Rehoming a Cat :(

[k8bailey]

Not really a qusetion, just looking for reassurance....My 4 year old tom cat Frankie, will be moving out next Thursday, and I feel awful about it!

He's such a gorgeous little cat, he's ginger and I aquired him when he was a tiny, scruffy, badly looked after kitten, I cleaned him up and nursed him back to health. He gets on great with my older cat, Elvis and all was well untill I became pregnant. We did a lot of work on our house to get it ready for the baby, new floorings, carpets, woodwork platsering and decorating, almost all of the house changed in about 6 months and Frankie didn't like it.

He'd already been neutered but started spraying all over the house, it started with door and skirting boards but these days he even gets up onto the kitchen work tops and sprays the tiles. Once he even got into our daughters cot (she wasn't in it at the time) and spayed in there. This has been going on for more than 18 months.

We've tried so many ways to make him stop, cleaned everywhere he's sprayed, not cleaned, locked him out of rooms, seen the vet, cleaned the house top to bottom with washing powder and rubbing alcohol, pheremone (SP?) sprays and plug-ins, anti-anxiety tablets.....the list is endless, but nothing works. Everytime we see him, we are watching him to see what he sprays, we can't relax around him.

I'm pregnant again, and we just can't cope with him and two children, so sadly, he has to go. He's going to live an hour away on my Grandma's farm where he won't be allowed in doors, she already has two old lady cats, who get fed twice a day and have access to barns and out buildings. He's not an indoor cat, but obviously spends a lot of time indoors here - Will he be ok? I'll miss him but this seems silly as he hardly spends anytime with me now!

Please somebody tell me I'm doing the right thing for all involved?

[lucca]

Yes,of course you are. No clever ideas about his behaviour but I agree you can't carry on like this. He'll live the life of Riley and have a whale of a time. For some reason he became unhappy but he'll soon settle to a heap of new adventures.

[bensmum]

I can't suggest anything about his behaviour either, you seem to have tried everything short of a cat behaviourist and even then it's not guaranteed that this could be sorted.
He will be fine - he'll have a great time on the farm. You're doing this for his benefit as he is obviously stressed at the moment so don't worry.

[wolf63]

I have a friend who had to get her cat put to sleep due to spraying - there was no logical reason for it.

I am sure that he will be fine in his new home - out and about doing 'cat' things.

[k8bailey]

Thanks lucca, bensmum & wolf63 - I hope you're all right, it's a good life for cats up in the countryside not like it is here in the city, where he hasn't got much space. I'm worried about how my other cat will deal with the separation?!

We have even taken him to a cat shrink who prescribed the anti-anxiety tablets! Oh well, at least I know I've tried EVERYTHING!! And I will still be able to visit him...if he stays with my Grandma.

It looks like he'll be going on Saturday instead of Thursday because my partner wants to say goodbye to him too...awwww!

[boxtops]

Good luck k8bailey, I know how I would feel having to do this, but it is best for the cat - lots to chase and pounce on!

[wiggal]

Hi k8,

As the others have said, I really cant think of any other way you can try to stop him, but the same thing happened to my SIL.

She had 2 cats, one of which was ours to start with but we rehomed with her when she was very young as her mum kept having a go at her. She had baby Samuel March '08, and she started spraying alot, even though she had been done. Even in the cot, the same as your boy has done! That was the final straw for my SIL, and she wanted her rehomed. Luckily she went to live with the parents of a lady I work with (the lady I work with had also taken on 2 kittens that my cats had!). She now has a fantastic life, I get regular updates and also pictures too!

You are doing completely the right thing, and atleast if he goes to family you can always find out how he is doing!

:-)

[ruthann58]

he will be fine on the farm there will be lots of warm places for him to sleep and plenty to catch ,we adopted 2 cats that had been town cats when their owner moved abroard ,they soon adapted to rural living and one turned out to be a brilliant mouser

[joofficer]

I moved from a town to the country with my ginger cat and he had always liked being indoors now I find it nearly impossible to get him in....cats love outdoors and in the country there is much for them to do he will have a great time.

[k8bailey]

UPDATE: Frankie left home on Saturday, we thought that we would get him out of the cat basket say our goodbyes and feed him there so that he knew where to come back to, but he had other ideas, and ran off as soon as I opened the basket. He hasn't been seen since but hopefully he will find his way back for some food and shelter.

I am feeling incredibly guilty and missing him lots, but I know that he really wasn't happy with us anymore - he was also over grooming and pulling his fur out, beginning to scratch carpets and he looked on edge whenever we saw him.

It's so nice to read stories about cats in the same sort of situation who have settled well in their new environment, (Thankyou) I really hope I get a phone call soon to say that Frankie is well, and finding his way around!