Expert: Ali - 11/13/2008

Question
Seven years ago an adult male cat appeared in my backyard.  When I called him, he ran off.  Since that time I've seen him regularly around the neighborhood in all kinds of weather, and at all times of the day.  Always the same thing: I could never get close to him; 25 feet was this cat's comfort zone.  I asked every single neighbor in a three block radius if they knew the cat.  Most did not, but those few who did said the same thing, "You can't get near him." I figured he was a feral that someone had to be feeding because he is a big, well-fed cat.

Recently the situation changed when I started leaving a bowl of water out my back door for a couple of cats that belong to a neglectful neighbor.  The "feral" cat started showing up for water, so I started feeding him.  Initially, he ran from me, and would not return for the food until I would go back indoors.  A week later, this cat surprised me by waiting at the back door for his morning meal and actually rubbed against my legs.  He turned out to be extremely friendly.

I decided to keep him.  I had him neutered, vaccinated, and micro-chipped.  He was surprisingly healthy.  No feline leukemia, aids, herpes, distemper, etc.  Something I did not expect from a "feral."  The vet said he most likely began as someone's pet, but was abandoned to fend for himself.

I can't let him in my home because I have an indoor cat who does not do well with other animals.  Instead, I fixed up a warm, waterproof bed w/ a heating pad outside my back door.  When the weather gets really cold or inclement, I plan to bring him into my home-office, which has a separate entry from home.

My problem?  The cat is a royal pain in the #@%.  He whines constantly, he insists on sitting in my lap while I'm trying to work on my computer, when he's in my office he's in and out, in and out, in and out.  When I go inside my home, he howls outside the back door.  He is now a nuisance and I'm afraid my neighbors are going to complain, or do something cruel to him when I'm not home.

I think I created a monster.  What can I do to "tame" this domestic-feral-domestic cat?

Answer
Robin,

Unfortunately with a cat whose history includes abandonment it's quite common to see clingy, needy and whiny behavior. There is no treatment that will offer instant results. This isn't his fault- one horrible human being abandoned him probably when they moved or when he reached sexual maturity and they didn't want to spend the money to have him neutered and avoid spraying. Sadly this is all too common, in fact only 3% of cats turned in to animal shelters in North America are reclaimed by their human caregivers. This essentially shouts loud and clear that people view domestic cats as disposable. It is a mind set that turns my stomach, people must learn to realize that cats are sentient beings that require love, care, consideration and respect along with other more basic needs...

I think that this kitty will settle if you are prepared to work with him and do a few specific things for him...Firstly a tired kitty is a quiet kitty- keep him occupied with balls of paper, toys, balls that allow you to record a short phrase that will play each time that the cat bats them. When it comes to interactive play then I would recommend that you try using toys like kitten mittens and kitty teases, avoid playing with your bare hands as the cat can become unintentionally aggressive and potentially cause injuries to you or someone visiting you. Trying out a homeopathic remedy like Bach's Rescue Remedy which is a blend of flower essences designed to calm and reassure may help. Bach remedies are used by some humans, pet parents and vets around the world to treat a variety of different behavioral or medical conditions. You can usually find Rescue Remedy in natural health stores, naturopathic pharmacies and even in the vitamin/supplement section of some mainstream drug stores. I would suggest a dose of around 5-7 drops in a bowl of fresh water every morning. You should start to see some degree of improvement in a fairly short period of time. You can also leave your dirty clothes in a small, open laundry basket or a couple of them so that your kitty can smell you wherever you aren't. This can help to ease anxiety in cats who have separation anxiety.

My youngest cat was a rescue from the city streets. She was quite sick, underweight, and hungry for human companionship. Initially she had serious fears of normal household stuff and gentle handling by men...She has come a long way from begging on the steps of a huge church for a place to call home...This kitty still does cry occasionally when we are out, but it is significantly less than it was when she started out living in our home.

Separation anxiety can be managed without powerful psychotropic drugs, but this takes time, patience and consistency. Try to keep a schedule with regards to what you do at what time for your cat...Say breakfast at 8 AM, supper at 6 PM, playtime at 7-8:30 PM. If you provide routine you will provide security. Your vet can treat this condition with anti-anxiety medications although there are risks to this type of treatment. I would say that you should only consider pharmaceutical treatment as a last option because the medications vets use for these issues are often small doses of human antidepressants and there are significant risks that using these powerful, mind altering medications could cause serious side effects and adverse reactions while using these drugs to treat a prolonged condition. It doesn't hurt to inform neighbors that this kitty has abandonment issues and to let you know how he's doing when you are out and about...If your kitty is doing well your neighbors will tell you, if he isn't then it's helpful to let your neighbors know that you are working on the issue and with their help you hope to have it resolved humanely.

A trip to a holistic veterinarian might not be a bad idea. The job of a holistic vet is a bit different from that of a veterinarian trained only in conventional medicine. Holistic vets are incredible, at least in my experience, our vet is a holistic practitioner who uses homeopathy in combination with conventional treatments. A holistic vet is trained in conventional medicine and one or more alternative therapies like homeopathy, acupuncture, or massage among others. I prefer the holistic approach to the completely conventional treatment plans because these special doctors are trained to provide health care that focuses on the animal as well as their individual psychological needs and wants. It has been my experience that holistic vets can do amazing things with so-called "alternative" or complementary therapeutic approaches, so I think that it's worth a try rather than exposing a kitty to drugs that change the kitty's brain chemistry.