New cat constantly hissing and growling...

Yesterday we went to see a beautiful little 2 year old female cat. In her pervious home she was fantastic, running around and then coming up to you for a pet. Her pervious owner said that she was the most laid back cat they had ever had.

Fantastic, we agreed to re-home her. We get her home and she is fine for the first 20mins, then after exploring the bedroom she goes under the bed and starts growling.

Every time we approach the bed she growls and then starts hiss. Even if we were just going about our normal stuff ignoring her she would just growl and hiss for no reason.

We thought we should just leave her alone knowing that she might be nervous due to the new environment. Then this morning she has moved herself to the window behind the blinds and again growls or hisses every time we approach. She has also not eaten anything so far.

Any help, advise would be greatly appreciated.

to TCS!

She needs more time - days or even weeks - to grow accustomed to new people, smells, sounds and sights. You could try sitting on the floor and softly talking or reading aloud. A few strategically placed treats, moved closer and closer to you every day, might lure her out. Are the litter box, food and water bowls within easy reach of her hiding spot, but apart from one another? A Feliway diffuser (plug-in with pheromones) could help her relax.

Her whole world has been turned upside down, so what she needs is patience on your part. She'll come round.

[product="18441"][/product]

Time patience and a whole heap of understanding. Poor dear has been taken out of her comfort zone and placed in strange and probably to her scary environment. I agree with having water food and a litter pan near her hiding hole. Feliway will help relax her. Soft tones and if you do need to approach her keep it slow soft and on her level. The little dear will coe around when we got lilly she hid be hind the curtains albeit she did not hiss or growl but she wasnt to fond of us either.

Thanks for the advise from everyone.

So to give an update...

Got home to see she was still under the bed. So I did as advised sat on the floor and just read out loud, no growling or hissing as I sat quite a bit away from the bed. 

But as my wife and I started to get ready for bed and activity increased around the bed she started growling and hissing again.

Before going to bed I moved her food closer to the bed and next to the window as I know she sometime likes to sit there. 

Woke up in in the middle of the night to here her eating some food, which made me relax a little. 

This morning she was once again sitting behind the binds on the window, we just ignored her, but had to go near the window a few times to get things any every time I did she started hissing :-(

She will do that for a while. Just be patient with her. She's been uprooted and she's really confused. The good thing is that she's eating now. I'd say to continue what you're doing. Go in her room and just talk to her. Just talk. About the weather, about your day, about her day. Talk soothingly, don't raise your voice, just talk. When you make eye contact, don't stare at her. Lower your eyes, then look at her again. Just sit on the floor and talk to her. Tell her what a pretty girl she is, tell her how much fun she's going to have living with you. Use her name. Always use her name when you talk to her. She'll know you're talking to her. Take turns with your wife.....the kitty needs to get used to both of you. And sometimes, both of you go in and sit down together. And talk. Just talk.

Bring some toys in, too. Did her other people have toys for her? If so, you might want to get them as she would be familiar with her own things. Even though she wants nothing to do with you right now, she might be interested in some toys for when you're not there. Not right now, but maybe in a week or so, try an interactive toy, something that has a wand, that you can use to move the toy slowly, just around the floor in the room. Not fast, don't do anything to startle her. Just a slow movement. Maybe some little mice for her to investigate when she has the room to herself. She's only two years old; she should still love to play. She needs something to play with.

What about her bathroom habits? Is she using the litter box? Where is that? Is she OK with where it's located? Do you see anything in the box? (I know, but it's important because you need to make sure she is using her box.)

And please.....patience. Patience is always key. This could take weeks for some kitties.

Unfortunately they did not give us any toys to take with us, but I have bought some and have just left them scattered on the floor near the bed.

She has not gone to the bathroom yet, her litter try is on the opposite wall from the window. I don’t even know if she knows its there.

I really am trying my best to be patient with her. 

Some cats have this kind of fear reaction to change.  It usually works itself out just fine if yo give them a "cave" to hide in, and put their food and litterbox not far from the cave, and just leave them be.  They growl and hiss as you pass by (the hiss is bluff, the growl is a warning, DONT COME NEAR ME, I am dangerous, I am a snake, I am a lion (I am terrified!).  Usually by the third day when nothing happens to them, no one disturbs them, food shows up, litter gets cleaned, and life goes on around them, they get bored and brave and start venturing out.  If you stay calm and let them be fierce and show them you will not hurt them nor even bother them, they will eventually come to you.  Patience and an open heart will win them over every time.

interesting  read your story .. I didn't get a CAT.. I only get kitten till grow into Cat .. but last year i live in the basement at my sister's house and had to bring my cat to upstairs and my sister have 2 cats .. one of her black cat was hissing and trying slap my cat's face in one day not get along and her other cat have no problem with my cat cause they are sibling sister and brother so I gave my cat time get used with my sister's black cat till turned out it was all fine only for few days due guy was tear the furnace to new one so My cat will not go in furnace room so not want get him lock up  

so try give your cat a time and she will get used.. 

OHHHHH yeah!!! now I remind me .. my mom's boyfriend was passed away and her boyfriend have a cat name Lucy got from christmas from his family .. his family doesnt want his cat so my mom adopted Lucy and bought to new home at my mom's home and Lucy was went hissing that much so we gave her time till finally she used it now .. she doesnt like when I pick her up because she would bite me .. her teeth is very sharp! just like shark OW! but now she is all fine with us yeah she is getting old and been sleep LOTS!!! 

Again thank you everyone for your advice.

So last night when I got home she was again under her bed. I sat beside the bed and talked to her, think I must have gone on for around 20-30mins. 

I noticed her food had not really been touched at all. 

Again just got on with stuff around the house, she was ok until my wife and I went to bed and then she started growling again and continued until we both fell asleep.

During the night I was first woken by her eating (happy that she was eating) and then to our great surprise woken at 4am as she was using her litter tray. We had moved the litter try to the ensuite and forgot to move it back near the bed at night, so she had actually got out of the bed and walked the length of our room to get to it.

We waited a while to let her get back under the bed and then I went to see what she has done, the litter tray was empty, which was concerning,  but some stones on the floor proving she has been on the try.

And to my great surprise I found her sitting it the shower cubicle. She didn't hiss or growl so I stupidly thought it would be ok to try gently to pet her, but as soon as I tried to move close to her she starting meaowing, hiss, meaowing, hiss... So I backed off. 

This morning again she was on the window ledge, and again if we got a bit close she would hiss. 

So some progress being made I think, but my concern is that she has still not managed to do anything in her litter tray.

It could be shes burried it under the litter have a little poke around with the scoop to check my kitty is very good at hiding her doo doo's

Yeap I forgot to do that, will do so when I get home today. But there was also no smell, with my old cat you could tell as soon as you entered the front door :-/

Tonight I was also thinking of bribing her out with some fresh tuna, is that a good idea?

Don't give to much tuna as there is Mercury in it and in high doses can be bad for Kitty's could just be your litter has good odor control?

I have to agree that she needs more time. Feliway diffusers do work, I have used them when bringing new cats home and just went to buy refills for 3 because a cat of mine is having surgery this week and it I important that he stay calm afterward. They can take 2 -4 weeks to take affect but it is worth buying !!! Just hang out in the room with her ( bring a book or your lap top) settle in and let her come to you. It could take weeks. We humans are anxious to get on with the fun and the love but doing this slowly will help to make sure you have a good relationship with her for a lifetime. Just slow down. It will be okay.

This will all resolve itself but it may take some time. Let me tell you about Cosette, who, as we speak, is sleeping beside me having kneaded my thighs a few times before her nap.

She had been in a foster home for two years. She only has one eye. She lost one due to a previous infection. This was probably why she had not been adopted. She was very shy, hissing and growling at everything and everyone. I took her home anyway. She is four.

For months she hid under furniture coming out only when I was not there, to eat and use the litter box. Adding to her stress level were her three new siblings, whom she hated and feared.

Every day I spoke very quietly to her, a bit longer each day. After about six - eight weeks I saw her head. I ignored her and she went back into hiding. Each day she came out a bit further. At night she continued to hide, accompanied by another rescue kitten, Oliver. He was her only trusted friend.

One night I woke up to soft sounds under my bed. It was Cosette. This went on for another three or four weeks. I could see she had gained some needed weight.

I woke up one morning to see her sleeping on a tiny corner of the bed, still balled up and afraid.

From there she became more and more comfortable and is almost over her fears. I do not know her past, but I can guarantee her a loving future.

Be super patient. It's worth the wait.

You didn't mention if your cat has water. Please make sure your kitty has access to fresh water. It does sound like your cat needs time to settle, but I am concerned that she isn't using the litter box. Hopefully she'll do so soon. If she continues to other eat or urinate, then it is important to bring her to the vet. They can administer sub cutaneous fluids and give her a health check. I adopted a shelter cat that immediately stopped eating and drinking. Turned out he was very sick and needed vet hospitalization (it's been two months and he is fine now). Good luck with your cat.

Well she would not be living if she didn't . She came out at night for food, water and litter box use. She just did not want to "see" anyone. At first I put food and water by what I presumed to be her hiding place. Day by day I moved it closer to the normal spot. I live in an apartment and with the others on the bed with me, I knew she was eating, and drinking. I also mentioned she was gaining weight. Knowing how scared she was, I took her straight to the vet from the adoption center, not wanting to take her home only to traumatize her again with a vet visit.

Sometimes a new cat can be overwhelmed by new surroundings and will do better in a room by herself if you have a spare one. Give her a cardboard box to hide in. Just put her and food/litter and go in occaisionally to sit read ect as others have suggested but this way she knows she won't be startled by anyone moving around unless the door opens. She will hear the normal sounds of you and the house but at a distance and get used to it in a non threatening way. She may have been looking to pee in the shower if shes not using the litter box. I'd give her anything she'll eat right now just to get her settled. A little tuna or mackeral tidbit won't hurt if not longterm.She could develop liver problems from not eating. Is the litterbox new? Does it have a lid? Did her one at her previous home have different litter,or no lid.?  Ask the previous owners.Get a pee clump of litter from someone elses cat and put in the litter box. Try canned food. Try not talking too much around her as a strange voice is not comforting.Call her sweetie or honey any endearing name because your voice automatically gets softer and higher when you say them. Was she a feral cat before her other home? Sometimes ferals will adjust(sometimes never) to one place but revert back in a new home. As others have said it takes time you just don't want her health to suffer inthe mean time.She sounds fiesty if she is hissing so maybe a good thing she has a strong personality and not a shrinking violet. Some cats with dominant personality traits take longer to adapt. Good luck and keep us posted.I had a feral mom with kittens in a cage in my spare room until the kittens were nine/ten weeks old. She then went to my friends house ,still in the cage( very big dog crate) and was kept in cage another couple months and gradually became their friendly loving pet. She constantly hiissed and growled the 2 months I had her and ripped her cardboard box apart every night. She was one angry cat. The kittens turned out fine,friendly got good homes. I would take them out of the cage to socialize.Since your cat was friendly before it shouldn't take that long or be that drastic.

I second Catmum. She may need a smaller room with less space to explore complete with water, food and her litter box. I have found that if you have a room, like a bathroom, set it up for the cat and leave it be, while bringing food and water-assuring it, etc. After a few days you can let the kitty explore and then leave the option for her to return to her room. Eventually she should be ready to be kitty about the house.

I hope your silence is a good thing  meaning the hissy cat is doing better. Hope so . Are things any better?