Community Chat

[Demitra1]

It has been almost two months since our beloved cat passed away. I just happened to see a similar colored one on Facebook that was in another town at a rescue shelter. We went yesterday and spent a little time with him and decided to adopt. He is almost 6 months old. Well, sadly he doesn't seem to want anything to do with us. He has explored everywhere, but then hid under a large piece of furniture in the living room all evening and night. This morning, I saw that he had used the litter box (good!) and possibly ate a little of his food. My DH had to get down and pull him out of his hiding place. He liked being petted a minute, but then wanted to take off again. We put him in his carrier where he is now napping. I am bummed because I want to love on him so bad. Our other two cats didn't display this behavior from the start. My question is, what should we do? I'm looking for suggestions for how to make him feel safe and "at home". Will it just take time or what? TIA. Demitra

[Plaid Pants2]

Give the cat time to get acclimated to his new surroundings!

He just went through something stressful, and now he has strangers "yanking" him from his safety spots.

Once he feels comfortable, he'll come out of hiding.

But he'll do it on HIS time, not yours.

[Colonel Meow]

Time. That's my best suggestion. All of my cats have been rescues (in one way or another), and each of them warmed up to me in their own way and on their own time. As you undoubtedly know, felines are mercurial creatures... that's why we love them, lol!

[SydneyH]

Do not approach the cat, allow it to become accustomed to its surrounding. This may take several weeks.

[rarejan]

I agree. It takes time. I had one rescue that took a full year before he would let me pet him. Talk to him. Don't make any sudden moves towards him to make him feel threatened. If you see him venture out, be still if you can. He'll come around.

[Pashmina_1]

Who knows what the poor little guy has been through? I agree, give him time and I am sure he will warm up to the both of you. Congratulations BTW!

[Preds]

Let him come to you. Ignore him, but have everything available to him. Do your normal routine and he will wander out, observe, and follow. Give him time to make his own space and it will work out fine. The more you try, the more he may resist. Let him be the judge.

[dooBdoo]

If at all possible, start him out with access to only a small part of the house so he can get acclimated.

Then, slowly open up more of the house once he feels a wee bit more at home. Sometimes all the new sights and scents are overwhelming, and a new cat feels more secure in a smaller space. Having the run of the house too soon can be overstimulating and scary.

demitra, Bless you for giving this little one a permanent home.

[Plaid Pants2]

On 3/29/2015 Preds said:

Let him come to you. Ignore him, but have everything available to him. Do your normal routine and he will wander out, observe, and follow. Give him time to make his own space and it will work out fine. The more you try, the more he may resist. Let him be the judge.

Right.

A cat has to feel safe and secure in their surroundings.

Maybe try to engage him in play, by dragging a feather on a string around, but, and I can not stress this enough, DO NOT PUSH HIM FOR MORE THAN HE IS READY FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KathyPet]

When I adopted our two rescue kittens at 4 months I put them in a empty spare bedroom with their food , water and litter. there was a bureau in the room but that was all. Every day,I,would go in and sit quietly on the floor and wait for them to.come out from under the bureau. Slowly over a few days they started coming to me. I never went to them. I just waited quietly for them to come to,me. After 3 days they would come up and sniff around me. I started gently petting them. After a week they were climbing into my lap.