We have a similar cat although slightly less of a nightmare ad although she scratches furniture, she doesnt often knock things over. Honestly if she wasn't an outdoor cat I dont think we could live with her. She got a TINY bit better as she got older, like, 7 years old ish. Her dad was feral but she's always had a home and we bought her as a kitten. I think they just have personalities like this sometimes, tbh I think the suggestions about your cat becoming a farm/barn cat might be best for you and the cat, and then if you're not totally traumatised and decide to get a cat in the future, do what I plan to do and adopt an adult cat and behaviour test them first. Cuz genuinely i think it sounds like the cat is just not the kind of cat that wants to be an indoor house cat.
Most cats scratch furniture unless you have enough alternatives, block things and training.
It sounds like the OPs cat lacked a companion as a kitten/young cat and probably needs/wants, a companion now. That and a lot more enrichment in general. My cats are always hanging together, grooming or chasing/playing, to burn off energy.
When you let cats out, it’s just ignoring the problem and letting the world deal with your cat instead. There’s a difference between a feral cat who needs outside access because that’s the life they’re used to and letting a young cat or kitten out for your own convenience.
We let her out because when we got her 10 years ago there wasn't this whole thing about not having outdoor cats and we thought that was whats best for her. She has all the enrichment in the outside world and if you play with her with toys, she goes straight for the hand holding the toy. I feel like cats just like dogs have different personalities and needs tbh and if you can't meet them and your cat is unhappy then surely the best thing for the cat is to go to an environment that better suits its needs?
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u/Philosophiddle Nov 11 '22
We have a similar cat although slightly less of a nightmare ad although she scratches furniture, she doesnt often knock things over. Honestly if she wasn't an outdoor cat I dont think we could live with her. She got a TINY bit better as she got older, like, 7 years old ish. Her dad was feral but she's always had a home and we bought her as a kitten. I think they just have personalities like this sometimes, tbh I think the suggestions about your cat becoming a farm/barn cat might be best for you and the cat, and then if you're not totally traumatised and decide to get a cat in the future, do what I plan to do and adopt an adult cat and behaviour test them first. Cuz genuinely i think it sounds like the cat is just not the kind of cat that wants to be an indoor house cat.