Kitty Hates Construction

I am an avid listener to your show and need some of your advice. We are in week 7 of an entire house makeover and our girl cat, Latte (age 11), is VERY unhappy each morning. When the project started, I moved the litter box and food to our home office (the only room not affected by the renovations). Each morning before the workers arrive, I put Latte and Domino (male age 11) in the office with the TV on so they would have a safe place to be. As you can imagine, the pounding, drilling, nail guns etc have had them freaked out. The usual routine for both cats is to eat and then go outside for a while first thing in the morning. Both request to be let back in after 30 minutes or so. (We live in the state park here in Memphis and have 4 acres of woods surrounding the house – neither cat has ever strayed off our property because we trained them to the boundary lines when they were kittens – a feat that amazes our neighbors.)

Starting a week ago, Latte went out and never came back in until the end of the work day (3:30 to 4:00). I called and called her and she would not come (normally they appear at the door within 5 minutes of calling for them). We had no idea where she was. After a week of this, we finally found her hiding in between the stacks of wood in our open air wood shed (a roof with open sides). And I mean WAY in the back. She would not come out for love or money. Every morning she yowls and yowls for hours at the doors wanting out. If she gets out, she makes a bee-line for the shed and won’t come out all day. My husband heard her yesterday and said it sounded like she was in heat (not possible since she was spayed as a kitten). By the way,

Domino continues to go out and come back in as usual now that the men have stopped coming every day. I know she feels safe there, but the problem is – it is not a safe place for her to be crawling around in. I am concerned the stacks of wood could collapse. I have put a tarp over the pile she hides in and tried to secure it – to no avail. She is quite a stubborn woman and works at it till she gets back in. We also have critters that are around that I would not want checking her out: fox (mom, dad, and 4 cubs that are still living in our woods), bob cat, raccoons, etc.) Our rule has always been to let them out after day break, bring them back in if we are leaving the house, and they are not allowed out after.

The workers are not coming on a regular basis anymore and our furniture is starting to get back in place in the house. We are letting both cats roam the house as usual  — but the behavior continues. My husband and I have decided not to let her out until she realizes the house is a safe place again. Is this the best solution? Is there anything else we should do? Would any of the Bach flower remedies be appropriate? I would think her crying would exhaust her but it continues for hours. I would appreciate any thoughts you have. She is a loving cat and loves to be outside stalking moles, lizards and other creatures. I hate to keep her in the house but do not like the idea she is hiding for 10 hours in the wood piles. (I am so desperate to let her out, I am about ready to go out there and re stack all the wood to be sure it is safe.)

Thanks in advance for any advise you could give us.
Cyndi from Millington, TN

“Dear Sally”- the Cat Behavior Consultant on CAT CHAT® – agrees that household renovations are almost guaranteed to send kitties into a tizzy. Her brother is a finished carpenter and did a lot of work on her house. When he would arrive the cats would disappear, except for one or two — we called him “Uncle Boom-Boom.” So I can understand Latte’s predicament. She does seem to be a more sensitive soul than Domino.

It might take her a while to calm down — she needs to know her house is safe again. Try some of the Spirit Essences like Stress Stopper, Scaredy Cat, and Changing Times (the link to these natural oils which you rub inside a cat’s ears are on Dear Sally’s page on my web site. Maybe try some Feliway – which the CAT BIBLE explains.

Maybe construct an outdoor enclosure with access to indoors, using Purrfect Fence or another brand. Try to keep her inside in a quiet safe zone until things are finally calmed down. Do NOT let her outside, wood pile or no woodpile — the chance of her running off and getting killed or lost are too high, especially with this commotion that has rattled her so much.

Tracie