Scared of new fridge

[Chatanuga]

This past Thursday morning, I discovered that my refrigerator/freezer was starting to warm up instead of cool. I called my landlord, and the earliest she could get a new fridge in was Friday. Since everything was still cold, I basically made a couple trips during the day to get several pounds of dry ice to pack in the fridge and freezer with the food to keep everything cold. After lunch on Friday, the new fridge was delivered, and I fortunately didn't lose any food since I was able to keep everything cold.

Casey was originally a little nervous around the new fridge, but by Saturday morning, he was walking past it like it had been there the whole time. Smokey, however, is still quite spooked by it. If the fridge isn't running, he'll "sneak" into the kitchen to get to the food and water. However, if the fridge starts up or I open the fridge or freezer doors, he takes off and runs out of the kitchen in a panic. Last night, while making dinner, I got the laser pointer from my office desk and took it downstairs. He was all excited since the laser pointer is his favorite toy. I had him chasing the light around, and since the fridge wasn't running at the time, I tried to lead him into the kitchen. He was running at full throttle towards the kitchen, but when he got to the doorway, it was like he hit a brick wall, coming to a dead stop and then doing a 180 and running back into the living room.

Does anybody have any suggestions on making Smokey more comfortable around the new fridge? I know that cats can be sensitive to changes in the household, but this was something that I had no time to prepare for.

[Karen]

Where do you feed him? Are there treats he really likes that you could use to lead him by the fridge? I time, I am sure he will get used to it!

[pomtzu]

I was thinking along the lines of what Karen said. Do you - or could you - keep any food or treats that he gets, in the fridge? Perhaps if he saw that good tasting things for him are kept in there, he will accept that new monster in his kitchen, more readily. ;)

[Freedom]

I'm trying to understand why this is a problem. Given time, he WILL adjust and ignore it as always. So, he needs some time; why is that an issue? Does he HAVE to be in the kitchen for some reason? Why not just let him be, and adjust in his own time? Sort of like "picking your battles" and getting him in a carrier for the vet would be a must, but this well, I just don't see why he can't take a bit longer to adapt to the new monster, lol.

[mrspunkysmom]

The last time I moved, I just had Spunky and Sam. They followed me EVERYWHERE in the house and refused to be alone. I just let it be. I figured in time they would adjust.

He'll adjust to the new fridge. :love: to the critters

[Chatanuga]

Well, things seem to be improving some.

Last night, I held him while showing him the open fridge door and where the canned pumpkin that he and Casey get each evening is kept. Afterwards, while the fridge was running, I went to give them their pumpkin and treats on the kitchen table (other side of the doorway from the fridge. He saw the plate with his pumpkin and treats and came up to the doorway. He looked around the corner at the fridge, looked at the plate I was holding, looked at the fridge, and then ran over and jumped up on the table to eat, pausing from time to time to look over at the fridge. Once done, he jumped down from the table and headed back into the living room. Later in the evening, I caught him going to the doorway on his own and looking around the corner at the fridge while it was running a couple times.

Today when I got home from work, he and Casey were in the kitchen, and the fridge was running. I took the freeze pack out of my lunch cooler, and as I was reaching for the freezer door to put it in to refreeze for tomorrow, Smokey ran to the doorway of the kitchen, stopped, and then stretched his neck out as far as he could to look around the corner as I opened the door to put the freeze pack in. He then took off into the living room when I closed the door.

So, he seems to be slowly adjusting to the new fridge. As far as why it's an issue, all of my cats have enjoyed being in the kitchen with me in the past. They often stretch out somewhere in the kitchen while I make meals or do dishes, and I just want to do what I can to make Smokey comfortable in his home again instead of running off spooked all the time.

[Freedom]

Sounds like a positive update! I love that you SHOWED him that the 'monster' keeps his pumpkin, lol.

Just as with humans, each being adapts at his own pace, some more quickly than others. Smokey will get there, give him time.

[Chatanuga]

Still making progress. When I go to open the fridge door, he goes to the doorway and then cautiously creeps over to look in. And last night when I was doing dishes, I looked over, and he was stretched out in front of the fridge, which was running.

[mon]

That's great, inch by inch eh. I know I would be mighty uptight if the cat wasn't on the kitchen counter every day makin' sure every little thing is done correctly :D

[Chatanuga]

Things are back to normal. Smokey's so comfortable around the fridge now that he's even rubbing his cheeks on the corners of the door.

[Karen]

Things are back to normal. Smokey's so comfortable around the fridge now that he's even rubbing his cheeks on the corners of the door.

Yay! Glad to hear the positive news~

[Freedom]

*giggle* from scary monster to best friend, ha ha. So glad he came around.

Just keep this in mind in future, he needs a bit more time to adapt to change, than the others. And please deliver some chin rubs from me.