Just adopted a new cat and it won't stop hiding?
Hello, I'm looking for some advice. I just adopted a 3 year old female cat and she doesn't want to come out from hiding. I've only had her for a day, but she doesn't come out to eat, drink or use the litter box. I've looked for accidents and I haven't found any - I'm not sure she's even going to the bathroom. Persistent coaxing will eventually lure her out and she seems to like the attention; she purrs and rubs up on me but goes right back to hiding. I'm worried because she's not eating, drinking or using the litter box. I tried hand feeding her and she sniffed and took one bite and that's it. Is there something physically wrong with her or is she just that terrified of her new surroundings? The rare times she does venture from her hiding spot (usually from under the bed) she'll wander around the house and end up sitting in the hallway mewing and crying. I'm confused and don't know what to do to make her feel more comfortable. Please help! Thanks, Kimberly
I adopted a cat yesterday who is hiding under the bed, didn't use the litter pan, or drink any water all of last night. Is this normal? Will he be ok?
I hear this question a lot and recently our friends from the U.K. adopted a cat from a shelter near Nottingham. This was an abused cat that’s been previously returned twice to the shelter, but the lady of the couple fell in love with this all white beauty and took her home.Weeks went by and she would still hide under their bed all day long, barely coming out to eat and poop when they weren't around. Her husband had all but given up after a month and wanted to return her.We stepped in and recommended to try this “Scaredy Cat” herbal remedy distributed by a famous TV personality here in North America. I had previously used the same treatment on our of our 4 kitties that came down with stomatitis a couple of years ago while she was still a kitten. The antibiotics worked and she’s recovered from the inflammation in her mouth, but as a result she had gotten skittish from being chased to take her medication twice a day and also became rather depressed. Yep, cats can suffer from all the same mental and physical ailments that befall humans.So, we did 2 things, we tried this herbal remedy and also rescued another kitten her size from the shelter. She was always like “the middle child” ignored most of the time by her 2 older brothers one black & one ginger coloured cat, so we thought we’d make it an even 4 and get her a female playmate.Both have worked out incredibly well. She’s now the most cheeky & playful cat together with a slightly younger sister and she’s even buddied up to the 2 male cats in the household. The positive effects have so far kept any reoccurrences of stomatitis at bay and we have a happy clowder of 4.Going back to our friends in the U.K. after applying this herbal remedy to her coat and a couple of drops into her food, she started to gain confidence within days. After 2 weeks, (into month 2 and 3) she now sleeps with them in their bed and has become very playful and outgoing.Moral of the story is, do NOT give up. Ever! The more scared shelter cats are returned the more likely they will be euthanized. It’s not their fault some humans can’t understand them, but it requires patience & love to gain the trust of most pets, but especially felines. I fight a lot on social media to dispel myths and falsehoods about cat guardianship. Please know, there’s no such thing as a bad cat, only misunderstood ones and incompatible humans.Finally, always adopt, don’t shop!
New Kitten won't stop meowing and hiding?
I just adopted a 12 week old kitten yesterday, I picked him up and once he got home he wouldn't stop meowing and when he did he was either laying down or eating, he feel asleep for a couple hours and woke up to meow some more, after meowing for an hour he calmed down a little to allow me to go back to sleep. This morning all he did was run right under the couch and stays there, i took him out to eat but for the past 7-8 hours he has been under the couch and when he walks he meows. Is there anything I could do? How do I keep him from waking up early in the morning to meow? Thanks
My adopted cat just hides???......First time cat owner?
She's just nervous cause her surroundings have changed. Was she in one of the upper cages at the shelter? Being there for that long, she probably got accustomed to being the same height as people and seeing everyone at face level. Suddenly being outside the cage and seeing how small she is in comparison may have her a bit frightened for awhile.. I had the same thing happen with a female cat I adopted. She was friendly as could be at the shelter, but, once she came home she hid for weeks. Sometimes, it will help if you lay down on the floor so you're the same level as her and tempt her over with strong smelling cat treats or a little bit of chicken or tuna. She probably will be a really friendly cat again once she feels comfortable there. It took my cat about 6 months to start really coming up for attention and now a year later she jumps in my lap and is just as nice as she was at the shelter. That's kind of the thing with cats, you can't really push anything with them and they don't normally make friends immediately. They do everything carefully and gradually. The first couple weeks you have a new cat, it's a good idea to keep them in their own room, like a bathroom, with their food and litter pan so they can get more comfortable with their surroundings without being exposed to all of it at once. Go in there several times a day and offer treats while down at eye level with her. Best of luck Edited to add: It doesn't really matter what room of your house you keep her in. I suggested the bathroom because it sounds like she's a bit scared of you too along with the new environment. A small room like a bathroom gives them the opportunity to be introduced to all the different smells in your home while still being able to see everything going on in their room. I always use the bathroom for introducing a new cat myself. First of all, I know I will be in their several times a day, second of all, every surface is washable. If she just came home from the shelter, it's a good idea to keep them in a room that's easy to disinfect in case the stress of moving causes her to get sick. If she's doing well after a week or so, then start letting her out for a little while everyday until she seems comfortable.
How long does it take a cat to warm up to you after adoption?
So, if you've seen my previous questions, I've recently adopted a tiny Himalayan cat who is incredibly timid. From the moment I adopted her and released her from her crate (I didn't shove her out, I simply opened the door and let her do what she wanted) she's been hiding under a blanket in the corner of the room. She's come out occasionally when no one else is around (from the paw prints in her litter box we found today) but otherwise, she's still hiding. The most I was able to get her out today was when I was jingling the bell on her collar (she still won't even let me pet her, let alone put her collar on, which is important since it has her tags on it) and she poked her head out from under the blanket to see what it was, but then she saw me and hid again. I've had this cat since Monday and she's been doing this the whole time. I constantly check up on her, spend hours sitting and talking with her or just reading a book beside her. I really don't know what to do for her, I've never known a cat to be so timid. She let me pet her when she was in the shelter, but now that she's home, she seems just terrified (even though she has a whole bedroom to herself). Your thoughts?
Adopted cat hasn't eaten or drank in 3 days?
The new environment is overwhelming for him. I don't know where your litter box is located but if it's a bathroom like mine, I'd set him up in the bathroom for a couple weeks and let him adjust. Cover the floor with a comfortable blanket and put in some toys. Always have fresh water and put food in there as well. If there is a window in the bathroom, assuming there is a screen in it, leave it open so he can sit in the windowsill and look out at nature and keep himself occupied. Go in daily to play with him and love him. The bathroom won't allow him to hide and it won't be as large of a space so he won't be as overwhelmed. As he becomes more comfortable he will use the litter box, eat, drink, etc.. After 2 weeks open the bathroom door and let him come out and explore on his own time.