Help me before I kill my cat!!?

Question

A few months ago, one of our cats got run over, so we decided to bring our other cat inside and make him an indoor cat. Then we took in a stray to give him a home and to give the other cat a new buddy.
Now the new cat is driving us nuts. We love him to death, but he's very needy and whiny. Some night he'll actually jump on the bed and sleep with us, but usually, he just paces around the bed meowing up at us incessantly. If we shut him out of the room, he scratches at the door and meows like crazy. He wakes us up several times a night doing this.
My husband has been putting him outside at night when he starts this, and then he'll let him back in the next morning. But I have trouble sleeping then because we've already had one cat get run over. I don't want him to get hurt, too. I prefer him inside, where I know he's safe. But he's driving us crazy!

What can we do? Anything??

Just a little extra info: both cats have been neutered.

We try to get him to hop up on the bed with us, but he won't come up and get any attention from us. He just circles the bed and cries a lot.

Answer 1

I think the most important thing to remember is where he came from.

I have a stray cat who is a velcro kitty. Anytime I sit down she is in my lap. I love it. However, she will hide under the bed a lot and there is nothing I can do to coax her out. She won't allow me to pick her up and walk with her - it freaks her out. When she is on the cat tower, she wants me to love her on the top where she is - she doesn't want to expose herself if she doesn't have to.

They are still use to the rigors of outdoor life, and having to keep watch of everything they do to preserve their life. He is clammoring for attention, but is afraid to let go completely and trust you. Just continue to show him lots of patience, love and attention, and he will eventually come around. Most of my cat household are strays and ferals. Patience is the utmost gift you can give them.

Good luck.

Answer 2

I had the same problem with a stray cat that I took in--I think she has an abandonement complex because someone literally threw her out a car window; she needs to be by my side, in my face 24/7. Plus she would also try to smother us at night by sleeping on our faces. Here's what I did:

Cy has her own bedroom. I just happened to have an empty bedroom, but you could use any secure room, preferably one that's across the house from where you sleep. She has dry food (our cats always have acess to dry food and get wet food twice a day) and water, and a small litter box, as well as lots of perches and comfortable places to sleep. All of her favorite toys are in there, and she can sit up on a shelf and look out the window. She's gotten used to "bedtime," and usually follows me to her room when I call her--I just close the door and she's fine. She probably doesn't sleep through the night or anything, but watching other animals and people outside the window and playing with her toys keeps her busy. In the morning she scratches at the door or whines to come out, but now we can get some sleep without being smothered!

Good luck with your cats, thanks for taking the new boy in and for keeping them inside! It's a great idea despite what people will tell you, and cats can adjust to being indoors.

Answer 3

My cats did this when I first got them. After a couple of months of sleepless nights, I started shutting them in the laundry room at night. This is where I kept their litter box anyway, plus a bowl of water and some food. Also, there was a cat bed in there for them to sleep in. It took a while for them to get used to this but pretty soon if I said "okay, bed time" they'd actually run into the laundry room! They did that until they died and it worked really well for me. No more crying or whining or scratching.

Answer 4

Because he is a stray he has been deprived of attention which is why he is know begging you for it 24/7. Maybe you should try and shut him in the kitchen or other room in your house with his own cat bed at night time, and maybe you should keep your other cat with him so that he has company, he might still meow for the first few nights, but after that he will get used to it.
Hope the advice helps! :)

Answer 5

I have a needy cat as well who is an indoor/outdoor cat. He used to sleep with us until we moved and then my husband told me that he had to sleep downstairs to liminate all the cat hair flying around. It took him alittle bit but he did get use to the sleeping arangements. Alot of times cats like to play at night and sleep during the day. I dont know if you can some how keep him awake during the day, that may help. With your other cat becoming an indoor cat, especially if he is a he, watch out for spraying. Males like to mark their territory and if they are use to doing outside he may start doing inside. In my opinion, females make better indoor cats.

Answer 6

You might get more rest if you give the kitty a really intense play session shortly before you go to bed. Also, if you could ignore (or pretend to ignore) him when he tries to wake you back up, the lack of interaction could cause him to give up his efforts. This may take a little time, but it usually works for us. Cats are much better off indoors. Good luck with him.

Answer 7

being a stray, it's used to roaming around at night. It is bored being inside.
Then again, some cats meow to be let out, then meow again to be let in, because they don't know what the hell they want.
Cats like that are a problem.
Oh, if he's not neutred, do that.
When he gets older, he will sleep more, which is a good thing, but for now, it looks like you'll have to take your chances and let him roam outside.

Answer 8

Another option for you is to install a door with an outdoor cage for the cat that lets him go in and out whenever he pleases. My husband's uncle made one himself with just wired fence (on all 4 sides held together at the edges). The cats had a built in doggie door in one of the walls (that could be locked) and had a little tunnel (also made with wire fence) to walk to the cage. They went in and and out as they pleased and never whined.

Good Luck.

Answer 9

If he has food,water, and a litter box then he just wants attention. I would play with him a lot before you go to bed so he will get tired out and sleep too. Make sure he has some toys in another room too so if he gets bored he can play with them instead of you.

Answer 10

He probably just wants more attention. During the day, only pet him and love him when he is quiet. When he is loud, squirt him with water or blow in his face. At night, put him in a room or space where he can't get to your bedroom and scratch and meow.