My cat is bored
Discussion
Feeling a bit sorry for my cat, as he appears really bored.
He is 12 years old and very active. He lived at our old house with us for 11 years since we got him as a kitten (By accident. Long story). But now we have moved house twice in the last 12 months. Once into temporary accommodation while our new house was finished, and two months ago, into our new house.
He seemed to take both moves in his stride with no issues. Bit nervous/curious for a couple of days, but was soon wanting outside to have a look around. Always had a cat flap and has always come and gone as he wants at any time.
He is now spending his days moping restlessly around the house, making sad sounding "I'm bored" noises and pestering me for attention constantly (I work from home mostly). At our old house he would spend quite a lot of his time outside, and when he was in, he would be snoozing, playing with toys and so on.
Where we lived for 11 years was in a reasonably busy city neighbourhood and there was always loads happening outside for him to go out and watch, and he spent a lot of time interacting with numerous other cats. Some nights it was like Disney's 'The Aristocats' out there. There were loads of city cats doing 'city cat stuff'.
Here, we are in a village where things are massively quieter, and apart from a single black cat which keeps coming to the house every few days to try to attack him, there isn't a whole lot else happening out there. He has nothing but fields and a wood behind the house, and you would think this would be the ultimate playground for him, but he never seems to show any interest at all. When he does go out, he goes out on the driveway and looks at the road.
I have no idea what I'm expecting anyone to suggest, because, well, it's a cat and they only do what they want!
He is 12 years old and very active. He lived at our old house with us for 11 years since we got him as a kitten (By accident. Long story). But now we have moved house twice in the last 12 months. Once into temporary accommodation while our new house was finished, and two months ago, into our new house.
He seemed to take both moves in his stride with no issues. Bit nervous/curious for a couple of days, but was soon wanting outside to have a look around. Always had a cat flap and has always come and gone as he wants at any time.
He is now spending his days moping restlessly around the house, making sad sounding "I'm bored" noises and pestering me for attention constantly (I work from home mostly). At our old house he would spend quite a lot of his time outside, and when he was in, he would be snoozing, playing with toys and so on.
Where we lived for 11 years was in a reasonably busy city neighbourhood and there was always loads happening outside for him to go out and watch, and he spent a lot of time interacting with numerous other cats. Some nights it was like Disney's 'The Aristocats' out there. There were loads of city cats doing 'city cat stuff'.
Here, we are in a village where things are massively quieter, and apart from a single black cat which keeps coming to the house every few days to try to attack him, there isn't a whole lot else happening out there. He has nothing but fields and a wood behind the house, and you would think this would be the ultimate playground for him, but he never seems to show any interest at all. When he does go out, he goes out on the driveway and looks at the road.
I have no idea what I'm expecting anyone to suggest, because, well, it's a cat and they only do what they want!
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 24th November 12:03
We made a move from the usual suburban streets a few years ago to a really rural area surrounded by farmland, long grass, fields, small woods etc and our cat was out most of the day/night.
In the last year 2 other cats have appeared and there's definitely been some territory wars going on which seem to have calmed down now.
I WFH and have been since the pandemic so I have always been here in the day, and in recent weeks/months our cat (similar age BTW) has pretty much spent all of his day indoors, sleeps mostly, pesters for some attention and food, only nipping out for 5-10 mins at a time. I suspect the colder weather and a nicely heated house with food available is what is causing our cats behavioural change.
Maybe it's the same for yours.
In the last year 2 other cats have appeared and there's definitely been some territory wars going on which seem to have calmed down now.
I WFH and have been since the pandemic so I have always been here in the day, and in recent weeks/months our cat (similar age BTW) has pretty much spent all of his day indoors, sleeps mostly, pesters for some attention and food, only nipping out for 5-10 mins at a time. I suspect the colder weather and a nicely heated house with food available is what is causing our cats behavioural change.
Maybe it's the same for yours.
Are you sure its not just the weather?
We have 2, one has always been a house/lap cat, never ventures far and with WFH has basically taken to sleeping as close to one of us as she can
The other we rarely see between dawn and dusk, she'll pop in every couple of hours and shout or deposit a gift and then off again yet she is currently curling up in the day and chilling out, we've always liked winter as its the only time she's all cuddly and friendly
We have 2, one has always been a house/lap cat, never ventures far and with WFH has basically taken to sleeping as close to one of us as she can
The other we rarely see between dawn and dusk, she'll pop in every couple of hours and shout or deposit a gift and then off again yet she is currently curling up in the day and chilling out, we've always liked winter as its the only time she's all cuddly and friendly
anonymous said:
[redacted]
It could be the weather. As I said we have been here a couple of months at the most, so basically October and November, and perhaps he isn't fancying being out all that much in the rain and cold.We haven't really been outside either as we have been too busy working inside the house, painting and stuff like that, and most of the garden is still work in progress (gravel or mud) so perhaps he doesn't think it's worth being in the garden!
Lord Marylebone said:
It could be the weather. As I said we have been here a couple of months at the most, so basically October and November, and perhaps he isn't fancying being out all that much in the rain and cold.
We haven't really been outside either as we have been too busy working inside the house, painting and stuff like that, and most of the garden is still work in progress (gravel or mud) so perhaps he doesn't think it's worth being in the garden!
Yep indeed, I would just keep an eyeWe haven't really been outside either as we have been too busy working inside the house, painting and stuff like that, and most of the garden is still work in progress (gravel or mud) so perhaps he doesn't think it's worth being in the garden!
Our feisty one is a lot more chilled in our new place because the cat density is much less than our new place, they really don't generally like other cats in their space so your previous place being busy may have made him be outside a lot to protect his space (like the local parking nazi but in cat form) and if he feels less threatened about encroachment in the new place again its less reason to sit outside keeping watch
They are funny animals, ours will have a favourite bed for like 6 months and then suddenly one day change and not use it again, no discernible reason
Ours - similar age - also spend less time outside since the weather has got colder.
In better weather Louis is usually out much of the time, but is now nipping in & out for short periods & curls up for the night (favourite current place cat hammock on our bedroom radiator) around 9pm when he would normally be mithering to go back out.
He's also stopped mithering at first light to go out & leaves it until 7am ish.
I suspect he's telling you that you need to alter the weather!
In better weather Louis is usually out much of the time, but is now nipping in & out for short periods & curls up for the night (favourite current place cat hammock on our bedroom radiator) around 9pm when he would normally be mithering to go back out.
He's also stopped mithering at first light to go out & leaves it until 7am ish.
I suspect he's telling you that you need to alter the weather!
Get a cardboard box slightly too small for him to fit in. That'll keep him occupied for days, possibly weeks.
Our cats are staying indoors more as the temperature has dropped. Note sure the older ones are all that impressed with the 4-5 month old kittens but hissing at them gives them something to do.
Our cats are staying indoors more as the temperature has dropped. Note sure the older ones are all that impressed with the 4-5 month old kittens but hissing at them gives them something to do.
Jobbo said:
Get a cardboard box slightly too small for him to fit in. That'll keep him occupied for days, possibly weeks.
Our cats are staying indoors more as the temperature has dropped. Note sure the older ones are all that impressed with the 4-5 month old kittens but hissing at them gives them something to do.
I haven't been visited by my neighbour's cats since the weather turned. Our cats are staying indoors more as the temperature has dropped. Note sure the older ones are all that impressed with the 4-5 month old kittens but hissing at them gives them something to do.
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