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#1
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New cat hiding
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) |
#2
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It would be best if you can restrict her to one room with a comfortable bed,
litter, water, and her food. She will feel more secure there. As she feels safer, you can open the door and let her explore the rest of the house. She will be fine, in time. Gail "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) |
#3
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It would be best if you can restrict her to one room with a comfortable bed,
litter, water, and her food. She will feel more secure there. As she feels safer, you can open the door and let her explore the rest of the house. She will be fine, in time. Gail "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) |
#4
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Thanks Gail
Trouble is, it's quite an open plan flat so the only door is to the bedroom. Maybe that would have been the best place to let her stay but I suppose it's too late now. She seems to have made it her home. I did have the food and litter tray near where she is, in the living room (lounge/sitting room - whatever you call it!) but it wasn't ideal in case people came round. I'll put them back there tonight when I go to sleep. Maybe a cardboard box on its side with a blanket in it would help... On 2004-02-01 18:33:30 +0000, "Gail" said: It would be best if you can restrict her to one room with a comfortable bed, litter, water, and her food. She will feel more secure there. As she feels safer, you can open the door and let her explore the rest of the house. She will be fine, in time. Gail |
#5
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Thanks Gail
Trouble is, it's quite an open plan flat so the only door is to the bedroom. Maybe that would have been the best place to let her stay but I suppose it's too late now. She seems to have made it her home. I did have the food and litter tray near where she is, in the living room (lounge/sitting room - whatever you call it!) but it wasn't ideal in case people came round. I'll put them back there tonight when I go to sleep. Maybe a cardboard box on its side with a blanket in it would help... On 2004-02-01 18:33:30 +0000, "Gail" said: It would be best if you can restrict her to one room with a comfortable bed, litter, water, and her food. She will feel more secure there. As she feels safer, you can open the door and let her explore the rest of the house. She will be fine, in time. Gail |
#6
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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 "Jonathan" wrote in message ... Thanks Gail Trouble is, it's quite an open plan flat so the only door is to the bedroom. Maybe that would have been the best place to let her stay but I suppose it's too late now. She seems to have made it her home. I did have the food and litter tray near where she is, in the living room (lounge/sitting room - whatever you call it!) but it wasn't ideal in case people came round. I'll put them back there tonight when I go to sleep. Maybe a cardboard box on its side with a blanket in it would help... On 2004-02-01 18:33:30 +0000, "Gail" said: It would be best if you can restrict her to one room with a comfortable bed, litter, water, and her food. She will feel more secure there. As she feels safer, you can open the door and let her explore the rest of the house. She will be fine, in time. Gail |
#7
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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 "Jonathan" wrote in message ... Thanks Gail Trouble is, it's quite an open plan flat so the only door is to the bedroom. Maybe that would have been the best place to let her stay but I suppose it's too late now. She seems to have made it her home. I did have the food and litter tray near where she is, in the living room (lounge/sitting room - whatever you call it!) but it wasn't ideal in case people came round. I'll put them back there tonight when I go to sleep. Maybe a cardboard box on its side with a blanket in it would help... On 2004-02-01 18:33:30 +0000, "Gail" said: It would be best if you can restrict her to one room with a comfortable bed, litter, water, and her food. She will feel more secure there. As she feels safer, you can open the door and let her explore the rest of the house. She will be fine, in time. Gail |
#8
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I think that new cats like to explore at night when all is quiet. Just make
sure she has a 'safe' route to litter box & food/water. If she likes her carrier, you might try to leave it out somewhere so it can be her 'safe' place! Sounds though like she is just going to be fine given a little time. Don't worry about TV, she'll figure it out! "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) |
#9
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I think that new cats like to explore at night when all is quiet. Just make
sure she has a 'safe' route to litter box & food/water. If she likes her carrier, you might try to leave it out somewhere so it can be her 'safe' place! Sounds though like she is just going to be fine given a little time. Don't worry about TV, she'll figure it out! "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) |
#10
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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) --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.576 / Virus Database: 365 - Release Date: 1/30/2004 |
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