Rescue cat - advice needed

[Crazy Kitty]

Hi all! I'm new to the forum after adopting a 3 year old male tabby 2 days ago. He was taken in as a stray in a cats & dogs home. He seemed to be settling very quickly, doesn't hide away and wants to come to you for attention and a cuddle. He is neutered, fully vaccinated, flea and worm treatments up to date. The cats home told us what/how much they were feeding him and we have followed this.However, he seems to constantly be asking for food and still wants more when he is finished eating his meal. I also caught him spraying on the back door this morning. He has been using his litter tray fine so is this a stress thing or territorial? We have a feliway diffuser plugged in to try and help him feel relaxed and I'm not really sure what else I can do to make him feel at ease, if this is a stress thing, or to stop him doing it if he's marking his territory. Any advice welcomed!

[Kay]

he was probably having to scavenge and fight for food when living rough, and the instinct to grab as much as is going will persist for a while, but should wear off in time - establish regular mealtimes and don't give in if he asks for more, and he will learn that food will come to him every day without any effort on his part

spraying the back door sounds like a classic territory marking - there will be other cats out there and he wants to warn them off his new place - he was likely neutered not long before you adopted him and his testosterone levels may still be raised, but this will resolve in time, hopefully, and certainly will lose that acrid smell

will you be letting him go outside when he is fully settled? if he has a garden to mark he is unlikely to spray indoors, even if he persists in doing it meanwhile - if he does keep him away from doors and windows where he can see, hear or smell other cats, as much as you can

[Grace56]

I agree with Kay re food. When I rescued my Dave, (who'd been living rough in my nieces garden) he was always asking for food. Nearly two years down the line, and he's not so bad now.
As for the spraying, again I agree with Kay. He's marking his new territory to warn other cats there's a new cat on the block.

Good luck with your new fur baby.

[meriad]

I can't add to the already good replies given; but wanted to say congratulations on your new furry family member and wishing you many happy years together

[Crazy Kitty]

Thank you all for the advice. We just assumed it was him not thinking another meal would come etc and we are keeping him to scheduled meal times but it is so hard when you find him sitting and crying near his food bowl. He certainly knows where his food cupboard is too

The spraying to mark his territory would make sense. There is a cat that lives in the house that backs on to ours and he does tend to wander along the fence and sometimes through the garden. We were worried it was a stress/anxiety thing.

We will be letting him out once he is settled, cats home recommended 4 weeks. Hopefully the spraying will then stop. Touch wood, he's only done it on the back door.

[Crewella]

I have several ex-strays and agree with the previous posts - it will take him a while to grasp the concept of regular meals, but he'll get there! Just stick to his regular mealtimes and he'll eventually realise that he won't go hungry and that crying by his food bowl doesn't work.

Congrats from me too!

[Crazy Kitty]

We are now 3 weeks in and he's so much better with food. Don't get me wrong, he still loves his food but he doesn't ask for it 24/7. He will sit at his food bowls when it is nearly feeding time, rather than 10 times a day. He is also leaving food to go back to later. This is huge progress from the first week. He would eat it all and then cry for more for a good ten minutes. Really feel like he is settling well

[jillyvillyvoo]

Aw.... sounds like a happy kitty to me. You done good!

[Crazy Kitty]

I think he is a pretty contented kitty

[Jacks]

Oh just look at that gorgeous contented boy! Our latest boy, Bobby, was neutered on the 14th March and now, two months later the eating everything and begging for food every five minutes has completely stopped. He too was living rough and being fed outdoors by us before we caught him on the 13th March. He now picks and chooses just like everyone else in the household He's also learned to take treaties and loves them of course...

I think people underestimate how desperate these little strays can get for food - which is why when they find a source (like Bobby did with us) they hang around. It takes a while for the mentality to change, but it does with love and routine!

Also wishing you happy years with your darling boy. x

[Crewella]

Awwwww he does looks very happy, safe and content! Well done you!

Having taken on several elderly strays that were really struggling to find food (one was apparently living on fat balls left out for the birds and large animal dung) you can understand why it takes them a while to adjust to the concept of regular meals, but they usually do, eventually.

[Crazy Kitty]

So, this happy and contented boy last night over groomed and has licked himself a tiny little bald spot. Any idea why? He did spend an awful long time crying to be let out. The cats home told us to keep him in for 4 weeks so he's not allowed out for another 6 days yet. As time goes on he is getting more and more desperate to be let out. Could this be the stress of not being allowed out? He is absolutely fine in every other respect other than between 6 and 9pm when he is really desperate to go outside. He's eating normally, using his litter tray, playing and happy to have cuddles. I'm not sure what else could cause him to do it?