New Cat Has Been Hiding For Three Days

[Michelle_Danielle]

My husband and I just got another cat, she is very shy around us and the moment we brought her out of the crate she hid under the bed. She has been hiding from us ever since and has only come out occasionally to interact for at most 2-3 minutes. She also comes out to eat and use the box while we are sleeping.

Her previous owner said she is usually outgoing, she is around 6 months old and was raised with her dad and siblings.

what I am wondering is how can we help her feel more welcome and comfortable? We got her treats and toys according to what her previous owner says she enjoys but we aren't making much progress. How long does it usually take for a rehomed cat to adjust to their new home? Is this normal behavior that will pass?

 

[mwallace056]

Do you have her in a small room? I'd start going in there everyday and just sit on the floor, read a book, maybe talk to her.

here some articles that should help
How To Get A Cat To Come Out Of Hiding?
16 Top Cat Experts Share Tips For Dealing With Timid Cats
How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home
10 Must-know Tips For Happy Living With A Shy Cat
Six Surefire Strategies To Reduce Stress In Cats

 

[susanm9006]

Some cats come out immediately but is more common is for the new cat to hide. How long they hide is really variable depending on their personality, past history, their age and whether they are other pets in the household. So anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Yours is still a kitten so I wouldn’t expect it will take weeks but you just need to let her set her own pace. Talk to her softly but don’t try to pick her up or find her hiding spot. She will come out to you (and the treats and the toys) when she is feeling safer. While you are sleeping she will probably do some exploring and getting comfortable.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Once upon a Bronze age we had two little 5 month old boys fostered. For about a solid week, they hid in their little room we set up for them under blankets and behind things. No hissing, no aggression, just scared.
Most cats are more active in the early morning (4:00AM isn't a stretch) and later in the evening (9 or 10:00PM and on), and naturally sleep or "hide out" (if they're scared) by day. They wanted nothing to do with us during the day, but one night the braver of the two sniffed my outstretched hand, cheek rubbed it, then wouldn't let me alone. A few days later, these kittens were nick named "Monkey Brothers" because they ran everywhere, leaped onto stuff, leaped onto US, killed many boxes and toys, and caused mayhem. Just the way we like it.
At 6 months, natural curiosity will more than likely take over eventually. Just be available but don't force it. Maybe in another few weeks you'll be back on here, posting "I can't keep this kitten out of my lap or off my face. She's into everything, knocking things over, what can we do to curb this?" like so many of us have!

 

[ArtNJ]

You already got all the right advice so I'll just say congratulations, you are now one of um, maybe 11 million current cat owners that have had a new kitten hide under a bed. Welcome to the club!

Maybe veteran owners prefer setting a new kitten up in a spare room without a bed to make it easier to get to know the kitten a bit more quickly, but then again, having somewhere to hide helps the kitten feel comfortable, so its not necessarily a bad thing. Unless that is the bed you sleep in and you have sleep apnea and restless leg like I do...imagine how flipping terrifying that would be for a kitten. Or unless your bed is, um active, and you didn't really think things through lol. None of that now, don't want to blow the kitten's little mind!

 

[1 bruce 1]

You already got all the right advice so I'll just say congratulations, you are now one of um, maybe 11 million current cat owners that have had a new kitten hide under a bed. Welcome to the club!

Maybe veteran owners prefer setting a new kitten up in a spare room without a bed to make it easier to get to know the kitten a bit more quickly, but then again, having somewhere to hide helps the kitten feel comfortable, so its not necessarily a bad thing. Unless that is the bed you sleep in and you have sleep apnea and restless leg like I do...imagine how flipping terrifying that would be for a kitten. Or unless your bed is, um active, and you didn't really think things through lol. None of that now!

We had a kitten hide so well that he was in a 4 inch wide space behind a large vanity dresser. We couldn't find him for hours! Talk about panic!
M Michelle_Danielle , another option is providing things like a box (or two) on their side so the opening is parallel to the ground. Tuck it along side a wall, with the opening facing the connecting wall with about 6-8 inches of space to go in and out. It's a nice hiding place for them, but gets boring soon so she'll hopefully be out and active!
A thing on a string (feathers, etc.) is good to get some interest going when she does get brave enough to explore while you're in the room. Start by leaving it on the ground, and when she shows interest, wiggle it. (Resist the urge to swing it all over the place, that will come later!) Build her confidence up, let her be a mighty hunter in your presence and consider it "you and her vs. the prey on the wand" and not "you vs. her", if that makes sense. Make it a cooperative kill.

 

[ArtNJ]

We had a kitten hide so well that he was in a 4 inch wide space behind a large vanity dresser. We couldn't find him for hours! Talk about panic!

Yeah, things can go bad without a safe room, or if they escape it. Although in your case you probably thought it was a perfectly good safe room!

A young girl died a few months back. Her new scared kitten was behind the washing machine, and the young girl squeezed back there, and I don't know exactly what happened, but we should definitely keep recommending a safe room not be skipped for new additions.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Yeah, things can go bad without a safe room, or if they escape it. Although in your case you probably thought it was a perfectly good safe room!

A young girl died a few months back. Her new scared kitten was behind the washing machine, and the young girl squeezed back there, and I don't know exactly what happened, but we should definitely keep recommending a safe room not be skipped for new additions.

And kitten proofed.
Bedrooms need to have breakables, heavy objects that could fall onto a small cat, etc., removed and cords hidden/taken up to discourage chewing. And bathrooms, keep the toilet lid shut unless you're into snuggling a cat that's soaked with toilet water. (Learned that one the hard way.)
When we did some work a year or so ago, we had a bookshelf bolted to the wall. It's not an overly large bookshelf, but I could see one or two of my more daft cats hopping onto it, missing, hanging on, and somehow managing to bring it down. It would be heavy enough to kill them.
So if we get a visit from a tornado and you see a hunk of drywall with a bookshelf bolted to it flying through the air, consider it a "howdy" from me.

 

[sabian]

This isn't abnormal at all. You could go in and lay beside the bed and talk to her or, just read a book or something. Throw her a treat now and then. Time and patience works wonders. She'll come around in time....when she's ready and feels comfortable.