New Cat Hiding Won't Come Out

princess kitty

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Hi there, I'm new here.
I had a cat for about 16yrs then he died 2 years ago. So I just went and got a new cat from a shelter, she's the cutest thing and looks just like my first cat that I had. This new cat is 4 yrs old. So we brought her home yesterday, and she has been hiding ever since, is this normal? My first cat I got when he was a kitten and he didn't hide like this so I was just wondering, this is my first time getting a non kitten cat.
What can I do to make her come out, or should I wait till she feels comfortable? Thanks.
 

larke

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It's normal, after all your house is totally strange (and so are you) so she's scared, and smells and noises are all diff. too. Don't try to force her out, but do spend time in the room, just being quiet, tho' do talk to her, and leave some food in a saucer nearby to tempt her out, though don't make a big fuss the first time she goes for it. Make sure there's water and a litter box nearby (they can always be moved later on) and that she feels safe - no little kids running in and out, no const. noises outside the window, etc. (well, hard to avoid, but you know what I mean). Try jiggling a knotted cord near her and pulling it slowly away. She may not pounce the first or second times, but give her a few days.
 

lukin28

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Give her some time. Im sure it will work out. The biggest mistake people make is not being patient! they end up returning the cat because they didnt play right away. When I moved to my house, my cat hid for a couple weeks, then we got a dog and he was in the closet for 2 months!! They get tired of it after awhile.... they will come out.
Good luck, she should come out faster for you if you just keep spending time with her.
 

witchykitty

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I agree, give her some time. My kitty hid for about a day before she came out. I'd offer some treats and let her sniff your hand so she knows you won't hurt her. One of the biggest mistakes people make when they meet a kitty is not to greet them properly by letting them sniff you. She needs to sniff around to get to know the place. I'd make sure there aren't any really loud or jarring noises at first, too.
 
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princess kitty

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[font=Comic Sans <br /><br />MS]Okay cool!
Thanks everyone for the advice, yeah I guess she does need time to get used to things.
She's hiding under the bed, and she looks at me when I get down to talk to her, so I think she just needs time then she will venture out.



[/font]
 

misty8723

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When we first got Cindy, she was under the bed too. Hubby and I would both go in there (separately) often and just lay on the floor on the side of the bed and talk to her. I would occasionally push a treat in to her, and sometimes just put my finger so she could sniff. I was truthfully worried she would be one of those kitties who hide out all the time, but right now she's out in the kitchen scouting for bugs and a few minutes ago we were playing belt under the rug.

Like everyone says, be patient, and work at getting her to know and trust you. It's really, really worth the effort
.
 

vik61

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When she does come out you might try keeping her in one room for awhile--she would probably prefer it to start.

It'll be all the more special when she does become comfortable. Lord knows the trouble your new cat has seen...
 

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We got Tigger from a special no-kill shelter and got some counseling on how to bring her home, etc. They recommended putting her in one room or floor (we put her in the basement) and put food and a litter box down there. Then we had somewhere to go so we left for a couple hours. She stayed down there a couple of days, but she would come to me when I went down to feed her. Eventually she decided she wanted to see what we did up here! Just give her some time, and make sure she can take care of her basic needs in private for a bit. I hope you are going to give us pictures!
 

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No worries. it's completely normal. When I brought home Polly she did the same thing. I was nervous because Molly, the cat we got before her settled in so easily, but soon she became much more outgoing. Now she is the social one and Molly is the quieter, shyer one.
 

yosemite

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One day of hiding - perfectly A-OK.

When we brought our dear (now deceased) Simba home he was 6 months old and terrified of his new surroundings. We isolated him in our bedroom where he hid behind our waterbed headboard for 1 complete month. We would spend time in the bedroom (on the bed) just talking to him behind the headboard, dropping the occasional treat and just being in there watching TV (yes, my husband insists on a TV in the bedroom
).

Put the food and water in one corner of the room and the litter in another.

Patience and love won over our Simba and he became a real lap cat and loved to be carried around like a baby in our arms. He was definitely worth the 1 month wait. I remember after about 1 week my husband wanted to take him back to the breeder but the good folks on this site recommended the isolation to one room and the patience. It paid off big time and there wasn't a more loving and affectionate cat.
 
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princess kitty

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Originally Posted by Misty8723

When we first got Cindy, she was under the bed too. Hubby and I would both go in there (separately) often and just lay on the floor on the side of the bed and talk to her. I would occasionally push a treat in to her, and sometimes just put my finger so she could sniff. I was truthfully worried she would be one of those kitties who hide out all the time, but right now she's out in the kitchen scouting for bugs and a few minutes ago we were playing belt under the rug.

Like everyone says, be patient, and work at getting her to know and trust you. It's really, really worth the effort
.
Okay thanks, that's what I'll do.



 
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princess kitty

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Originally Posted by Vik61

When she does come out you might try keeping her in one room for awhile--she would probably prefer it to start.

It'll be all the more special when she does become comfortable. Lord knows the trouble your new cat has seen...
Yes, I was thinking about that too, we don't know why or how she ended up at the shelter. So I will be patient, she will be fine.



 
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princess kitty

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Originally Posted by kluchetta

We got Tigger from a special no-kill shelter and got some counseling on how to bring her home, etc. They recommended putting her in one room or floor (we put her in the basement) and put food and a litter box down there. Then we had somewhere to go so we left for a couple hours. She stayed down there a couple of days, but she would come to me when I went down to feed her. Eventually she decided she wanted to see what we did up here! Just give her some time, and make sure she can take care of her basic needs in private for a bit. I hope you are going to give us pictures!
Oh okay cool, yes I will try to get some good pictures of her.



 
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princess kitty

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Originally Posted by Mollysmom

No worries. it's completely normal. When I brought home Polly she did the same thing. I was nervous because Molly, the cat we got before her settled in so easily, but soon she became much more outgoing. Now she is the social one and Molly is the quieter, shyer one.
LOL! Okay cool!



 
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princess kitty

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

One day of hiding - perfectly A-OK.

When we brought our dear (now deceased) Simba home he was 6 months old and terrified of his new surroundings. We isolated him in our bedroom where he hid behind our waterbed headboard for 1 complete month. We would spend time in the bedroom (on the bed) just talking to him behind the headboard, dropping the occasional treat and just being in there watching TV (yes, my husband insists on a TV in the bedroom
).

Put the food and water in one corner of the room and the litter in another.

Patience and love won over our Simba and he became a real lap cat and loved to be carried around like a baby in our arms. He was definitely worth the 1 month wait. I remember after about 1 week my husband wanted to take him back to the breeder but the good folks on this site recommended the isolation to one room and the patience. It paid off big time and there wasn't a more loving and affectionate cat.
LOL! Okay cool!
That makes me feel better.



 

perfectfit1961

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Cats are funny creatures.

I remember when I got my first cat Whiskers. She was 8 weeks old when I first got her and the owners had never socialized her or her littermates. They were kept alone in a bedroom with thier mother.
When she came to my home, she tried to hide behind the refrigerator. I managed to get her out from behind it and blocked it off. I put her and her food, water and litterpan in my bedroom and she hid under my dresser for a few days.
I left her in there but left the bedroom door open and talked to her from the livingroom (it was a tiny apartment...you could see into my bedroom from the livingroom) and she eventually came out. I had her for 15 years and she took over my armchair as her own sleeping spot when I was not using it.
It takes time. Just be patient.
 
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princess kitty

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Originally Posted by perfectfit1961

Cats are funny creatures.

I remember when I got my first cat Whiskers. She was 8 weeks old when I first got her and the owners had never socialized her or her littermates. They were kept alone in a bedroom with thier mother.
When she came to my home, she tried to hide behind the refrigerator. I managed to get her out from behind it and blocked it off. I put her and her food, water and litterpan in my bedroom and she hid under my dresser for a few days.
I left her in there but left the bedroom door open and talked to her from the livingroom (it was a tiny apartment...you could see into my bedroom from the livingroom) and she eventually came out. I had her for 15 years and she took over my armchair as her own sleeping spot when I was not using it.
It takes time. Just be patient.
Okay cool thanks.
Good news, I caught her exploring last night! Yay! LOL!
When I woke up and turned on the light, I saw her coming from another room and she came back and went under the bed again when she saw I was awake. LOL! So she's getting there, she was out exploring her new home.



 
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princess kitty

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My Kitty came out friday! Yay! She is the sweetest little thing!
When I got down to talk to her under the bed like I had been doing since we got her, Friday she meowed back to me then slowly cautiously stuck her head out then I told her it's okay come on out and she came out! Yay! She let me pet her and rub her and she sat on my lap and was purring.
So progress is being made.
She still goes back to her hiding place but she always come out when I talk to her then she will come out and let me pet her then when I do somehting else she will go back to her spot. So she's getting there! Aawww!



 

mongo

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I am so glad to hear that you are making progress with her. My cat, Pia, was like that when I brought her home. She hid behind the refrigerator for weeks, only coming out at night to eat and use the litterbox.

I was very patient with her and earned her trust. She turned out to be a very affectionate cat.

Mongo
 
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