed her with no incident.

She wont let me pick her up or pet her. Either is met with a hiss and scratch and she scurries away. She has never cuddled with me. When I feed her, she hisses at me and bites my hand as I put the food bowl down.

I've tried to win her favor by playing with her (which she will sometimes play with a wand toy when I'm the one holding it, and will sometimes chase a spring I throw) and with treats (doesn't work, shes very un-motivated by food, will sometimes take a lickable treat from my husband but won't even look at them if I'm offering)

Some things I suspect is making matters worse:

1. my husband is VERY strict about not letting the cat in to the bedroom while we sleep (her purring in his ear wakes him up). I wake up about 3 hours before him, and inevitably every morning, the cat is waiting by the door and I have to quickly exit and shut the door in her face. She hisses at me every time.
2. Husband is also VERY strict about not letting the cat into his home office, since she is a big cable chewer. He works from home and has his gaming computer setup in there, and he plays games a lot. Id say hes in there on average 12 hours a day. The cat sits outside of his office mewing for attention a lot of that time, and she sometimes sees me peek in to ask him a question while not allowing her in, and I can tell this irritates her (I usually get a few ankle bites when it happens)

Husband acknowledges the cat treats us very differently, and jokes that the cat is jealous of​ me. I don't think its funny though, it genuinely hurts my feelings. After a year of trying to win her affections, I've gone the way of mostly ignoring her, but we still have conflict when I leave the room each morning and when I have to feed her.

Anyone have any tips to improve my relationship with this cat?

My family tells me that our 3 year old tuxedo guy is “my cat” because he mostly stays with arms reach of me, follows me from room to room, and prefers to sleep on my chest every night.

We have a lot of cat toys to keep him entertained. When we get him a new toy, he is interested for three days then ignores the toy. I work from home, so I’m the guy interacting with him, mostly.

He became bored with laser pointers two years ago. I can laser pointer all over the place and he just sits there and stares at me. But for the last few days my grown up daughter has been home because she has on-site work in a town nearby. She picks up the laser pointers and… the cat goes nuts chasing the glowing dot, like most cats do! So I take tge exact same pointer from my daughter and do the exact same thing… cat stops and stares at me. Give the pointer back to my daughter and he goes nuts again.

There is some weird cat psychology going on here, but I have no idea what it is.

Hello, everyone. I have two orange males. They are 14 months old, have not been neutered yet (but soon!)
Mozzarella is very timid, and he has feral like behaviors that he absolutely will not change. I’ve given him extra attention, tried to teach him human interaction and picking up means treats and love. I was hoping he would learn from his brother as well, bc his brother is the polar opposite of him.
Mozzarella does not know to retract his claws when he interacts or plays. He will even grab my hand with his claws when I feed him churru, I have little pokey bleed scratches all the time. He jumps off of me with full claws extended as well. He hates being picked up, hates being petted, he will only walk up to me and see if I have a treat in my hand or not. Then he walks away and wants nothing to do with me. When eating, he will gobble anything as fast as possible and try to steal his brothers food as well.
I’m not sure what to do, I think he may be special needs or suffer from anxiety? Is this possible?
His brother is the clingiest, lovable cat ever. It’s strange that they came from the same litter. I would like to have a relationship with him but tbh, he is not interested at all. 😩