Something spooked her…

nicoles

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Sally is 4 & I’ve had her since she was a baby. She’s always been spooked easily - she was a rescue that had been tossed when she was born- but for the most part it’s not often bad.

we Moved a few weeks ago (almost a month) and she’s done so wonderfully, we started her in my room and that’s her safe spot - it has all her food and her litter box in the bathroom. Then I slowly introduced her to the rest and she has done really great, she has tons of new window space and loves spending her day sleeping in it!

last night something spooked her- I don’t know what (I *did* hear a little thud and thought maybe she got into the trash. She was fine after). Later on in the night I came in the bedroom and she stood her fur up and tail got fluffy. No idea why. I went to bed and she crawled in bed with me as normal.

This morning she was laying in her tower by the window as normal, laying in the floor for me to rub her back, eating, etc.

She came out and explored again, went back in the room and suddenly was doing the same thing when I came in- fur standing up, hiding, and then started hissing. (Which she VERY RARELY does.) She walks very slowly around the room, and when I went to pick her up both her ears went flat.

She never usually is THIS spooked and idk what to do for her. Any ideas or tips?

thank you!
 

dustydiamond1

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:hellosmiley: :welcomesign:OH MY! Very brave of you to pick her up with flattened ears, she loves you very much to allow you to. Does she get spooked in your room or is that where she runs to when she spooks somewhere else in the house? Sight, sound and/or smell are triggers. Could be something obscure. Another cat or animal or something outside. Gypsy was terrified of the garbage truck when she first came in. Something like the coffeepot noise etc... something that she may have heard at the old house with no problem but sounds different in the new place. Any new appliance noise. Could be anything, check for triggers. Others here will have more experience and advice. It may stop once she gets used to the house but its heartbreaking seeing them so terrified. You are doing well reassuring her by staying calm and not freaking out.
Would love to see photos of Sally, good luck. Keep us updated.
 
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nicoles

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She’s spooked everywhere, but my room is her little safe spot so she is staying In there. When I go in her fur goes up again and she’s panicked and I don’t know why. A few minutes ago she was a little calmer, sat with me and was staring out the door. She let me pick her up, and I brought her out here to see she’s okay. She kinda peered around and stayed in my arms. We went back in my room, she was sitting in the window and then under the bed and then a few minutes later she was acting like something was weird again, and when I went through the door she had her fur raised again….see pic, she’s so scared and I don’t know why or what I can do to help.

I keep reassuring her she’s okay and just keep going back in and letting her hear my voice, even though she’s scared. We do live in an apt so I’ve wondered if maybe she hears or smelled another animal, etc.
B8C012EB-6D63-4B0D-977F-91345B85AF42.jpeg
 

susanm9006

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I have one that gets spooked very very easily. The best thing I have found is just to go about doing what I normally do and ignore her slinking around. Talk to her but don’t try to pick her up or comfort her - when a cat is scared this usually makes them more tense. But if there are things she likes to do or have, a bit of catnip or some wand play, offer it. If she ignores it, that’s okay.
 
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nicoles

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I have one that gets spooked very very easily. The best thing I have found is just to go about doing what I normally do and ignore her slinking around. Talk to her but don’t try to pick her up or comfort her - when a cat is scared this usually makes them more tense. But if there are things she likes to do or have, a bit of catnip or some wand play, offer it. If she ignores it, that’s okay.
Thank you! I think this is what I’m going to do, I left to run an errand and came home and she had Finally crawled in the tower on her favorite blankie, so I’m just going to talk to her as normal but not make her feel like anything is off.

I have a bit of anxiety, live alone and she’s my baby lol so I have a habit of over worrying about her without even realizing it!
 

dustydiamond1

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Poor baby :grouphug2:. She is beautiful. Apartment buildings are full of noise especially ones we hoomans can't hear. Great she has safety places. I think you are doing the correct thing by calmly continuing your normal routine showing her all is well. (Maybe a treat or a chin scritch or a brushing after she has calmed down) Maybe try leaving a radio or tv on as background noise especially when you leave (just don't turn it on only when you leave) I wonder if her showing fear in response to you walking in is just letting you know that something other than you is frightening her since she otherwise loves being with you. You are doing great :vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::heartshape:
 
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tarasgirl06

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Hello N nicoles and Gypsy and welcome to TCS! Gypsy is gorgeous.
We are surrounded by noise. I won't harangue about our current situation in a large, comfortable home in a formerly quiet neighborhood where the neighbors from hell moved in at the beginning of July and have been making us suffer ever since. My sweet Elvis, almost if not completely 15, hates it. My roomies don't like it. It makes me sick (I have Aspergers and all of my senses are very acute).
Cats' hearing is 3 times more acute than humans' So Gypsy is undoubtedly hearing lots that you do not hear. I create a barrier against noise by having radios on all the time from the time I wake up until evening, when I try to relax with the TV. Ads make me stressed, so I have KUSC.org on. No soundbars, no paid music services, just the radio. I have radios in almost every room.
If you think Gypsy may have gotten into the rubbish, that can be dangerous for her. My rubbish bin is behind cupboard doors under the kitchen sink. Elvis never shows any interest in rubbish, but if he did, I'd also get those step-on bins for the bathrooms/laundry room. It's really easy and important to cat-proof your environment just like you would if you had a toddler kid. I make sure my roomies don't drop stuff and leave it.
AC can help deaden the noise, too -- it's $$$ for me, but fortunately my roomies help out.
 
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nicoles

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All night Sally kept staring out into the living room refusing to go out there. This morning we played in the bedroom and I went to log onto my computer (in the sunroom off of the living room) and turned around and she was following me, rubbing against my legs. She explored for a minute and then before I knew it she was in the window here too. Major progress today!!!!
79834F2F-F745-49DB-A98A-259CD2B53F45.jpeg
 

Whenallhellbreakslose

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Hello, so it sounds like Sally is a nervous girl to begin with having dealth with being dumped before you adopted her, but when reading your post I instantly thought of another animal showing up in front of the window. It could be another cat, dog, or wild life. It may take your kitty a little longer to acclimate to her new home and any new thing might make her nervous. Maybe a sound she never heard of before or seeing new people outside the apartment. She still taking everything in and with a nervous kitty they are constantly in stranger danger mode. At night maybe, you want to keep the blinds down, so she doesn't see something that would stress her out. If she feels safe in your room, let her stay with you until she has grown accustomed to the sights and sounds of her new enviroment. You can use the air conditioner to block out loud sounds if it is causing her distress (e.g loud music) and perhaps you can use Feliway spray to calm her. Make Sally feel safe and comfortable and keep reassuring her that everything is okay.

I hope Sally gets a little more calmer everyday. As mentioned before because of her nervous nature it may take her more time to really settle in and feel secure in her new home. Don't be discouraged by that. Take it one day at a time. Best of luck to you. 🙂
 

tabbytom

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last night something spooked her- I don’t know what (I *did* hear a little thud and thought maybe she got into the trash. She was fine after). Later on in the night I came in the bedroom and she stood her fur up and tail got fluffy. No idea why. I went to bed and she crawled in bed with me as normal.
She came out and explored again, went back in the room and suddenly was doing the same thing when I came in- fur standing up, hiding, and then started hissing. (Which she VERY RARELY does.) She walks very slowly around the room, and when I went to pick her up both her ears went flat.

She never usually is THIS spooked and idk what to do for her. Any ideas or tips?
Something she saw or smell must have spooked her. She might think that it's a threat to her and therefore she's puffed up. Whenever she's in this mode, reassure her that everything's ok and tell her there's nothing there.

Loving calm voice from you will also calm her down. Go to where she is and see what's she's looking at and gently move the object away and at the same time, reassure her and also try to introduce the object and tell her it's nothing and it's ok.
 

Mamanyt1953

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Give her a bit of time. From the photo you shared of the front window, I'm sure there's a good bit of activity, and probably at all hours. Perhaps not loud enough for you to register it, but SHE does. Within a few weeks, she'll be accustomed to them, and know that the BUMP cannot get into the apartment.
 

tarasgirl06

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All night Sally kept staring out into the living room refusing to go out there. This morning we played in the bedroom and I went to log onto my computer (in the sunroom off of the living room) and turned around and she was following me, rubbing against my legs. She explored for a minute and then before I knew it she was in the window here too. Major progress today!!!!
View attachment 428533
Oops! Sally, not Gypsy! I couldn't change it but anyway. It's good you are on the first floor so another animal or person would not be directly in her line of sight. It looks very nice there! Hopefully some of the suggestions posted will be of help.
 
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