My cat is terrified of me after we moved

Question

A little over 2 weeks ago I had to move my cat from college to home. He used to be very social and loved me but after the move acts like he’s never met me before. He is set up away from all other animals and people with all his essentials. I figured it would take a little bit for him to come out to me and mostly left him alone just sitting down there when I fed him. It’s been over 2 weeks now and he still won’t come out to me, I have seen him once and he looked absolutely terrified of me and ran as far away from me as possible. He did not like the move at all, he hated the crate and cried the entire drive which was stressful for both of us. Also worth noting that he was not my cat. My boyfriends roommate gave him to us this past year, but he has spent almost all his time with us in our room. He cuddled with me and would constantly beg for affection which I love and gladly gave. I’m sure he’s fine and needs more time to adjust to this extremely new environment but I’m starting to worry and wanted to see if anyone knew something I don’t.

Answer 1

Don't worry, this behavior is unsettling but normal for many cats and eventually he will likely return to his old self, but it may take a few months. Unlike dogs which form strong bonds with their owner(s), cats form a bond with their environment and when this changes it can be severely traumatic. Cats will react to the loss of a familiar environment similar to how we would react to the loss of a loved one: via a grieving process.

You can help him by providing a small space where he feels safe (he's likely already found one somewhere) and giving hime time to adjust. Consider bringing his food and water to this safe place for now. When he begins to show signs of adjustment, try and entice him to come out and play or explore using treats, catnip, or a favorite toy.