Been One Week, New Cat Still Hiding/can't Touch

[trizzo0309]

Hello all. So, here's the shortened version of a long story:

Adopted a new 2 year old cat from a rescue on last Monday.

When we brought him home he was scared to death (reasonably so), shook, we couldn't pet him and he hid under our bed/dresser.

We have him in our bedroom with the door closed and his food/water/litter box all nearby so no other pets can come in and disturb him.

Since we got him he really hasn't warmed up to us or the place at all. We have soothing music on in the background all day, spent a little time in the room with him all quiet and sweet talk him but he just stares at us. We can't really get near him because he wedges himself against the wall and when we look at him much he hisses even after we do the soft/slow blinks.

We have given him catnip which he enjoys but still can't get near him and he doesn't come out from under the bed/dresser to socialize or even explore the room while we are around. We have seen him roam in the morning while we are sleeping but as soon as he sees we are awake he runs and hides.

What do you guys think we should do to warm him up to us? It's been seven days and I know this takes time but we at least want to see some process (haha). Any tips are appreciated as we want to turn this scared cat into someone who can trust us because the rescue said it took a bit of time for him to warm up to people. We have three other cats who we want to be his friend but don't want to introduce them into the new cat is comfortable with us and at least comes out of the bed. We haven't even seen him all the way since he hides!

Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

 

[mizzely]

Here is some of the advice you've already received so people know what has already been said: How Can I Warm Up My New Cat? Trying Everything.

 

[Kieka]

Do you know anything about his background?

Honestly, he sounds feral or poorly socialized and scared out of his wits. I would almost just search on adult feral socialization tips and start over. There was a thread not too long ago where someone had excellent progress just going back to the beginning and crating a scared cat for socializing.

I know crates can be a dirty word but for sick or scared cats they can be wonderful. With a scared cat it is short term so they can feel safe and be exposed. The thing is that allowing him to hide is counterproductive and is allowing him to develop the habit of hiding. The other option would be to block off the hiding spaces. Whichever you still don't push him, talk quietly, etc but he can't hide so he doesn't think he is hidden.... which sounds weird but the slight change makes a big difference.

If I can find the thread I will add it.

Found it Crate Training to Socialize a Stray Rescue

 

[trizzo0309]

He was a feral for six months, then at a rescue for 18 months where they said he took a while to acclimate but became super lovey over time. Thank you for the information.

Unfortunately, in order to block off the hiding space we would have to forcibly get him out of under the bed which I don't think will go well.

He has plenty of room under the bed and under the dresser if he wants it but it's just sad having a cat for a week and not being able to pet him or even see his full self once. Breaks my heart.

 

[tabbytom]

.................
He has plenty of room under the bed and under the dresser if he wants it but it's just sad having a cat for a week and not being able to pet him or even see his full self once. Breaks my heart.

Get a big sturdy cardboard box for him so that he can use it instead of hiding under the bed or dresser. Cut a few holes here and there so that he can look out and you can see him while he's in the box. One big and one small opening at both ends so it's not a dead end for him. He can enter and leave either from front and back. It's much better than under the bed or dresser.

 

[trizzo0309]

Get a big sturdy cardboard box for him so that he can use it instead of hiding under the bed or dresser. Cut a few holes here and there so that he can look out and you can see him while he's in the box. One big and one small opening at both ends so it's not a dead end for him. He can enter and leave either from front and back. It's much better than under the bed or dresser.

We actually have that! We have a cardboard box with a blanket in it for him to sleep or play in and he prefers under the bed. Beats me! We got nothing. Just wanna pet the little guy.

 

[tabbytom]

So now is under the bed blocked or unblocked? If it's already blocked off, he'll use the cardboard box but is the box a big one?
If under the bed is not blocked off, just give him time and practice your love, patience and routine and he'll be out.

 

[Kieka]

Sounds like a former/semi feral. I have one who was feral until 4 months old. Granted I got her as a kitten and have had her for almost 2 years by now. But she took a good 6 months to socalize to me and another year to be comfortable with both my parents. I still cannot pick her up but she is a love. On my lap the second I sit down and loves petting.

I would strongly urge you to consider a crate or limiting hiding options. Letting him continue to hide with his feral background will only encourage him to continue to hide. As far as he knows you don't know where he his and he is safe avoiding you. He will continue to hide and avoid as long as you allow it. You can provide a safe spot which you can reach and he still feels somewhat hidden. Like a box or a cave bed. There is a very fine line between invading his space and pushing his boundaries.

I do know with social cats it is different. But a feral is a completely different situation. There is a chance that letting him hide will allow him to come around eventually. But it is likely a longer process and he might just need more time to adjust. I know my girl though and if she was in his place? She would need reduced hiding options and a routine to her visits to help acclimate quicker.

 

[trizzo0309]

So now is under the bed blocked or unblocked? If it's already blocked off, he'll use the cardboard box but is the box a big one?
If under the bed is not blocked off, just give him time and practice your love, patience and routine and he'll be out.

Currently under the bed is not blocked off for him. He goes there as he pleases and has never came out while people were around or awake. We hear him crawling around at night but the second he sees us move/awake/open eyes he runs under the bed.

The box is a pretty solid size, definitely big enough for him. I just hope it's not too much longer, I just really wanna connect with the guy and not have this relationship take longer to kick off.

 

[trizzo0309]

Sounds like a former/semi feral. I have one who was feral until 4 months old. Granted I got her as a kitten and have had her for almost 2 years by now. But she took a good 6 months to socalize to me and another year to be comfortable with both my parents. I still cannot pick her up but she is a love. On my lap the second I sit down and loves petting.

I would strongly urge you to consider a crate or limiting hiding options. Letting him continue to hide with his feral background will only encourage him to continue to hide. As far as he knows you don't know where he his and he is safe avoiding you. He will continue to hide and avoid as long as you allow it. You can provide a safe spot which you can reach and he still feels somewhat hidden. Like a box or a cave bed. There is a very fine line between invading his space and pushing his boundaries.

I do know with social cats it is different. But a feral is a completely different situation. There is a chance that letting him hide will allow him to come around eventually. But it is likely a longer process and he might just need more time to adjust. I know my girl though and if she was in his place? She would need reduced hiding options and a routine to her visits to help acclimate quicker.

So, you're saying to kind of forcefully get him from out of under the bed and into a crate? I guess I just don't feel comfortable limiting my cat to a little cage that maybe has a few square feet to it. I want him to roam as he pleases and not feel trapped but I don't know what's best for him. I just want him to warm up and boxing him in further/forcefully removing him seems the opposite.

 

[5starcathotel]

You're not forcing him into the crate, or keeping him in a cage. You're offering the box/crate as an alternative space, that he can feel safe in, and not trapped (which the reason for providing a couple of holes). You'll have to mostly respect that as "his" space. You can look in at him, and say hi, but probably avoid reaching in to pet him for now. The idea is to somewhat force him to interact with the "larger" world than exists under your bed, and learn that it isn't so scary.

Whether you need to do that at 1 week, or want to wait it out a while longer, I think you'll know.

FYI, I had to do the same thing with my 14mo semi-feral who, after 3 months of living with me, was still mostly hiding under the bed. She'd go into the living room to eat (because that was the only room where food was available!), and jump on the bed in the early morning hours to get pet, purr, and lick my head. But if I moved too much, or whenever I'd enter the room during the day, she'd just flee back under the bed. So I removed the bed frame, and bought a medium-sized canvas crate, put towels inside and on top, and basically made it as inviting as I could.

Then I had to take her to the vet to get fixed and boarded while I went on a trip. That entire experience, of getting toweled by me, boarded, and handled by the vet staff, was fairly traumatic for her, her sister, and mom unfortunately.

But today, for the first time ever, she finally let me walk in and pet her without running away. Well, at least not running away immediately....still a work in progress here!

 

[Kieka]

So, you're saying to kind of forcefully get him from out of under the bed and into a crate? I guess I just don't feel comfortable limiting my cat to a little cage that maybe has a few square feet to it. I want him to roam as he pleases and not feel trapped but I don't know what's best for him. I just want him to warm up and boxing him in further/forcefully removing him seems the opposite.

You make it sound like I am suggesting caging him for months and breaking his spirit. It is a short term tool for long term gain.

Read the thread I linked. Call the group and ask them how they socalized him. Call rescues, cat behaviorists and foster parents who deal with ferals. They will all agree that limiting space and removing hiding spots except for 1 accessible spot is key. I would say maybe 80% of the ones I know or follow crate until the cat is comfortable being pet and touched. Shoot there is one I know who will wrap them in purritos for even more forced exposure.

Ferals are a whole other creature. You have to throw the rules for a socailized cat out the window. When I found myself with a feral 4 month old (who stunk, was flea infested and barely a pound at that age I should add) I did the research. I called around. I looked around. In the end I crated her and I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I worked with her daily for 6 months and now I have a little love who comes when called and paces around me until I provide her a lap. My cats are indoor/outdoor. I fully and compeltely understand wanting to give cats freedom. But in this? Its like forcing your kids to learn to play a sport or go to school. Its boundaries and schedules and routines for them to ultimately grow and learn. Just on smaller fluffier scale.

So yes, I am suggesting to take him out from the bed. Remove his under bed cave and any other hiding place where he truly is unreachable and hidden. Put him in a crate or provide him with just one accessible hide. Then try again. Schedule. Routine. Interact. He will come around. But if you let him hide he will just continue to hide, that is what ferals are really good at.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Hello all. ...
Adopted a new 2 year old cat from a rescue on last Monday.

When we brought him home he was scared to death (reasonably so), shook, we couldn't pet him and he hid under our bed/dresser.

We have him in our bedroom with the door closed and his food/water/litter box all nearby so no other pets can come in and disturb him.

... We have seen him roam in the morning while we are sleeping but as soon as he sees we are awake he runs and hides. ...

We have three other cats who we want to be his friend but don't want to introduce them into the new cat is comfortable with us and at least comes out of the bed. We haven't even seen him all the way since he hides! ...

He was a feral for six months, then at a rescue for 18 months where they said he took a while to acclimate but became super lovey over time. Thank you for the information.

Unfortunately, in order to block off the hiding space we would have to forcibly get him out of under the bed which I don't think will go well.

He has plenty of room under the bed and under the dresser if he wants it but it's just sad having a cat for a week and not being able to pet him or even see his full self once. Breaks my heart.

T trizzo0309 -- Hi, trizzo0309! I know it can seem like a long time, esp. when you want your new kitty to not feel so stressed, but 7-8 days is really not a long time at all.


He was feral early on, when he was youngest in age, but you do say that the rescue who had him the last 18 months said he did open up and they said he was 'super lovely' over time -- even if it took him a while. So, there is hope for sure. Hang in there!

Remember, you already have three cats and their odors are everywhere for your new kitty to smell. That's pretty alarming for him, when he's scared and unsure. He's been used to only a certain set of smells the last 18 months, so you need to allow him some time. I liken it somewhat to homesickness (esp. if he got comfortable at the shelter)... sort of like if I move to a new city after half a decade in another city. You have to get the lay of the land in a new place! Find out what people around you to trust. You know? It can take a bit of time. If you keep up a calm and reliable demeanor, with daily patterns as Kieka suggested, that will help some of his stress dissipate.

I think what you are doing is great, keeping him "sheltered" from the other cats in the bedroom. He can not only get used to your smells and behaviors, your patterns of daily living, but maybe gradually feel comfy in this safe haven for him to go to when you finally do introduce him to your other cats (which will have to be another slow process!). You might want to bring in little familiar things your other cats "hang out on" or toys they play with in the other parts of the house, like if they lay on certain towels or blankets all the time. Their scents and saliva and pheromones will be on such things, and if your new cat can smell what the other cats smell like while he is still "safe" inside the bedroom alone with you... maybe when he finally does meet them in person, their smells will already feel "safe" to him. (It's worth a try.)

Get a big sturdy cardboard box for him so that he can use it instead of hiding under the bed or dresser. Cut a few holes here and there so that he can look out and you can see him while he's in the box. One big and one small opening at both ends so it's not a dead end for him. He can enter and leave either from front and back. It's much better than under the bed or dresser.

So now is under the bed blocked or unblocked? If it's already blocked off, he'll use the cardboard box but is the box a big one?
If under the bed is not blocked off, just give him time and practice your love, patience and routine and he'll be out.

... You can provide a safe spot which you can reach and he still feels somewhat hidden. Like a box or a cave bed. There is a very fine line between invading his space and pushing his boundaries.

I do know with social cats it is different. But a feral is a completely different situation. There is a chance that letting him hide will allow him to come around eventually. But it is likely a longer process and he might just need more time to adjust. ...

... They will all agree that limiting space and removing hiding spots except for 1 accessible spot is key. ... ... Its boundaries and schedules and routines for them to ultimately grow and learn. ...
Put him in a crate or provide him with just one accessible hide. Then try again. Schedule. Routine. Interact. He will come around. ...

I like the above points I've highlighted. The idea is to have him "extend outward" to more of an accessible-to-you hidey place, and one which has two points of egress for him. I myself would recommend that --for another week or so-- one of the points of egress aim right back at the bed, so he can have that choice of going under the bed when he is really, really freaked out. But I would gradually block off the bed and hidey places under dressers. Don't worry -- in my view, since the last 18 months he had acclimated in a shelter, I feel he will definitely grow out of hiding under the bed. Just make sure you have 1-2 other hidey places for him, which you can also reach him in case you need to in a health emergency, etc. I'd also recommend getting a smaller cat perch or cat tree with a scratch post just for him, and set it up in the bedroom. He needs some "high turf" of his own, once he gets more sociable.

I like tabbytom 's idea of a cardboard box with two holes at either end (just because there is something odd about the fact that most cats seem attracted to cardboard boxes).

This is a most excellent product...
Thermo-Indoor Pet House (Heated & Unheated)
I like it because it is fabric, has a mat inside you cat take out, but also that it simply zippers up as you "construct" it for use.

Basically, if you want to go see this product in a store, you'll see that the zipper construction is such that you can have that entryway in the front but also unzipper the back section to have a 2nd point of egress in the back for the cat. My cat has this. It's great for hunting toys as well. Our kitty "hides" in there, thinking she can't be seen, only to leap out and hunt down an unsuspecting toy mouse across the room.

Anyway, it may take some time with your new cat but hang in there! You could be looking at many weeks, months?
( C calicosrspecial -- could you add your excellent input to this thread? )

 

[calicosrspecial]

PushPurrCatPaws, thank you, you are too kind.

I deal with ferals all the time. It is a process but I have found a number of things work well.

Don't worry, your experience is common and normal. Some cats take more time. But I have never seen a cat not respond to being loved eventually. Sometimes it just takes time.

First, always let him initiate contact, never try to initiate contact yourself. I also try to avoid eye contact early in the process. Ferals can get nervous when eye contact is made. Also, try to stay as low as possible, ferals do not like to be approached from above.

When I get a new feral I use food as my number 1 tool to build trust. Use stinky wet food (I use warm chicken thigh meat). Put it down near them but not too close so they feel threatened. Then leave the room. Keep doing that. Then after a while (it depends) maybe sit on the floor with the food down. If the cat doesn't come out then leave. We want to give good things to associate us with something good and we don't want to appear to be a threat.

Then at some point we will want to sit down on the ground and talk softly and lovingly. So they can get use to our voice and show we are not a threat.

Then at some point we want to give eye kisses as trust gets built.

Give him a comfy bed, warm and comfy. We want him to say "I don't need to be under this bed when I have this comfy bed". Can you put a cat tree in there and a scratching post? That will also help him start to own the territory.

Cats take on our emotions so please be as calm and confident in the room with him as possible. The more confident we are the more they are. Just act normal like it is not big deal putting the food down etc. Don't go slow motion but don't rush around, just calm and confident, normal pace.

It is a process but I have had success with it. Then once the cat gets more comfortable then we will try to build their confidence and then we will start a formal introduction process to introduce the cat to your existing animals.

I too agree that we at some point would want to block off under the bed. I tend to be a bit more cautious and slow on that if it wasn't blocked off originally.

I have no doubt your cat will come around. I am happy to help you through the process to get him more comfortable with the humans and then to help with the introduction process.

Please ask any questions about any step or anything. I am happy to help. I have no doubt your cat will come around. Cats always respond to being loved eventually.

 

[trizzo0309]

PushPurrCatPaws, thank you, you are too kind.

I deal with ferals all the time. It is a process but I have found a number of things work well.

Don't worry, your experience is common and normal. Some cats take more time. But I have never seen a cat not respond to being loved eventually. Sometimes it just takes time.

First, always let him initiate contact, never try to initiate contact yourself. I also try to avoid eye contact early in the process. Ferals can get nervous when eye contact is made. Also, try to stay as low as possible, ferals do not like to be approached from above.

When I get a new feral I use food as my number 1 tool to build trust. Use stinky wet food (I use warm chicken thigh meat). Put it down near them but not too close so they feel threatened. Then leave the room. Keep doing that. Then after a while (it depends) maybe sit on the floor with the food down. If the cat doesn't come out then leave. We want to give good things to associate us with something good and we don't want to appear to be a threat.

Then at some point we will want to sit down on the ground and talk softly and lovingly. So they can get use to our voice and show we are not a threat.

Then at some point we want to give eye kisses as trust gets built.

Give him a comfy bed, warm and comfy. We want him to say "I don't need to be under this bed when I have this comfy bed". Can you put a cat tree in there and a scratching post? That will also help him start to own the territory.

Cats take on our emotions so please be as calm and confident in the room with him as possible. The more confident we are the more they are. Just act normal like it is not big deal putting the food down etc. Don't go slow motion but don't rush around, just calm and confident, normal pace.

It is a process but I have had success with it. Then once the cat gets more comfortable then we will try to build their confidence and then we will start a formal introduction process to introduce the cat to your existing animals.

I too agree that we at some point would want to block off under the bed. I tend to be a bit more cautious and slow on that if it wasn't blocked off originally.

I have no doubt your cat will come around. I am happy to help you through the process to get him more comfortable with the humans and then to help with the introduction process.

Please ask any questions about any step or anything. I am happy to help. I have no doubt your cat will come around. Cats always respond to being loved eventually.

PushPurrCatPaws C calicosrspecial Thank you SO much for the advice. It's really, really appreciated.

So, some simple suggestions are to be in the room with him once and a while and basically ignore him? Put down food, watch TV softly and not give him attention and act normal? When I happen to see him he's crammed in the corner under the bed only coming out at night for food/litterbox where he goes on adventures in the room to look out the window.

I tried waving one of those cat wands under the bed and he started at it uninterested. Tried a laser pointer as well and he didn't care. We already closed off him hiding under the dresser so it's only underneath the bed that he can hide and inside his new little box we made for him. The cardboard box has his blanket from his carrier in it so the smell is normal to him and should be inviting.

I know 8 days isn't a super long time but we just want him feeling comfortable and I feel like we haven't seen any progress in the last week and it's discouraging as owners. Like, I wanna pet my new cat!

The caging idea just sounds really inhumane to me. I understand from a practical perspective it makes sense but limiting an animal to a few square feet while being locked in just isn't something I'm comfortable with as it feels like a dungeon rather than a safe space.

I'm just at a loss and want to see some/any progress to know that we're doing SOMETHING right. You know?

 

[calicosrspecial]

You are very welcome. Don't worry, I totally understand how you feel.

Start with putting special food down and then leave the room. That should bring him out from under the bed. He'll know it is from you. We'll do that for a little while then we'll put it down and you can just sit on the floor. He probably wont come out the first few times but then (if he likes the food) he'll come out. When he does just sit on the floor quietly, not looking at the cat. And we build from there. Food down and then soft talking so he can get use to the voice.

We want to associate something good (food) with the human. We will be using this theory when we go through the formal introduction process integrating the cats.

Yes, you can also at some point (especially after he comes out for the food with you in there) to just sit in the room and ignore him. At first be quiet then after a few days depending on how comfortable he is then speak softly and confidently. Probably no TV for the time being (I know it can be boring).

It is great that he is looking out of the window at night. He is just learning his new home. It takes time. Great that you have his blanket as well, familiar smells are very helpful. A cat tree and/or a scratching post that he can get his scent on is also helpful. Height builds confidence so it is great that he is going up to look out of the window.

Play right now is a bit early in my opinion. But it will be an important part of building his confidence before, during and after the formal introduction process.

Stay very confident and calm around him. And try not to make eye contact for now. We want him to know we humans are not a threat and to associate us with good things (especially food). We will get to the eye kisses (which are very important) down the road. Eye kisses are a sign of trust. When the cat responds you are in.

We want to keep the cat totally separated from the resident cats. No visual at all.

I know it is discouraging but don't worry, he has hit the jackpot finding your home!! He couldn't have found a better home (I can see you love him as you are posting here). You are doing a lot right, don't worry. We will get him to respond to your love. Cats are on cat time so we have to move at their pace, sometimes it can be slower but it is not us, it is their history. Our job is to show them love and build their confidence. I know you can do that.

Don't worry, I will be with you every step of the way.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I really think something is just going to go, "click- I feel safer", with him at some point, if you keep up with what you are doing. And then boom! surprise, surprise, one fine day, maybe late in the morning, he'll come out for a little bit and sit a bit far from you in the bedroom when you least expect it. Glance at him and bob your head, coo some kitty love words at him, don't stare, and then go back to what you were doing. Don't approach. Stay calm (even though it may be exciting, lol!) Maybe you'll be sorting your mail while sitting on the floor, with a rattle bell/ jingle ball nearby you can entice him with. Or putting your tennis shoes on, with some lovely aromatic kitty food in a dish nearby. Maybe you'll be cleaning his litter box while humming a tune. He just needs to get used to the patterns that you have.

He's not paying attention to toys at the moment because he doesn't feel comfortable yet. But I find it interesting that he is roaming at night, when you are in bed sleeping or half awake. This is a great sign. (See! there HAS been progress!) Maybe some of your quiet, bonding time in the bedroom could be just you reading a book or using your laptop on the bed. Maybe if you're on the bed, it will remind him of when he roams at night -- and he'll come out? (This is like 'cat whispering', lol.) It's good to see calicosrspecial likes the idea of a scratch post, too.

 

[calicosrspecial]

PushPurrCatPaws, great post. I totally agree with you.

Trizzo, are you sleeping in the same room as your new cat? I actually assumed (rightly or wrongly) that you weren't. Either way, it is great that your cat is roaming at night. Anytime they are out and not threatened it builds confidence.

 

[trizzo0309]

PushPurrCatPaws, great post. I totally agree with you.

Trizzo, are you sleeping in the same room as your new cat? I actually assumed (rightly or wrongly) that you weren't. Either way, it is great that your cat is roaming at night. Anytime they are out and not threatened it builds confidence.

C calicosrspecial PushPurrCatPaws I appreciate the insight. At the beginning he always had dry food so we brought in wet food and then left the room. When we came back it was untouched so we can confirm for the most part that he only eats his wet food at night when we are not awake.

We wake up in the morning and his wet food is eaten and some dry. The "special" food we tried was tuna originally and he was so scared when we tried it with him and didn't touch it. This was before he was eating. Actually, the first 72 hours he didn't eat a single thing at all but then started to (thank god) or else we were going to bring him to the vet and force feed him.

The first 3 days we slept in the room with him (didn't eat) then I made the call to sleep in another room so he may feel comfortable enough to eat and it worked. That probably saved him a vet trip. The last few nights we have slept in the same room with him and he's eating normally so that's great.

Breaking: He came out and played with the girlfriend! Girlfriend said he came to the edge under the bed, she gave him some catnip, he made little biscuits with his paw and played with a toy! After a few minutes he grabbed the toy in his mouth, ran back to the corner under the bed and continued playing alone. Girlfriend gave him her hand to sniff, he did so and was all cautious about it. That's the best thing I've heard. Maybe it will continue!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

. I totally agree with you.
...

Yeah, I just feel this is different than a feral. It's a shelter cat who has been used to confinement for 18 months. Can you imagine... the wide expanse of having access to a whole entire bedroom?!


That would set any shy shelter kitty back on their haunches! And to think the bedroom is just a moon around a planet, in a universe -- there is still a whole house to see, with three other cats! (oooh boy, that will be hard, too! but who knows)

It's a completely new experience. He needs little safe places of confinement set about the room like little lily pads, till he can gain confidence.

This is a bit hilarious, but our last cat liked this corrugated packing material stuff to sit on and scratch her claws on. We tore off smaller sections for the cat to have.



We bought a whole roll during her last year of life, and we still have some left over, course. We've used sections of it for our latest cat as she got used to our apartment. We throw out recycle the pieces of packing material as the pieces get worn out (it's like a thick paper or cardboard). It's like cats just love seeing something on the floor and they go over to sit on it, groom on it, lay on it, etc., lol. Set a piece of paper or a shoe box lid on the floor near a cat and see what happens. lol

It's like a little spot they can say, This is mine, so there.