New rescue cat (2yo) stress plucking fur when kept out of the bedroom. How to handle?
Hi everyone,
My partner and I adopted a 2-year-old cat from a shelter two weeks ago. His previous owners had returned him to the shelter, so he's had a bit of a rough start. Initially, he was quite timid and would hide under the sofa when we came home, but from the beginning he warmed up to us and followed us from room to room, always wanting to be near us. When we’re in the living room, he’s calm and loves sitting on or next to us.
The Issue is the night time. At first, we let him sleep with us every night, but it quickly became impossible. He climbs on our heads, knocks things off the nightstands, and hunts our feet under the covers. three nights a week I have to wake up very early for work. I struggle with sleep issues, and once I'm woken up, I can't fall back asleep.
We love him and don't mind him sleeping with us 4 nights a week, and we've started closing the door on the nights I have to work. Since we started this "intermittent" sleeping arrangement, he’s begun aggressively overgrooming and plucking out clumps of his fur. We find tufts of hair in the morning on the nights he’s locked out, and we’ve also seen him doing it during the day.
On the nights the door is closed, he scratches and meows throughout the night. He’s even figured out how to jump and open the door himself, and we aren't sure how to react when he "breaks in."
My girlfriend really wants him in the room because she hates seeing him stressed, but I physically cannot function at work without those few nights of solid sleep.
Is it better to have him sleep with us only on some nights, or will that just keep him in a cycle of anxiety?
Should we commit to a "never in the bedroom" rule for the sake of consistency?
Has anyone dealt with stress-induced fur plucking in a new rescue? How did you handle it?
We are both really sad about this situation and want what's best for him while still being able to function. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.