hi, new here

meekzmilly · Sep 20, 2014

Hello all, need some tips, advice or just kind words.

I got a kitten yesterday believe she is about 18 or 19 weeks old. I adopted her. She was in a house with a lot of other kittens as well as her litter mates. She has been hiding ever since the lady brought her last night and I am just really worried and kinda sad. She was in the kitchen area under the table, today she is kinda in a corner under the side coffee table, it's a corner where my couches meet and hard for me to get into. I tried to pick her up from under the table and she just moved back and is now against the wall. I know it takes a while for new kittens to get used to their new home but I just feel like she won't get used to me and will always be afraid.

help please? what do i do?

bonepicker · Sep 20, 2014

meekzmilly said:
Hello all, need some tips, advice or just kind words.

I got a kitten yesterday believe she is about 18 or 19 weeks old. I adopted her. She was in a house with a lot of other kittens as well as her litter mates. She has been hiding ever since the lady brought her last night and I am just really worried and kinda sad. She was in the kitchen area under the table, today she is kinda in a corner under the side coffee table, it's a corner where my couches meet and hard for me to get into. I tried to pick her up from under the table and she just moved back and is now against the wall. I know it takes a while for new kittens to get used to their new home but I just feel like she won't get used to me and will always be afraid.

help please? what do i do?

Encourage her with food into crate or cage and move her to small room with bed, food and litter box, where she cannot hide and spend time playing and petting her. Bathrooms work well, quiet small room. Gradually expand her territory. She also is at the age to be spayed.

catpack · Sep 20, 2014

The best thing to do is confine her in a bathroom or a bedroom (we call this a "safe room.") If putting her in a bedroom, best to make sure there is not any furniture she can get under that you cannot reach her. Take the bed out, or place the box springs directly on the floor.

Once she is in her safe room, you can sit in the room with her, read out loud, talk to her and see if she will play with a toy (Da Bird, Neko Flies or any toy on a stick it a great option!)

Do you have any other pets? If she has gone from having lots of playmates to being an only kitten, it might take her a bit to adjust.

If she was socialized in a home, I highly doubt she will alway hide from you. She just needs a little time to adjust.

trufflefudge14 · Sep 20, 2014

I had the same with my boy fudge ,just keep talking to him and coming down to his level maybe with a few treats don't b to over fussy he will come to u when he's ready,enjoy xx

meekzmilly · Sep 20, 2014

I took her out the corner, held her for a little and put the collar back on her. She got down and went right back into the corner. She hasn't ate or used the liter box since she got dropped off friday at 6:30pm. when the lady was dropping her off we showed her the litter box and where her food was so she knows where it is.

last night when I went to bed I heard her moving around out here because her collar has a bell on it. I'm just really sad, she just isn't used to me yet I guess.

catpack · Sep 20, 2014

She will progress more quickly if you confine her. Put her in a large dog crate, a bathroom or a bedroom with her litter box, food/water, a bed/blanket and a few toys. You will not regret this. I promise it will help your new addition adjust more quickly than just letting her come around in her own time.

meekzmilly · Sep 20, 2014

I can do that but I don't have a crate, the women I adopted her from brought her to me. Currently I'm laying in bed and I hear her in the living room playing cuz her collar has a bell. I will try that tomorrow.

bigperm20 · Sep 20, 2014

meekzmilly said:
I can do that but I don't have a crate, the women I adopted her from brought her to me. Currently I'm laying in bed and I hear her in the living room playing cuz her collar has a bell. I will try that tomorrow.

I'd get up and lock her in the bathroom or a spare bedroom with her litter, food, and water asap. Cats don't adjust quickly the way you are doing it. It's sensory overload. New place, New smells, New everything.

You should take our advice, you did ask for it.

slykat12 · Sep 20, 2014

I don't get it . You have had 4 people who know what they are talking about give you perfectly doable advice, and not doing it, while your new pet is overwhelmed and stressed. The goal is to allow the cat to warm up to the new environment slowly-Use a single room or bathroom and check on them often.

When I got my 10 weeker I put her in a large bathroom and used a large box rather than shut the door to prevent her escaping. She stayed in there 2 hours then clearly demanded to explore the rest of the room so I let her and for 3 days she stayed in the bedroom with the door closed. She never hid once. The exploration was on her timetable not mine and soon she was exploring the whole house. If you want your cat to adjust well you will follow our advice.

We are experienced cat parents and do care or we would not have taken the time to respond..

meekzmilly · Sep 21, 2014

Did you ever see me say flat out that I'm not going to do it? My goodness. I did not post here to have you all jump down my throat. I said I will try it today and I will try it today.

meekzmilly · Sep 21, 2014

bigperm20 said:
I'd get up and lock her in the bathroom or a spare bedroom with her litter, food, and water asap. Cats don't adjust quickly the way you are doing it. It's sensory overload. New place, New smells, New everything.

You should take our advice, you did ask for it.

Slykat12 said:
I don't get it . You have had 4 people who know what they are talking about give you perfectly doable advice, and not doing it, while your new pet is overwhelmed and stressed. The goal is to allow the cat to warm up to the new environment slowly-Use a single room or bathroom and check on them often.

When I got my 10 weeker I put her in a large bathroom and used a large box rather than shut the door to prevent her escaping. She stayed in there 2 hours then clearly demanded to explore the rest of the room so I let her and for 3 days she stayed in the bedroom with the door closed. She never hid once. The exploration was on her timetable not mine and soon she was exploring the whole house. If you want your cat to adjust well you will follow our advice.

We are experienced cat parents and do care or we would not have taken the time to respond..

Please don't assume or jump down my throat. I said I would do it and I will.

meekzmilly · Sep 21, 2014

And just so you all know I did take your advice, like I was already planning on doing, and she is in the room. The weekends are really the only day I can check on her throughout the day. I work full time Monday through Friday so she's going to be locked in a room all day with no interaction. Until I get home from work

bonepicker · Sep 21, 2014

meekzmilly said:
And just so you all know I did take your advice, like I was already planning on doing, and she is in the room. The weekends are really the only day I can check on her throughout the day. I work full time Monday through Friday so she's going to be locked in a room all day with no interaction. Until I get home from work

Better than having freaked out kitten who never learned to use litterbox because she was given too much space too soon.

vbcatparent · Sep 21, 2014

Big houses are overwhelming for a kitten. She will need to memorize it one room at a time if she's expected to know where food and litter are. I would recommend adding a bowl of water to her room at least. Cats are very protective of a home -- they notice when a door is closed or a piece of furniture is gone -- so they really like to memorize it. Please don't take this like I'm jumping on you but it's unrealistic to expect her to be fine in a day or two. My Regent lived in our bedroom for three full days before he first followed anyone downstairs, and it took a full week for him really explore downstairs in confidence.

If you're going to be gone all day Monday, the absolute best thing you can do is keep her in a small space. Houses are full of lots of scary sounds, cars and motorcycles go by loudly, etc, so she will stay hidden either way, and if the food/water seems like a mile away, she won't do it at least on day one. Give her some water in her safe place and offer food when you get home.

meekzmilly · Sep 21, 2014

VBCatParent said:
Big houses are overwhelming for a kitten. She will need to memorize it one room at a time if she's expected to know where food and litter are. I would recommend adding a bowl of water to her room at least. Cats are very protective of a home -- they notice when a door is closed or a piece of furniture is gone -- so they really like to memorize it. Please don't take this like I'm jumping on you but it's unrealistic to expect her to be fine in a day or two. My Regent lived in our bedroom for three full days before he first followed anyone downstairs, and it took a full week for him really explore downstairs in confidence.

If you're going to be gone all day Monday, the absolute best thing you can do is keep her in a small space. Houses are full of lots of scary sounds, cars and motorcycles go by loudly, etc, so she will stay hidden either way, and if the food/water seems like a mile away, she won't do it at least on day one. Give her some water in her safe place and offer food when you get home.

my house isn't even really that big, well maybe to her it is but to me its not, its a single level condo. no upstairs or down stairs. but she's in there and we'll see how it goes. There's actually another end table in there like the one in the living room and she was under it when I was in there. It's in there because I literally have no other place to put it but that is the only thing she can get under in the room.

catpack · Sep 21, 2014

Just curious. What did the lady you adopted her from say about kitty's personality? Is she quiet, reserved, independent, outgoing, plays well with others?

That might give an idea of how long it might take this kitten to adjust.

While it's not always an option, perhaps this getting a second cat (a litter mate or buddy) would be beneficial? Especially since you work full time? Most cats that have grown up with playmates do better having another cat around in the new home, this can be more true when the owner is gone most of the day. Just something to think about.

meekzmilly · Sep 21, 2014

CatPack said:
Just curious. What did the lady you adopted her from say about kitty's personality? Is she quiet, reserved, independent, outgoing, plays well with others?

That might give an idea of how long it might take this kitten to adjust.

While it's not always an option, perhaps this getting a second cat (a litter mate or buddy) would be beneficial? Especially since you work full time? Most cats that have grown up with playmates do better having another cat around in the new home, this can be more true when the owner is gone most of the day. Just something to think about.

I actually had planned on adopting her and her sister but I had got a little nervous about taking them both in and if I would be able to handle it, but now I am kinda feeling like maybe I should have and maybe it would have been easier for her to adjust with her sister here with her.

This is what she posted about her when she listed her for adoption back on July 26th

"She is a sweetheart, very calm and laid back. A little scared of fast movements but is coming around more & more every day. She likes being held and has the softish, cute purr. She seems the leader of her littermates."

So I can now see why it's taking her some time.

meekzmilly · Sep 21, 2014

here's my stella

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meekzmilly
Sep 21, 2014

catpack · Sep 21, 2014

Stella is very cute!

I would reconsider getting a buddy for her, especially since she is timid. Is her sister still available? This would be even better if one of the litter mates is more outgoing. She can watch how they interact with you and follow suit. I'd still encourage you to keep both confined while they are adjusting.

slykat12 · Sep 21, 2014

Stella is a doll. Because she has been free to stroll and explore the whole house for so long it may be best you just let her continue. The initial (small room) thing is for the second they arrive. I think to confine her so late in the game would double traumatize her.

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