rough transition for my newly adopted Cat

by Brianna
(Iowa)

A couple weeks ago I adopted a 3 year old cat from our local animal shelter and named him Boston. from the very first day I had him, things have been very rough. He constantly, constantly is crying whenever I am not sitting on the couch. And its not just soft little cries, he practically howls all the time. He howls for hours at night when I let him sleep in my room, and if I lock him out because of the howling, he will sit at the door and howl for the entire night. If I am sitting on the couch, right where he wants me to be, he is in my face rubbing his teeth along my face. I know hes rubbing his glands on me, but its almost obsessive. Then this morning I was laying in bed doing some paperwork, when Boston come howling and jumping in my face. When I pushed him off the computer, he excreeted horrible smelling mucus from his bottom. Which of course went all over my bed and computer. Why does he do this? He did this the first day I had him as well, and I had picked him up because he tried running outside and he expelled the mucus down the front of me.
I really need to find a way to get him to stop both the howling and the mucus thing, or I am afraid I will not be able to keep him in my home. Any ideas or suggestions?

Reply
Hi
You did not mention if your cat is neutered or not. If he is not then having this done will help to calm him down.

I must admit I did smile a little at your question and this is not because its funny as i know it is not but because what he is doing is probably due to the fact that he is so happy to have been given a new home.

The face rubbing the excretions and the vocalisations are all signs that he is marking his territory, you the house everything. This is a cat who has been very insecure in the past and so is over compensating.

When I adopted my first cat she would not get off of us, we called her Velcro for the first couple of weeks because if she could have stuck herself to us she would have. She also meowed all the time for attention something she had little of in the past.

I do feel that this is what is happening in your home.

If he is not neutered then have this done as soon as possible. If he is this behaviour should ease as he becomes more secure in the home and used to his new circumstance. You also need to give him other things to grab his attention and keep him amused and happy and distracted from any remaining feelings of insecurity. So lots of new and different sorts of toys which will engage him is a good idea.
See this page for some ideas

http://www.our-happy-cat.com/indoor-cats.html

http://www.our-happy-cat.com/cat-toys.html

Also try to set up some routines for him as this will also help to make him feel secure. Feeding times, bed time, play times etc. Some cats need this extra security in their lives especially if they have had a rough start in life.

Don’t give up on him, he needs some time to settle down.

Best wishes kate