New cat avoiding bed?

Hi I am new to this website!  I have a question about puzzling behavior in a new cat we adopted.

We have a few other cats, but we got them all when they were kittens and they all have their adorable personalities, but all of them have no care for personal space.

This new cat we adopted is a little over a year old.  We got her from the shelter but they said when they went to have her fixed that she already was and her ear isn't clipped so even though she was found as a stray and no one claimed her, it seems as if at one point she had a home.

We've had her since yesterday, not long enough to really know her yet, but she really puzzles me.  We have her in the bedroom for now, since we have to slowly introduce everyone and she seems fine with it.  She's eating and drinking and using the litter box okay and is rubbing our legs and meowing.  She seems to like her own space, she hasn't tried darting out to see the rest of the house like the other cats did when we adopted a new one.

The question I have is why does she avoid the bed?  My other cats would kill to sleep in the bed cuddled to us, but every time I put the new cat on the bed she just stands there for a minute confused then jumps down quickly and never tries to get on it herself.  I find her sleeping at the bottom of the bed on a table we have flush up against the bed.  She's fine there and that's where she lays like 90 percent of the day... it doesn't look very comfy!  I was going to put a blanket there for her or something, but I was afraid I'd scare her off since she seemed to be avoiding the bed for some reason.

I'm also afraid when she finally comes out into the rest of the house she'll avoid the couch and all the other comfy furniture the other cats enjoy.

When I go in there to play with her and sit on the bed she looks up at me upset she can't rub up against me, but doesn't want to get on the bed to play so I have to pick her up (which she lets me) but then she leaves quickly or sit on the floor with her.  (The bed isn't that high off the ground, the table she sleeps on is flush with it so she could get up there if she wanted, but she doesn't want to)

What could be causing this?  I know it will take time to adjust her behavior, but I'm clueless how to begin!  Any tips?

Hi and welcome to TCS.

I don't think there's too much of a problem right now. It could be that she wasn't allowed on top of various furniture in her old home (assuming she had one) or, that being on top of things right now makes her feel too exposed.  

Our second cat didn't get up on anything either for quite a while and she too, wouldn't stay there if you put her onto whatever it was.  It took her getting accustomed to us, and our home for her to feel comfortable enough to check out the more comfortable options available to her.

I personally wouldn't push the issue right now being it's only a day you've had her. If you really want to entice her you can try playing with her on the bed with a wand type toy or, feeding her some tasty treats she likes.  Both will help her realize good things happen when ON the bed/couch etc.  And that she won't be punished for doing so either - if she was in the past.  

It can take some time for any cat to acclimate to a new home.  Some do right off, our older boy did, but others need more patience. I'm sure she'll get there eventually; cats are too curious!

One of our cats we rescued was the same way.  We figured it was because whoever owned her previously didn't allow her up on furniture.

It took a couple weeks, but she finally got used to fact that she was allowed up on the furniture.

Have some patience, and she'll acclimate to how things are in your household.