Aw.... how kind of you to adopt a pair of rescue kitties!
This is COMPLETELY NORMAL for scared kitties that may be a little bit under-socialized.
There are a lot of things you can do, and time will do the rest.
Some people temporarily remove the frame from the bed - takes care of that problem. But if that's not really an option, then for now just let them hide under there.
Some of this you may know, some you may not, and some you may know but might have not thought about it like this, so please don't take offense if I'm telling you things you already know.
Cats are territorial, and they've just been moved into a new territory. They're scared! Some young kitties or some really well-socialized kitties make these transitions just fine - others need more time.
Right now your babies are scared - they're not sure of you yet (and you keep sticking horrible stuff down their throat), and they don't "own" their space.
If you can afford it, these "tools" may help (though they aren't "necessary" ) :
Feliway (spray or plug-in). This is a synthetic pheremone that mimics the "friendly" markers in cats' cheeks. It well help soothe and calm your new babies.
A night light (if you don't already have one on). Leave it on all the time.
Harp music (or a radio tuned to classical - but some of that can be really rowdy and not calming at all). These are expensive, but designed specifically to help calm scared animals:
http://www.musicmypet.com/http://www.catfaeries.com/music-for-cats.html
You can also try flower essences, specifically Bach's Rescue Remedy:
http://www.amazon.com/Rescue-Remedy-.../dp/B001FUNBC8
Add 3 or 4 drops to their water bowl every day when you clean and refill it.
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Nothing will calm them faster than routine. If you're free feeding, fill their dish at the same time every day. If you're not feeding them a meal of wet food, consider doing so. If you are, make sure it's at about the same time every day.
Clean their litter boxes at the same time(s) every day.
Clean their water dish at the same time every day.
Next - just bear in mind they're afraid. They don't know you're "good," and they may not really understand that they like being loved! The best thing you can do right now is
not force it. Spend as much time in their room as you can - NOT interacting with them! Just let them watch!
To be "less scary," get down at their level. Sit on the floor with your side to them.
Read out loud.
Sing.
Work on the laptop.
Fold laundry.
Knit.
Play whatever handheld game thing you're into.
Whatever you do or can think of to do, do it on the floor in there.
When you leave, put down treats where you were sitting.
Get a t-shirt really good and sweaty. Put it under their food dish.
Do this for a week, and see the difference in them.
And as they do like to play, make sure you do use a wand toy with them.
Even better if at first you do it from the sitting postion.
Flick it around on the floor at first, and just get them moving. After the play session, put treats down for them - makes it "complete," like they killed the bird or mouse or whatever it was they think they were chasing.
If you can afford to buy them, these are irresistable to most cats:
(This is the link to the amazon search on da Bird, because I don't know if you'd want to get just the wand toy, or buy the refills at the same time. The feathers tend to get destroyed rather quickly LOL. Also, scroll down the page for the little da Bird MOUSE attachment. When it arrives, you'll think- WOW - that is SMALL. Trust me - they go NUTS for it!!!!)
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...+Bird&x=8&y=15
The other interactive wand toy cats go crazy for is the Neko Flies Karantula or Kragonfly:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...ko+Flies&ajr=3
But you don't need to buy wand toys. We just get dowel rods at Home Depot, and tape string to them, and tie up various toys at the end of the string. Our cats LOVE the rattly mice, and even just a wad of paper is great fun.
Warning: NEVER leave string or wand toys out or unattended. Cats tend to chew them, and then you'll either spend a couple of days searching through poop to make sure they passed them, or you'll be rushing to the vet for emergency surgery. Please don't learn the hard way!
Don't take it personally. But when you're standing, you tower over them. So you're big and scary, and moving toward them is... well - scary! So get down at their level. Maybe bring in a jar of babyfood with you (Gerber's chicken is great!) - put a little on a spoon, and slowly move your hand out a bit, and let them come eat off the spoon.
Also, don't look them in the eyes. This is a sign of aggression.
If you even look at them at all, look at their foreheads, or over the top of their heads.
You're going to have a wonderful relationship with these kitties! But give them a little space and time, and help them associate you with good things and fun things - and give them some time just to get used to you and their new home. Let them learn you don't want anything at all from them, and then they'll be able to be happy and discover how wonderful love is.
Right now, they're just too scared to figure it out.
Edited to add: one last thought. When you do need to reach out at them, best to do it from "down low," and when you reach toward them, make your hand into a fist. That's the shape of a cat head, and FAR less threatening than an open hand.
So I just adopted two four month old sisters from this rescue a few days ago (last Friday night to be more exact) and when we brought them home they immediately ran under the bed. That being said I know that kittens will do that but these kittens are always shying away from me sometimes. They are very playful and energetic and I've played with them with a string and an aluminum foil ball but if someone so much as takes a step towards them they will sometimes run and hide under my bed. So one day I decided to "blockade" my bed because of what I read online. They said that it might be helpful to eliminate hiding places so that they will become used to human contact. When I did that (I also left a box for them to hide in) and I left the room and when I came back a few hours later, they had found a way under the mattress again. This happened for a few days where I had to get them out from under the bed and it got so tiring that I decided to not block it anymore. It's not as if they don't let me pick them up, it's just that I have to trick them into going into my bathroom before I can pick them up. They will cower or try to run away as if they are tolerating me, but that they don't like it. One of them will purr sometimes when I pet her but she will still sometimes run away. I even tried luring them out with treats...they don't come out from under the bed until i'm far away enough or if i'm not in the room. They contracted a respiratory infection and so I have to feed them drops and keep their eyes clean and that keeps them in contact with me, but as soon as I am done treating them and I open my bathroom door, they bolt and hide under the bed. What should I do??????? I want them to trust me and not feel scared but I don't know how. They've definitely made some progress but Im not sure what to do next.
