My new kitty is hiding

[aweston39]

My new kitty, who is a female 3 year old declawed cat is hiding and will not come out .

We got her from a rescue where she was in foster care.

She is eating and using her litter box but won't come out if we are anywhere in the room.

This has been going on since Monday afternoon, it is now Friday.

She is not aggressive and makes no noises at all

We confined her to a single room with food, litter toys and places for her to hide.

She will sometimes stare at us from her corner and if we try to pet her, she will let us.

Any ideas on how long it will take for her to get used to us?

I feel like I have a Ghost Cat.

Any advice would be appreciated

Thank you

 

[GoldyCat]

Welcome to TCS. Congratulations on your new kitty. What is her name? We'd love to see pictures, once she comes out of hiding.

Four days is really not very long for a cat to start feeling comfortable in a new environment. As long as she's eating and using the litter box I would leave her alone and let her come out on her own. You can sit in the room with her and talk to her quietly, or read aloud, to get her used to the sound of your voice. Don't try to pet her unless she comes to you, and then let her decide if she want to be next to you or on your lap.

The process could take a couple of weeks or months depending on the cat. Did the foster parent tell you anything about her? Was she a scaredy-cat in the foster home or more outgoing? Do you have other animals in the house? Do you know how long it's been since she was declawed? All of these things can affect the way a cat reacts to a new situation.

I'm going to move this thread to the Behavior forum because I think you'll get more advice there.

 

[callista]

Poor girl. She's just had a huge change. But if she feels secure enough to eat and use the litter box, that is a step in the right direction. The declawing could be part of it, which I think you may already suspect since you mentioned it--without her claws, she may not feel as secure.

Just being there in the room with her will be a good thing. Let her come to you. If she approaches you, try putting out your hand for her to sniff. At first she may sniff it and then withdraw. You know she's ready for petting if she rubs her face on your hand, or bumps her head against it. Just try stroking the sides of her face at first, so that she will know exactly where your hand is--no surprises. Bring a few treats with you, or feed her in small meals and bring in a bit of food every time you come. Let her associate you with good things--food, a clean litter box, quiet company.

Can you get in touch with the people who fostered her? The shelter could give you their phone number. She was probably similarly scared when she first entered the foster home. Ask them what they did to help her, and what makes her feel most secure. That she had to be fostered as opposed to staying in a shelter does imply that she is naturally nervous; nervous cats don't do too well in shelters, but many blossom in a quiet home.

Give her lots of hidey-holes that she can use and feel safe in. And when you interact with her, always give her space so that she can retreat if she feels nervous.

If it does take a while for her to calm down, don't worry. Some cats are naturally shy, quiet observers. She may always love hidey-holes, but she'll gradually become more and more interested and less and less frightened of the world around her. Eventually she will become comfortable, even if she is never a confident, outgoing cat. A cat can be shy and still be thoroughly happy--so don't worry if her temperament lends itself more to hiding and watching than to being underfoot!

Ditto on the photos!

 

[aweston39]

Thank you for your response.

I do sit in the room with her when I can.

She can see me and I talk to her.

I spoke to the organization where i got her from, they say she had a brother but they did not feel they needed to be adopted together.

At the foster home, she did not pay much attention to him.

Her history is that she was living with a family with her brother and they could no longer afford to care for them.

She went into a rescue where she was at Pet Smart until she went to a foster home.

 I was told she was very sweet but not aggressive.

I am concerned that she has not made any sounds at all since we got her.

She is a tortie.

She loves to eat.

I gave her a piece of Dried Bonito flakes.

That she liked a lot.

Should I try to pick her up and hold her?

She doesn't seem to mind when my husband does.

Our last kitty, who just passed away was friendly from day 1.

My experience with kitties is limited.

Thank you for your time

l

 

[aweston39]

Happy Days, Kitty is no longer hiding for long periods of time.

Now, she wants to be near me all the time.

I just love it!!

Tori is very curious and tries to get into everything.

Including my dresser drawer this morning.

Thanks to all of your advice, she is doing beautifully.

The first week was a little hard but I really feel she will be a delightful addition to our family.

aweston39

 

[callista]

Awww, yay for snuggly kitty! I think she's figured out she's landed on her feet!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Yay!  So glad to hear this!