Why is my cat suddenly afraid of going outside when she loved it?

If Mici was a feral or stray cat prior to you taking her in, it may be that she is not comfortable in the home still. If the behavior change was more recent, illness and pain can sometimes cause strange behaviors to appear. If you haven't taken her to the vet recently, an exam is a good first step to make sure there is not an illness or other issue causing her problems. If she checks out healthy, then looking for causes of stress may help. New people, places, pets, etc can all cause stress and may cause your cat to change her behavior. Pheromone diffusers can help reduce stress, while making sure Mici has her own access to food, water, litter and places to hide/rest can also help. If the strange behavior continues even after trying this, then speaking with a veterinary behaviorist or trainer in your area may help.

Hi there. Without a much more detailed behavioral history, it's hard to say what might be causing this. It does sound like something downstairs probably spooked her, but this could have been almost anything - an unusual noise, a strange smell, or something else that you aren't aware of. She may eventually decide to come back downstairs on her own, but I would not try to rush this process as this will only make her more fearful. You can try feeding her treats at the top of the stairs where she is comfortable, and go one step lower each day as long as she is doing well - this can help encourage her to associate good things with coming down the stairs, as long as you go very slowly. You could also try a Feliway pheromone diffuser downstairs, along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to see if this helps with her fear.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the front of the house is more open, louder, has more animal, people and car traffic that could be why. Most back yards are quiet, fenced, tree lined and do not face the road. Most cats are timid and find loud noises very frightening. I wouldn't force the issue and take him out front and risk getting scratched and bitten. Looking out a window is different then being outside. The sounds are muffled and he realizes the protective nature of being indoors. Have a great day!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Kitty Mucher. If she spends time outdoors, then I worry that she sustained an injury. Cat bite wounds are common and could explain her abrupt change in behavior. If she is not acting normal by the time you return home today, then she will need to see her veterinarian. If she does have a wound (and they can be hard to find), she will require treatment. I hope this information helps!

Being outside can be pretty overwhelming and scary for an animal who's not used to it! If you keep introducing your kitty to the outdoors, over time it should become more familiar and less scary - but some cats who grew up indoors never learn to enjoy going outside. Try to make it a positive experience by offering some treats or canned food when he's out with you. If you want to keep trying, I recommend putting a cat harness and leash on your kitty, since scared animals can panic and bolt!

Poor girl! There could be something that has spooked her. Or she could be not feeling well. Or there could even be an internal conflict with another cat in the household. The first thing I would do is make sure she is healthy. I would see if your vet can look at her and make sure she isn’t painful, no infection, no fever, no urinary tract infection, etc. if she isn’t feeling well, this definitely can cause a change in behavior. If everything is normal then I would make sure she is getting along with everyone in the house. Make sure there are plenty of litter boxes as this is something they commonly will become territorial over. You can even put out some feliway diffusers which are pheromones they help calm down cats. Unfortunately these don’t work on everyone. You make also look into vetriscience composure treats as a natural calming supplement. I hope this helps!

How peculiar! I wonder if your kitty's toenails have gotten overly long and the hard floor feels strange, or if your kitty is having some sort of orthopedic/joint pain and the hard floor feels slippery/painful. I would consider having your vet check her toenails and look her over for any signs of arthritis/pain in case this is the issue.