Behaving frantically and trying to escape the house

[deshni]

Hi All

I am having behavior issues with Roark and I was wondering if it is a maine coon thing or just him. I have a cat door installed which is left open during the day, so he can come and go as he pleases and which I lock at night so he can be kept safe indoors. Over the past few weeks, when I lock him in at night, he has been frantically trying to escape the house and get out. He does this by leaning into the cat door and furiously scratching, pawing and biting it and after a minute or so, the door (still trying to figure out if it is defective) gives way and opens.

The issue I have is not with the door, but this new behavior where staying indoors seems to be absolute torture for him. Last night I blocked the cat door with something else so he couldn't get through and he ran around the house for an hour, crying, trying to open windows and jumping at the cat door and trying to get under what I had blocked it with.

It's really devastating for me because I hate seeing him stressed out like that but also because I treat him like a little prince and adore him and he can't even spend the evenings with me indoors.

Before these past weeks he has been fine with the routine and will come inside when I get home, and then has dinner and stays in and we play and then he goes to sleep.

I really don't know what to do because he is hating being inside and is getting stressed out but on the other hand I need boundaries for him.

[Alekto]

Hi Deshni, awww, that's not nice! How old is Roark? is he perhaps at the age of puberty? Is he neutered?
I really wouldn't take it personally, but there seems to be an underlying reason indeed... cats generally like the night time to get on with their naughty deeds, so may be that's what it is? him being a cranky hormonal teenager? I never had a boy, so I don't have a personal experience with this. Also all my cats have always been indoors cats...
Could it be that once he has discovered that furiously scratching, pawing and biting the door somehow opens it... well if that's what he's gotta do then that's what he's gotta do... ? And when it doesn't work then he's trying harder?
Neevie, discovered that meowing loudly and pitifully at a door like she's got her paw stuck in something gets us to it in a hurry to open it for her - it worked a few times only, but still she continues trying coz hey you never know, it did work, once....

[deshni]

Thanks, he's one year and six months old. I hope it is puberty :( He was neutered at five months and I don't know if he has met some girl cat or if they even do that after being neutered!

[Howlinbob]

Could be that there are lots of interesting things happening outside at night, this time of year...he wants to go hunting! Maybe play some fantastic new games with him to keep him entertained?