new kitten NOT friendly

[dayna rita]

We adopted a kitten yesterday. She is very scared, she was a "stray" the shelter she was there for 4 months, she was in a high kill shelter before this one  she was in like a closet side room sometimes with cats.... She was visited by someone to care for the cats, but she was always very frightened.

The shelter was maintained well but but noisy they had every kind of animals, dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, pigs & horses, all the noises seemed to scare her. IT was a bad environment for a scaredy cat... For the last two days she has been closed off in my room by herself. My cats and I have been camping out in the living room. 

She's scared and hisses at me when I come near her. I haven't ACTUALLY held he like any of my other 3 cats. I know she's scared and I'm not trying to push it. I was wondering if people think she might be "Feral" even though she has never been outside, she doesn't seem to like people, it took forever for them to get her in a cage so I could meet her.  She seems fine with other cats... they regularly switched up the cats she was in the room with.

What things can I do so I can get her use to me? I don't think I want my cats to meet her until we have bonded a bit. I'm hoping to TRY to sleep in my room tomorrow night.

Any advice would be great. I just want to give this little princess a chance in a clean, quiet, loving environment. 

 

[krissy marissy]

I've seen them recommend just talking to her, or reading aloud. Get her used to your voice. Can you toss in a shirt with your scent or just go sit in the room wth her, but don't touch her? Slowly lure her to you with treats? The important thing is to let her come to you. I'm really not sure how to help, but I do hope things work out! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[raina21]

She likely was never properly socialized around people. This is actually a problem with kittens who have been in shelters for most of their lives, many don't get enough attention from people or they haven't been handled enough to trust people yet. It's a very common behavioral issue and it's not that hard to deal with. It might take a little bit of time. But she will eventually trust you.

This article has a video that is actually very helpful on this subject:

http://www.petful.com/behaviors/cats-shy-around-people/

You can also try lying down flat on your back (sitting can work for some cats too, but the ones that are most fearful tend to respond better if you are lying down) near her hiding place, you can either turn your head away from her or look at her and blink slowly, this communicates to her that you are relaxed, (non-threatening) and by laying down, you are putting yourself on her level, and she won't think of you as a threat.

Once she calms down a bit you can try talking to her in a soft voice and maybe offering her some food or treats, and trying to play with her with a wand/ fishing pole toy, so she can begin to associate interaction with you with fun playtime and yummy food.

 

[miagi's_mommy]

It can take a cat weeks - months to bond with you, so I wouldn't expect anything of her so soon, especially sleeping with you but she'll get there. She is terrified, in a new environment. And it's a big change from a noisy place, to a quiet home. She probably has had little to no contact with humans if she was a stray. She could have been born a stray.

I would try to see if you can buy her love with treats (not too many of course) and toys. She will eventually learn you are her caretaker and start to trust you. But don't expect it to happen over night. She'll come around.

 

[Sarthur2]

Yes, it can take some time. I would move back into your room though. She does not need to be utterly alone all the time. Also, purchase and plug in a Felliway diffuser in your room. It will help to calm her. You are a saint for adopting her! Let us know how it goes! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[dayna rita]

Update one: she's been using her liter pan and eating her wet food. There is little hairs floating around in her water bowl... Not sure if she's eating dry food. She still is hiding from me. I won't reach for her but getting down really low and talking gently seems to be working with her. She no longer is glaring at me she actually fell asleep.

Still hissing at me at first and not interested in any toys or a laser pointer. I'm still gonna try tho. I think that's progress!

 

[krissy marissy]

Baby steps!

 

[Sarthur2]

That's actually great progress in a short period. I'm glad to hear she's eating. Just give her fresh water each day. She will get interested in toys when she becomes more relaxed! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[dayna rita]

Kitten update: She's moving around the room, not while i'm in there. She has been drinking, eating, and using the liter pan. She has NO interest in playing. I"ve never met a kitten who doesn't wanna play with the fishpole feather toy. She's letting it near her. The first day she hissed like crazy. My other cats were crying at my bedroom door. So my most loving I brought in and tried to show him the kitten. I didn't think it was going to go well... I know how he was when we got another job before... but when she saw him, she came almost all the way of her hiding spot meowing. She really wants another cat friend. i'm almost wondering if that would make it easier for her to trust me. my big guy hissed and I was getting mad.

my 1 year old cat, also very scary of other people, not me. and sounds and things like that, came in. He was actually scared of her, but didn't hiss. I thought this was be the least likely pair, apart from my female... I'm wondering if I should bring my 1 year old in more because he might actually "play" with her and see him trusting me and see that I am good, and she doesn't need to be scared... or does that sound like a back idea. I normally wouldn't introduce so soon, but I just really want her to be comfortable. I'm sure she misses her cat friends.

For the rest of the night, when my old guy meowed to come, she would meow back at him. She has the sweestest little meow. 

Let me know what you guys think

 

[dayna rita]

I wasn't getting mad at the first cat, hissing at the kitten... He was getting mad and growling... I just wanted to make sure that was clear. I'm never really mad at cats for doing cat things.

 

[Sarthur2]

I definitely think you should bring in your cat who was not hissing, and let them try to make friends. The kitten sounds eager to do so, and it would really help her out. She sounds lonely and scared! Of course, supervise in the beginning, but it sounds like it might do the trick. Let us know! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[dayna rita]

New Kitten update:

She still isn't a fan of people. She hisses whenever I come in her room and she runs back to hiding spot. She doesn't go completely into hiding tho. Although she was hissing at first we are petting her a little and she's not scratching or biting and stops hissing. She's not purring - she does purr  when she's playing with my one year old cat. He has spent the most time with her, but he rather not be locked in the room with her. She's so desperate for kitty interaction. The other two cats HATE her. They growl and hiss but they have both spent the night in the room with me and her and everyone has slept and neither attacked one another. The kitten just really want to be with other cats. 

I was curious on any ideas on how to her more comfortable with us?

 

[Sarthur2]

I think at this point just the passage of time will lead to all the cats accepting one another. You can also plug in a Felliway diffuser in the main room where the cats spend most of the time. It emits pheromones that only cats can smell, but that tend to calm them. It's great that they've all spent the night together with you without a problem.

No cat is closed up alone anymore, right?

 

[dayna rita]

Kitten Update:
I got the defuser not sure if it really helps with my older cats. The oldest hisses and growls at the sight of the kitten. My second oldest growls and hisses and then retires to my bed but will not leave my bed for the liter pan or food until I hold the door open for her to leave my room in the morning.

The kitten however is playing w us now. And I've pet her several times. And she purrs. She's still very skiddish when I enter the room but last night she kept coming up on my bed to see what I was doing. Bc I had her feather toy which she just loves.

If I'm sitting on the floor she won't come over to me but if I reach forward slowly she'll let me pet her. I'm not sure how much more time she has in my room... She's curious about outside the door and left once and ran back in the room.

Do u guys think a week or two more and then she can leave - I just don't wanna let her in the rest of the house too soon I feel like I'll never see her again.

 

[Sarthur2]

Where is the diffuser plugged in?

I think you should use your instincts and give the kitten as much time to adjust as it needs. How long has it been?