For a while now, I've noticed that my 7-year-old cat doesn't want to go outside anymore. It's been about two weeks or maybe a bit longer.
Even when it's sunny and quite mild, Milou, our domestic shorthair, refuses to go out.
If we put him out, he just does a quick loop of the house and comes straight back to sit by the window to be let back in.
There are plenty of cats in the neighbourhood, but also plenty of space. We're in the countryside.
Among the many cats, one is a real scrapper.
This evening, I heard some piercing cat screams, so I went out with some cat treats. He turned up after five minutes, limping on his front paw with his ears pinned back.
It's nothing serious, but it's far from the first time.
Lately, our cat's behaviour has changed. He's less affectionate, only interested in eating and sleeping, and he's even started biting us!
Something he never did when he was younger.
Often, when we stroke him (on his back), he seems to want to get away, hisses at us and bites.
I’d like to know what’s going on with him...
Could it be that another cat has taken over his territory?
Is he suffering from some kind of depression?
Thanks in advance for your replies...
Translated from French
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Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help – I’ve got a 1-year-old cat and she hasn't wanted to go outside for three days now. Does anyone know why this might be? Thanks in advance.
Evening everyone,
I have a cat who turned 7 last week. I live in the city, so when I take him out I stay right by him and he’s on a lead (he’s been used to it since he was tiny). Ten months ago, I rescued a kitten who, according to the vet, was barely weaned.
About a fortnight ago, I took my cat out on his lead as usual and the other cat came out too, but stayed right by the door as he’s quite timid. The thing is, once they got back inside, the older one couldn't stand the sight of the little one. We went to the vet, and apart from telling me he was stressed and giving me some medication to help them live together more easily, that was about it. Things were going okay, but today we took them both out again; they were side by side, but the moment they got back into the house, it all kicked off again. The big one is hiding and avoiding the kitten, who is hissing at him... Has this ever happened to you? What should I do?
Many thanks.
Hi...
Same here... I’ve got a semi-feral cat. She spends about 3/4 of her time outdoors; I live in a house in the countryside. She’s been house-trained since she was a kitten and she’s 6 now.
The thing is, she hasn't been out at all for the last 3 or 4 days.
She’s following me everywhere around the house, her fur looks greasy and she’s been messing in the house 😱... Since she’s put on quite a bit of weight lately, I’m wondering if it’s because the cat flap is getting too small?... But if that's the case, why has she stopped grooming herself?... I’m panicking a bit, I know her well and... she’s acting weird... Either she’s ill or she’s scared of something, even though she’s usually a proper little fighter... Has anyone else had the same problem?
Hi, my cat has been doing the same since yesterday... Even though he’s usually begging to go outside to do his business, now there’s nothing and he’s just staying in a corner... I really hope it’s nothing serious 😭 😭... I don’t know, I’m just hoping it’s not a bowel obstruction.
Actually, to get your cat to play, it’s all about finding the right time and the right toys. There aren’t any hard and fast rules as every cat is different, but dusk is often a great time, or just before a meal.
As for toys, it varies: natural feather toys on a "fishing rod" wand often do the trick (you can find them really cheaply on online pet shops). Other cats might prefer a ball or a mouse, but you’ve got to keep things varied anyway and tidy away the interactive toys once playtime is finished. Getting a brand new toy can also help pique their interest again.
The trick is to handle the toy so it acts like prey: have the feathers on the wand fly through the air before landing, or move the toy quickly along the floor by a wall and let it "hide" in a corner. You could also try moving a toy under some fabric, things like that...
Since he’s spending more time indoors, his needs might change as he’ll have less opportunity to blow off steam outside. You might be in for a few surprises!
Mind you, I know it’s trickier with some cats than others... we’re still playing it by ear a bit with our little one.
I 100% agree with Blue Cat and Kiri. To me, the aggression you’re experiencing is redirected aggression; basically, your cat is stressed and you’re the one bearing the brunt of it – it’s a classic. Stop forcing him to go out, but don’t stop him if he asks to go, obviously. A cat can live a perfectly happy life indoors. However, to help him vent that stress, try to have daily "hunting" sessions (playtime) with him. Burning off some energy and catching "prey" (balls, fishing rod toys, feather teasers, etc.) will help him release that tension and will also strengthen his bond with you.
Thank you so much for getting back to me. I’ll try playing with him, but he isn’t playful at all, so it might be a bit tricky! We’ll let him stay indoors and just do his own thing then. I hope he’ll be happier. Thanks for your advice.
Hi, why force him to go out? If he doesn't want to anymore, he has his reasons which you should respect. There is clearly some feline conflict going on outside, and the situation is obviously stressing him out a lot. A new entire male in the area, for example, could be terrifying him. I hope yours is neutered. He needs to feel secure by staying indoors and sleeping. Don't force any interaction. Basically, respect the signals your cat is sending you: 'I want to stay inside', 'I don't want to be touched right now'. Leave him be in his safe space.
Thanks very much for your reply.
We'll keep Milou indoors for a while then.
Yes, he has definitely been neutered.
We had already reduced his time outdoors and thought that popping out every now and then wouldn't do him any harm.
In any case, something is definitely freaking him out. Are there other cats coming around your place? Anyway, I don't think it’s a good idea to force him to go outside, it might just make matters worse. Is he neutered?
Hi, why force him to go out? If he doesn't want to go anymore, he has his reasons and you need to respect them. There’s clearly some feline conflict happening outside, which is really stressing him out. A new unneutered cat in the area, for example, could be terrifying him. I hope yours has been neutered. He needs to feel safe by staying indoors and sleeping. Don’t force him to interact. Basically, respect the signals your cat is giving you: 'I want to stay inside', 'I don't want to be touched right now'. Just leave him be in his safe space.
I 100% agree with Blue Cat and Kiri.
In my view, the aggression you're dealing with is redirected aggression; basically, your cat is stressed and you're the one bearing the brunt of it – it’s a classic situation. Stop forcing him to go out, but don’t stop him from going if he asks to, obviously.
A cat can live a perfectly happy life indoors. However, to help him blow off some steam, try to have daily 'hunting' sessions (playtime) with him. Being active and catching 'prey' (balls, fishing rod toys, feather wands, etc.) will help him release that tension and will also strengthen his bond with you.
