New cat hiding

Play with her. I swear it will work. A friend of mine had a cat named
Misty that she adopted- she was a rescue kitty and something horrible must
have happened to her because the poor thing was afraid of her own shadow.
Well, she pretty much lived under my friend's bed- only coming out in the
middle of the night and when no one was in the house....she wouldn't let
anyone near her, let alone pet her. Misty was like this for ten
years...then I moved in and started renting a room from my friend. At the
time she had four cats, all sociable but Misty...Misty would only come out
half way down the hall and would run back under the bed at any sudden noise.
There was a door down the middle of the hall and one night I tied a soft
plastic frog to a string and put it in the doorway and gently pulled it
until it fell out of the door, then I would put it back in the hall and
repeat the process...after a few days, Misty started playing very very
carefully- a few paw swipes here, a few pounces there- then she would back
off. I played with her everyday and every day she would get more and more
playful. She started coming out to the end of the hall way- where our
living room was, and I would play with her there with the "froggy rope" and
she would play and get all worked up. I kept playing with her and before
you knew it, she would come right up to me. After that, she would let me
pet her, only when she was laying down, but she still let me pet her. Then,
while I would be watching sitting on the couch, watching TV, she would sit
on the couch too- not right next to me, but she would share the couch and
let me pet her. Then, one day I tried to pet her while she was standing up
and she let me. Anyway, it was baby steps but by the time she passed away,
misty was sitting on my lap, brave enough to let me pet her belly and pick
her up...she wouldn't let anyone else in the house do this- not even the
lady who had had her all these years. She bonded to me and stuck to me like
glue from then on...she passed away last fall but she did get to experience
a normal kitty life eventually.

Good luck with your cat! I would get a long piece of string with a toy tied
to the end and dangle it over the side of the sofa or bed (where ever she is
hanging out). take your time and don't rush her...I'm sure it will work
out.

-Jenny
Northern California Coast
"Jonathan" wrote in message
...
Hi all

After several years without a cat, I adopted a lovely black female on
friday. She's about two/three years old. When her owners brought her she
was quite assertive, checking out the new flat and wandering around. Even
let me feed and stroke her etc.
A few minutes after her last owners left, she hid under the sofa and has
pretty much remained there. She hides under the bed at night when I am
there, but the sofa is her favourite place.
She lets me stroke her, and enjoys it when I do, but my arm is only so
long!
I can feed her by giving her biscuits where she is and last night, while I
was asleep she came out and ate, and used the litter tray.

Around half past midnight last night she came out from beneath the sofa
and
lay down next to me and rolled over, allowing me to stroke her. But a
neighbour came home and banged their door so she hid again.

She followed me into the bedroom when I went to sleep (but didn't stay),
so
it's not as though she doesn't like me - just seems very, very, shy of her
new environment.

I've never had this problem with a cat before - usually they take a couple
of hours to get used to the new environment.

Is she okay, do you think? I'm worried about her becoming dehydrated - she
doesn't appear to have drunk any water (though in my experience cats need
to be shown there is water there or they miss it!). How long do you think
I
should leave it before I get worried?

Should I avoid having the TV and radio on, or should she be allowed to get
used to the noise of her new home?
She used to live with another cat (older and not related) but he was "in
charge" in her old house. Her owners thought her behaviour when she was
first let out here suggested she was being intimidated by the other cat
and
she would be more assertive on her own.

TIA

Jonathan (UK)


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On Sun, 1 Feb 2004 18:17:28 +0000 (UTC), Jonathan
wrote:

Hi all

After several years without a cat, I adopted a lovely black female on
friday. She's about two/three years old. When her owners brought her she
was quite assertive, checking out the new flat and wandering around. Even
let me feed and stroke her etc.
A few minutes after her last owners left, she hid under the sofa and has
pretty much remained there. She hides under the bed at night when I am
there, but the sofa is her favourite place.
She lets me stroke her, and enjoys it when I do, but my arm is only so
long!
I can feed her by giving her biscuits where she is and last night, while I
was asleep she came out and ate, and used the litter tray.

Around half past midnight last night she came out from beneath the sofa and
lay down next to me and rolled over, allowing me to stroke her. But a
neighbour came home and banged their door so she hid again.

She followed me into the bedroom when I went to sleep (but didn't stay), so
it's not as though she doesn't like me - just seems very, very, shy of her
new environment.

I've never had this problem with a cat before - usually they take a couple
of hours to get used to the new environment.

Is she okay, do you think? I'm worried about her becoming dehydrated - she
doesn't appear to have drunk any water (though in my experience cats need
to be shown there is water there or they miss it!). How long do you think I
should leave it before I get worried?

Should I avoid having the TV and radio on, or should she be allowed to get
used to the noise of her new home?
She used to live with another cat (older and not related) but he was "in
charge" in her old house. Her owners thought her behaviour when she was
first let out here suggested she was being intimidated by the other cat and
she would be more assertive on her own.

TIA

Jonathan (UK)
When you are away from home, leave a radio on softly -- either a
"talk" station or music. This will help her get used to different
noises. Remember, their hearing is very sensitive. My cat still
jumps when the next door neighbor goes in and out and it has been six
years.

On Sun, 1 Feb 2004 18:17:28 +0000 (UTC), Jonathan
wrote:

Hi all

After several years without a cat, I adopted a lovely black female on
friday. She's about two/three years old. When her owners brought her she
was quite assertive, checking out the new flat and wandering around. Even
let me feed and stroke her etc.
A few minutes after her last owners left, she hid under the sofa and has
pretty much remained there. She hides under the bed at night when I am
there, but the sofa is her favourite place.
She lets me stroke her, and enjoys it when I do, but my arm is only so
long!
I can feed her by giving her biscuits where she is and last night, while I
was asleep she came out and ate, and used the litter tray.

Around half past midnight last night she came out from beneath the sofa and
lay down next to me and rolled over, allowing me to stroke her. But a
neighbour came home and banged their door so she hid again.

She followed me into the bedroom when I went to sleep (but didn't stay), so
it's not as though she doesn't like me - just seems very, very, shy of her
new environment.

I've never had this problem with a cat before - usually they take a couple
of hours to get used to the new environment.

Is she okay, do you think? I'm worried about her becoming dehydrated - she
doesn't appear to have drunk any water (though in my experience cats need
to be shown there is water there or they miss it!). How long do you think I
should leave it before I get worried?

Should I avoid having the TV and radio on, or should she be allowed to get
used to the noise of her new home?
She used to live with another cat (older and not related) but he was "in
charge" in her old house. Her owners thought her behaviour when she was
first let out here suggested she was being intimidated by the other cat and
she would be more assertive on her own.

TIA

Jonathan (UK)
When you are away from home, leave a radio on softly -- either a
"talk" station or music. This will help her get used to different
noises. Remember, their hearing is very sensitive. My cat still
jumps when the next door neighbor goes in and out and it has been six
years.

"Jonathan" wrote in message
...
Hi all

After several years without a cat, I adopted a lovely black female
on
friday. [snip]

First, bless you for adopting an adult cat! So many people just want
kittens, but I love the adults best of all. Less hassles in the way of
curtain climbing and such.

As for her hiding, just try to relax and give her some time. I know
you are ready for your new kitty to be your buddy, but who knows what
she has been through. She sounds like a friendly and intelligent girl
who is taking her time and checking you out. Confining her in a
single room, as suggested by others, might make her feel more secure,
I absolutely agree. But if you don't, she will find--and needs to
have--her own safe places where she can retire to and not be dragged
out or bothered as she gets comfortable with you.

If you are worried about water, put little dishes of water in a number
of places, many here say cats like drinking from a number of different
sources, and I tried it and found that it is true. I keep one by the
boxes, one in the kitchen, one in my bedroom,
and one in the family room.

Good luck, and, again, way to go!

"Jonathan" wrote in message
...
Hi all

After several years without a cat, I adopted a lovely black female
on
friday. [snip]

First, bless you for adopting an adult cat! So many people just want
kittens, but I love the adults best of all. Less hassles in the way of
curtain climbing and such.

As for her hiding, just try to relax and give her some time. I know
you are ready for your new kitty to be your buddy, but who knows what
she has been through. She sounds like a friendly and intelligent girl
who is taking her time and checking you out. Confining her in a
single room, as suggested by others, might make her feel more secure,
I absolutely agree. But if you don't, she will find--and needs to
have--her own safe places where she can retire to and not be dragged
out or bothered as she gets comfortable with you.

If you are worried about water, put little dishes of water in a number
of places, many here say cats like drinking from a number of different
sources, and I tried it and found that it is true. I keep one by the
boxes, one in the kitchen, one in my bedroom,
and one in the family room.

Good luck, and, again, way to go!

On 2004-02-01 22:14:45 +0000, "Gail" said:

Also, Jonathan, I would use interactive toys to help her bond with you.
In
the US, we have these wands with feathers attached to the end of them. My
cats absolutely love them and it helped tame my one feral cat.
Gail

Ah - she did indeed come complete with a feathery wand - but seems totally
uninterested! She came out again tonight, about 9.30 and joined me on the
sofa, very affectionate but still nervous of noises from outside. She
followed me to the kitchen and I fed her, but another noise sent her into
the bedroom. But it's progress (in fact as I type, she has appeared and is eating!)

On 2004-02-01 22:14:45 +0000, "Gail" said:

Also, Jonathan, I would use interactive toys to help her bond with you.
In
the US, we have these wands with feathers attached to the end of them. My
cats absolutely love them and it helped tame my one feral cat.
Gail

Ah - she did indeed come complete with a feathery wand - but seems totally
uninterested! She came out again tonight, about 9.30 and joined me on the
sofa, very affectionate but still nervous of noises from outside. She
followed me to the kitchen and I fed her, but another noise sent her into
the bedroom. But it's progress (in fact as I type, she has appeared and is eating!)

Jenny Torango wrote in on 01 Feb
2004:

She bonded to me and stuck to me like
glue from then on...she passed away last fall but she did get to
experience a normal kitty life eventually.


What a great story, Jenny.

--
Cheryl

Trapped like rats. In a chia-pet.
MIB II

Jenny Torango wrote in on 01 Feb
2004:

She bonded to me and stuck to me like
glue from then on...she passed away last fall but she did get to
experience a normal kitty life eventually.


What a great story, Jenny.

--
Cheryl

Trapped like rats. In a chia-pet.
MIB II