My daughter received a text message from the woman who adopted Tula. She mentioned that Tula had lost his voice and bit both her and her cat when he was let out of the room where he had been isolated for the integration process.
Since the woman already had a cat before adopting Tula, she needed to introduce them gradually to help both adjust and minimize stress. Integration is essential for cats because they are territorial and creatures of habit. Sudden changes can make them feel unsettled or unsafe. Without proper integration, a cat may hide, become aggressive, stop eating, refuse to use the litter box, or even develop health issues like diarrhea.
The adopter did make efforts to integrate Tula. She provided him with a safe space, fed him well—in fact, Tula gained weight within just six days of living with her. Before bringing him into her home, she even gave him one of her cat’s toy mice so he could get used to the scent. She tried to feed them near each other and said Tula was very sweet to her. However, she noticed that Tula became jealous whenever she played with her resident cat. To get her attention, he bit both her and her cat. It became clear that Tula didn’t want to be a brother—he wanted to be the only pet in the house. As a result, she decided to return Tula to us.
Since I was at work, my children picked Tula up. When I got home, he seemed distant. It felt like he was showing me how hurt he was that we had given him away. He went around sniffing everything in the house. I tried playing with him, and that helped soften him. He began rubbing his body against my leg. I cuddled him, showing him how much I had missed him.
To our surprise, he started meowing again. We realized that his distress had made him go silent. He kept staring at my son—the one who had cared for him when he was sick with Giardia. He sat beside him and followed him around the house. It was clear that he missed him deeply. They had developed a special bond. My son even told me he dreamt about Tula for several nights after we gave him away, and that in his dreams, he could hear Tula meowing.
I’m so happy Tula is back home. He plays with me, gives me kisses, and follows me around. He even knocks on my son’s door at 5 a.m. to be fed!
What to Do if Your Cat is in Distress
1.
IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF STRESS AND PROVIDE A STRESS-FREE ENVIRONMENT
In our case, the stressor was being in an unfamiliar environment with another cat. We brought Tula back to his familiar home.
2.
PROVIDE SPACE AND AUTONOMY
We gave him the freedom to explore the house and find his own hiding spots to feel safe.
3.
GIVE YOUR CAT COMFORT AND REASSURANCE
We played with him, cuddled him, spoke softly, and ensured he was fed on time.
4.
PROVIDE ROOM FOR DEVELOPMENT
We keep the blinds open so he can watch squirrels in the backyard—something he enjoys. We also gave him a puzzle toy, though he’s still figuring out how to use it.
So far, Tula seems to be recovering well. He’s eating and grooming himself regularly, loves to play, and enjoys cuddling with my son. He also shows affection by kissing me and being near us all the time.
Have you ever experienced something similar with your cat? I’d love to hear how you helped your cat cope with distress—please feel free to share.
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