Adopted my baby 2 weeks ago.

[ezrafitch]

About 2.5 weeks ago I adopted a sweet 3 yr old male and he seems to be very scared. I was told to leave him the bathroom for a couple days when i got him but i felt bad and let him out. I only let him out because he was doing so great in there! after one day he was begging for attention. I then let him out and he would come to me only when i was sitting on the floor he was doing great. He then found a very comfy place in a closet very far from my room and everything else. Now only when im laying down on the couch he comes and lays on me and loves to be touched almost as is hes known me since birth. But when i get up forget it he dashes off into the the closet and only when i am not home or on the couch is when he eats or uses the litter box. If i am in my room and i get up for water and he sees me he dashes off into the closet. What should i do? 

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• ezrafitch
• Mar 19, 2014

 

[mservant]

First I want to say how gorgeous your cat is, his stripe markings are really beautiful.  It is a good sign that he is coming to you and laying on you when you are still.  Enjoy this.  It does sound like he is very nervous at this point.  If you feel he wants to be active and not to be shut in a small place allow him to choose where he is, and when he feels safe to come out.  Make sure too that he has easily accessible hiding places and high spaces that he can claim and start to use around the home so that he might start to feel he can be somewhere other than the closet.  Give him time with this.

If you move slowly and quietly does it make any difference, or does any movement startle him too much? 

If he hides and will not enter in to play with you, it is worth spending quiet time with him, outside the closet where he hides but not interacting directly with him.  Try talking calmly or reading aloud, sit listening to soothing music, reading magazines and fiddling with the edges of the paper. Have a feather wand or fishing rod type toy you can fiddle with and perhaps catch his attention, and offer him his food in his safe space and stay close until he eats it.  Offer him treats, and gradually try to get closer to him while he is eating so that you can touch him or get him to take the food from you if possible.  

Using something to help calm him might assist as well, Feliway diffuser/s in the areas he is in, and or Bach / flower remedies that help cats to calm.  These are not sudden influences that you see as soon as you start to use them but gradual over a number of days.  If you use and see an improvement you keep using them for several weeks to help your cat settle.

Will be sending good vibes that your cat feels safer and more relaxed soon, and that you are able to share your home more with him as you want to do. 

 

[ezrafitch]

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• ezrafitch
• Mar 19, 2014

Thanks! Anyway so much for that! He came all the way to my room and did this after a few love bites lol

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Sounds like he's doing great to me!  I don't think I can add anything to MServant's tips.  I agree; he just needs time.

 

 

[mservant]

He may be a little jumpy and anxious but it looks and sounds like he's fallen for his new human. 

   I hope he continues to snuggle in, and settles soon.

 

[stephiedoodle]

He sounds like he's settled in brilliantly just make sure there are no major changed to the house hold until he's well and truly settled like the additions of new furniture redecoration or any major refurbishment! Obviously these things can't always be avoided but they are likely to cause a few behavioural problems.